The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus Newsletter

Newsletter No. 39. 2014        September 29, 2014 New Articles Hideki Yoshikawa Okinawan Appeal to the US Congress: Futenma Marine Base Relocation and its Environmental Impact: U.S. Responsibility The Asia-Pacific Journal    Police Surveillance of Muslims and Human Rights in Japan Hiranmoy Lahiri Reality through Fantasy: Miyazaki Hayao's "Anime" Films   Mayuzumi Madoka and Hiroaki & Nancy Sato    So Happy to see Cherry Blossoms: Haiku from the Year of the Great Earthquake and Tsunami  Greetings!  Last Monday, after assuming his post as the new minister of defense earlier this month, Eto Akinori visited Okinawa governor Nakaima Hirokazu for the first time, expressing his desire to strive towards a "visible" reduction of the burden of the US military on the prefecture. The reality was otherwise, as the Japan-US decision to relocate some of the functions of the Futenma base to a new facility in Henoko remains set in stone. Construction officially began in July in the face of determined Okinawan opposition, and a month later a US Congressional Report noted the "heavy handed actions" of the Japanese government to force the new base on Okinawans. Now, in an Appeal From Okinawa to the US Congress, anthropologist Hideki Yoshikawa examines the environmental issues that have been ignored by official studies, calling attention to the responsibility of the American military to consider the silent majority that is the natural environment of Okinawa and honor its own environmental assessment procedures. An Asia-Pacific Journal report with resonances of the police profiling of American Muslims examines the disturbing practice of Police Surveillance of Muslims and Human Rights in Japan carried out in the guise of combating terrorism. The story came to light following the leak of police documents in 2010. With the upcoming Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and successive UN Commissions faulting Japan's discriminatory policies toward foreigners, Japanese behavior toward visitors will be in the public eye. Hiranmoy Lahiri explores the fantastical realism of the films of Miyazaki Hayao, who (again) announced his decision to retire from active film-making last year. On the occasion of Miyazaki's receipt of a Hollywood Lifetime Achievement Award, Lahiri distinguishes his works from common anime, which arguably invoke concepts such as "mono no aware" (the pathos of things) and serve to promote ecological concepts. Finally, we are delighted to announce the co-winner of the Kyoko Selden Translation Prize for 2014: So Happy to see Cherry Blossoms: Haiku from the Year of the Great Earthquake and Tsunami, edited by Mayuzumi Madoka and translated by Hiroaki and Nancy Sato. The title of this collection comes from a haiku written in 2012 by a boy from Yamada-machi on the coast of Iwate. An excerpt from Co-winner David Pearsall Dutcher's translation of the eleventh century tale Sagoromo monogatari will appear in a future issue.

Filipinas y ASEAN: Una nueva oportunidad de negocio para la empresa extranjera en Asia. JORNADA EN BARCELONA GRATUITA Administrador Casa Asia Owner, Casa Asia Tras la crisis financiera del año 2008, Filipinas se ha consolidado como una de las economías asiáticas de mayor dinamismo. Durante los años 2012 y 2013 las tasas de crecimiento fueron del 6’8% y del 7’2% respectivamente, por lo que se trata de uno de los países que mejores perspectivas ofrece para las compañías extranjeras. Por otro lado, Filipinas es parte integrante de ASEAN, de forma que cualquier inversor extranjero podrá aprovechar las oportunidades derivadas del proceso de integración que se está llevando a cabo entre los 10 países pertenecientes a esta organización. Casa Asia, y la Cámara de Comercio de Barcelona organizan esta sesión en la que una delegación de importantes empresarios de Filipinas y el alcalde de Cebú, la segunda ciudad más importante de Filipinas, irán desgranando las principales oportunidades que ofrece el país. Programa 18.00 h - Inauguración 18.10 h - Primera intervención: “Análisis de la situación económica de ASEAN” A cargo de: Bernie Villegas, vicepresidente de la Universidad de Asia y el Pacífico 18.30 h - Mesa redonda: “Oportunidades de negocio en Filipinas” Michael Rama, alcalde de Cebú Gabriel Malvar, vicepresidente de desarrollo de negocio de Benguet Corporation Isidro Consunji, CEO de D.M. Consunji, Inc. Jesus Zulueta, presidente de ZMG Ward Howell Moderada por Ricardo Barcelona, consejero delegado, Barcino Advisers Limited. Jornada en inglés sin traducción Miércoles, 1 de octubre de 2014 a las 18.00 horas Sede de Casa Asia Pabellón de Sant Manuel Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau c/ Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167 Barcelona Entrada libre hasta completar el aforo. Es imprescindible inscribirse facilitando nombre, apellidos y número de DNI/NIE/pasaporte a: economia@casaasia.es Más información en: http://www.casaasia.es/actividad/detalle/213853-jornada-filipinas-y-asean-una-nueva-oportunidad-de-negocio-para-la-empresa-extranjera-en

Institute of Buddhist Studies Fall 2014 Numata Lecture and 2014 - 2015 Schedule of Events

The Institute of Buddhist Studies is pleased to present a number of events over the course of the 2014 - 2015 academic year, and we invite you to explore these Dharma offerings.  Next week IBS will present the Fall 2014 Numata Lecture featuring Dr. Takahiko Kameyama, a distinguished member of the faculty at IBS. Dr. Kameyama will speak in the Kodo on Wednesday, October 8th beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley. The topic of this lecture is The Arising of Faith in the Human Body. It promises to be an interesting exploration of the Shingon Buddhist belief in the fundamental equality of the human body and the Buddha's bodies, and its relationship to embryology, physiology, and the characteristics of faith. Other upcoming events by IBS include: Sunday, November 24th in San Diego, CA IBS is also offering an IASBS Lecture by Professor James Dobbins on D.T. Suzuki. Professor Dobbins will examine Suzuki's attempt to articulate Pure Land Buddhism in a language compatible with modern intellectual concerns. The lecture is graciously hosted by the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies, and will take place during the American Academy of Religion annual meeting. Please visit the IASBS website for details: http://www.iasbs.org/?p=72  Thursday, December 4th at the Jodo Shinshu Center, Berkeley, CA Save the date for the 2014 Memorial Service for the Founders, which we expect will be held in the early evening. It will commence with a reception, followed by the service in the Kodo. Please join us to memorialize the members of the IBS community who played a critical role in making the study and practice of Buddhism in the United States possible. This is an important way of expressing our gratitude. We will forward more details soon. Thursday, February 26, 2015 in San Diego, CA The Institute is pleased to present the 2015 IBS Winter Symposium on Buddhism and psychology at the Buddhist Churches of America National Council Meeting. Please save the date, and we will provide more details soon. Of course, you can always check our website for information and new events too. We hope to see you soon!  Gassho, IBS Faculty and Staff

Institute of Buddhist Studies www.shin-ibs.edu

Debates populares en: Casa Asia

Investigación española sobre Asia Pacífico David Ramírez Las redchina.es/investigacion-espanola-sobre-asia-pacifico/ Investigación española sobre Asia Pacífico - Red China Como comentábamos hace unos meses, durante el mes de febrero tuvo lugar el 4.º Foro español de investigación en Asia-Pacífico (FEIAP 2014).

México-China:

Estimados amigos e interesados en China y la relación México-China:

Por este medio nos permitimos recordarles que Arturo Oropeza García dictará una conferencia en el marco del Ciclo de Conferencias China-México del Cechimex titulada
"LA RELACIÓN CHINA-ESTADOS UNIDOS EN EL MARCO DEL TPP

(TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP)

".

El evento se llevará a cabo el miércoles 1 de octubre a las 10 a.m. en el Aula Magna Jesús Silva Herzog, primer piso del Edificio Anexo de la Facultad de Economía, Ciudad Universitaria UNAM. 
Mayores informes al 56222195 y ver el mapa de ubicación en: http://www.economia.unam.mx/cechimex.

El Dr. Arturo Oropeza García es Investigador del Instituto de Investigaciones Jurídicas (IIJ) de la UNAM e incluye entre sus líneas de investigación el comercio internacional, desarrollo y derecho económico de China, así como procesos de integración y comercio internacional de China y Latinoamérica. Cuenta con varios libros y múltiples artículos sobre la relación entre América Latina y China.

Pueden acceder a anteriores eventos del Ciclo de Conferencias del Cechimex (presentaciones, podcast y/o video) en: http://www.economia.unam.mx/cechimex/index.php/es/conferencias

De igual forma nos permitimos recordarles sobre el COLOQUIO INTERNACIONAL DE ESTUDIOS CHINOS Y MEXICANOS: UN DIÁLOGO CULTURAL PERMANENTE que se realizará del 8 al 10 de octubre de 2014 en Ciudad Universitaria, México.
El evento contará con un excelente grupo de académicos de la UNAM y otras instituciones académicas mexicanas, así como con contrapartes chinas (para el programa completo, véase: http://suea.unam.mx/index.php/suea/64). El registro para la inscripción está disponible en: http://suea.unam.mx/index.php/suea/programa-de-actividades

Saludos, enrique dussel peters

Dr. Enrique Dussel Peters
Profesor
Posgrado en Economía

Coordinador
        Centro de Estudios China-México
        Facultad de Economía
         Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Visítanos en Facebook:
         @Cechimex FE UNAM
        @Cuadernos de trabajo del Cechimex FE UNAM


http://www.economia.unam.mx/cechimex/

http://dusselpeters.com

Highlighting JAPAN

E-mail Newsletter "Highlighting JAPAN"
http://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/index.html
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No. 79(September 26, 2014)
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[Contents of Highlighting JAPAN September 2014]


<< PRIME MINISTER'S DIARY >>

- Japan ? India Summit Meeting

<< COVER STORY >>

[Venture Businesses: Shaping Japan’s Tomorrow]

- Interview: Hirokazu Hasegawa, Professor at Waseda Business School

- Revitalizing Japan’s Traditional Handicrafts

- Farm-Fresh Ideas
A Rural Restaurant Run by Farm Women Serves Up Local Produce

- The Advent and Future of “Robot Suit HAL”
The Amezing Wearable Robot

- Pushing Lenses to the Limit
How One Specialty Manufacturer Sustains Its Venture Spirit

- Green Philanthropy
How Euglena can Solve the World’s Nutrition Problems

- Awakening the Entrepreneurial Urge
Saiwai Elementary School’s Career Education Program

- Sprouting a New Generation of Female Entrepreneurs

----------------------------------------------------------

<< STUDENTS’ CORNER >>

- The Tale of Princess Kaguya

<< SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY >>

- A Rare Sweetness
Researching Healthier Forms of Sugar

<< JAPANESE ABROAD  >>

- Tatsushi Tsuboi
Cultivating a Miracle Grain to Sustain Africa in the Next Century


<< 47 PREFECTURES: FROM A TO Y >>

- Osaka / Saga

* Please click below to open the online magazine

http://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/index.html

AWARD ANNOUNCEMENT

Winners of the 2014 Toshihide Numata Book Prize

by Robert H Sharf

The Center for Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, is pleased to announce two winners of the 2014 Toshihide Numata Book Prize: Erik Braun, Professor of Religious Studies at The University of Oklahoma, for The Birth of Insight: Meditation, Modern Buddhism, and the Burmese Monk Ledi Sayadaw (University of Chicago Press, 2013), and John K. Nelson,Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco, for Experimental Buddhism: Innovation and Activism in Contemporary Japan (University of Hawaii Press, 2013).

The Toshihide Numata Book Prize in Buddhism is awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding book or books in the area of Buddhist studies. The selection is made by an annually appointed outside committee. The members of this year's committee praised The Birth of Insight, with one reviewer commenting “The book is so well written, conceived, and theoretically grounded that at times I found myself amazed that this is Braun’s first book.”

Committee members were equally impressed by Experimental Buddhism as “path breaking in its attention and quick work on very recent transformations of Japanese Buddhism,” and “full of fascinating details and vivid observations, . . . a corrective to the usual books which tend to approach Buddhism through official forms and dogmas.”

Professors Braun and Nelson will be presented with the Toshihide Numata Book Prize on the afternoon of Friday, November 14, 2014, at the Jodo Shinshu Center in Berkeley (2140 Durant Avenue, at the south west corner of the Berkeley campus). The prize presentation, which will begin at 3 PM, will be followed by two keynotes and a symposium.

For more information on the Toshihide Numata Book Prize, please contact:

Sanjyot Mehendale
Vice Chair, Center for Buddhist Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Tel: (510) 643-5104
Email: buddhiststudies@berkeley.edu
Website: http://buddhiststudies.berkeley.edu

Debates populares en: Casa Asia

Investigación española sobre Asia Pacífico David Ramírez Las redchina.es/investigacion-espanola-sobre-asia-pacifico/ Investigación española sobre Asia Pacífico - Red China Como comentábamos hace unos meses, durante el mes de febrero tuvo lugar el 4.º Foro español de investigación en Asia-Pacífico (FEIAP 2014).

El embrollo territorial de China

De: Xulio Ríos

El embrollo territorial de China: para compartir

http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/09/17/opinion/1410975631_186732.html

Las recientes tensiones en torno a la reforma electoral en Hong Kong han puesto nuevamente sobre la mesa lo intrincado de la agenda territorial china. El sueño chino evocado por el presidente Xi Jinping es también el de la unidad y la reunificación total de la nación china e incluso el de la recuperación del control sobre los territorios en disputa con terceros países. Ello confiere a la dimensión territorial una trascendencia política de primer orden en un contexto marcado por la activación del fenómeno terrorista (en Xinjiang), el incierto futuro de las autonomías existentes, una posible alternancia en Taiwán y las implicaciones territoriales de la hipotética democratización del partido y el Estado así como la evolución de su diplomacia de vecindad.

POSITION> Assistant Professor in the History of Chinese Art & Visual Culture, UBC

Assistant Professor in the History of Chinese Art & Visual Culture
Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory
the University of British Columbia

The Department of Art History, Visual Art, and Theory at the University of British Columbia invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the field of the history of Chinese art and visual culture.  The department is searching for a candidate who specializes in the art, architecture, and/or visual culture of China up to the middle Qing. Possible areas of specialization might include, but are not limited to, early Chinese art and architecture, premodern painting, decorative arts, material culture, and Buddhist visual culture. Familiarity with the historical span of Chinese and East Asian art, including the modern era, would be an asset for teaching. The candidate will be versed in the most advanced theoretical and methodological concerns of the field and have competency in the languages the specialization requires.

UBC, one of the largest and most distinguished universities in Canada, has excellent resources for scholarly research.  The Art History program offers a MA and a PhD, and partners with strong Visual Art and Critical and Curatorial Studies programs (<www.ahva.ubc.ca>). This position in Art History also presents an opportunity to engage with an interdisciplinary group of scholars within the larger academic community, including the Department of Asian Studies, the Asian Library, and Institute of Asian Research, as well as the Museum of Anthropology and the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery.

The candidate must have a PhD (or have successfully defended their dissertation) by the position start date.  The successful candidate will demonstrate the potential for excellence in research and in undergraduate and graduate teaching. He or she will be expected to maintain an active program of research, publication, teaching, graduate supervision, and service.

Applicants should apply through the UBC Faculty careers website: <http://www.hr.ubc.ca/careers/faculty-careers/19377> and they must be prepared to upload (in the following order): a letter of application; a detailed curriculum vitae; statement of research and teaching philosophies; a sample syllabus; a sample book chapter or scholarly paper, and evidence of teaching effectiveness.  Applicants should arrange to have three confidential letters of reference submitted by email to: ahva.head@ubc.ca, or by mail to: Professor Scott Watson, Chair, Art History Search Committee, Department of Art History, Visual Art and Theory, University of British Columbia, 403-6333 Memorial Road, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z2, Canada.  The anticipated start date of employment is July 1, 2015.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity and diversity within its community. We especially welcome applications from members of visible minority groups, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. This position is subject to final budgetary approval.  Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Deadline: Applications and all supporting materials must be received by November 10th, 2014.