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In This Issue
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Mary A. Knighton
Roger Pulvers
Kimie Hara
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Mary A. Knighton
The Sloppy Realities of 3.11 in
Shiriagari Kotobuki's Manga
The 2011
disasters of first earthquake and tsunami, followed by the reactor
meltdowns and weeks of aftershocks, continue today due to the lingering
crisis at Fukushima Daiichi. These events, known as "3.11,"
compounded the precarity in recessionary Japan - literally displacing the ibasho (home, and
sense of belonging) of hundreds of thousands in Tohoku - and deepened a
quotidian experience of malaise at a crisis constantly in the news, with no
end in sight.
This article explores the work of manga artist Shiriagari Kotobuki, whose
commentary emerged at a time of national crisis when many hesitated to
speak up. Shiriagari's work: Manga
Ever Since: 2011.3.11 (Ano
hi kara no manga: 2011.3.11, 2011) first received recognition
this past May with the 2014 Medal of Honor for Culture (Purple Ribbon) from
the Emperor. Manga
Ever Since collects manga that, beginning mere days after March
11, 2011, steadily folded the experience of the disaster into readers'
everyday lives. Although the title of Shiriagari's collection suggests that
his work changed after that fateful day, what really changed was the
serious attention his manga garnered when he dared to take the crisis as
subject matter for humor and commentary in the immediate wake of the
disasters. He has continued to do so "ever since."
Mary A. Knighton is an ACLS/SSRC/NEH Fellow at the Virginia Foundation for
the Humanities. Her publications include "'Becoming Insect Woman':
Tezuka's Feminist Species," Mechademia Vol. 8, Special Issue on Tezuka
Osamu, "Tezuka's Manga Life" (2013): 3-24.
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Roger Pulvers
Architect Kuma Kengo: 'a product of
place'
Architect Kuma Kengo is perhaps best
known for his deep-seated sense of rebellion that anifests itself in his
prolific writing and his work around the world. Kuma's aesthetic is a
rebellion against what most people generally consider "modern." In
this article, the author engages a series of Kuma's personal letters to
re-interpret what motivated the architect to embark on his journey in
search of values that might wisely inform a future lifestyle-- not only for
himself, but also to rescue young people in Japan today who are finding
themselves at sea with no one and nothing to point the way home.
Roger Pulvers is an American-born
Australian author, playwright, theater director and translator. He has
published 40 books in Japanese and English including The Dream of Lafcadio Hearn.
In 2008, he was awarded the Kenji Miyazawa Prize and in 2013 the Noma Award
for the Translation of Japanese Literature for his book on Miyazawa Kenji, "Strong in
the Rain": Selected Poems.
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Kimie Hara
From Cold War Thaws to the Arctic
Thaw: The Changing Arctic and Its Security Implications for East Asia
Global climate change is profoundly reshaping the Arctic
region, not only physically but also in international politics. Yet Arctic
development is of concern to more than the Circumpolar states. The issues
are global, and East Asia is no exception. Japan, South Korea and China in
particular have been increasingly deepening their involvement in Arctic affairs.
The evolving situation of the Arctic region could also have significant
impact on political relations and the regional security architecture in
East Asia, providing new opportunities for cooperation and additional
sources of conflict.
This paper considers security implications of the Arctic thaw
to East Asia, where the structure of the regional Cold War confrontation
profoundly shapes the geopolitical order to this day. Just as Cold War
thaws did not lead to the collapse of the San Francisco System, the Arctic
thaw alone may not be enough to bring fundamental change to the continuing
structure of confrontation in East Asia. The author discusses possible
changes that climate change may bring to the Arctic's security environment,
pointing to several measures and adjustments which the concerned states can
take.
Kimie Hara is the Director of East Asian Studies at Renison
University College, the Renison Research Professor and a management team
member of the Japan Futures Initiative at the University of Waterloo
(Canada), and an Asia-Pacific Journal associate. Her books include Northern Territories,
Asia-Pacific Regional Conflicts and the Aland Experience: Untying the
Kurillian Knot (with Geoffrey Jukes).
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