Japanese Studies towards Excellence
Abdullah-Al-Mamun
Summary: Japanese Studies has a glorious past and arguably a satisfactory present. But it needs updated and effective curriculum to align with constant changes in Japanese society, culture, economy and politics. This chapter examines the evolution of Japanese Studies in different regions over time, discusses current debate and issues that influence the future direction of this discipline. An extensive review of literature and documents shows hundreds of universities offering degrees in Japanese Studies. Some focus on language and culture while others take a multidisciplinary approach focusing on society, economy, business, politics, demography and international relations. Japanologists still harbor orthodox thoughts of ‘Japan Making’, ‘Miraculous Japan’ or ‘Cool Japan’ discounting development models and cultures like China or Korea. This chapter touches on key issues, including Covid-19, rise of China, tension in the Indo-Pacific and QUAD, Russia-Ukraine war and aging problem. To reach the optimum level of excellence, Japanese Studies as a discipline needs research to reinvigorate its curriculum to meet the needs of students and interest groups. Finally, this chapter outlines an action plan for materializing the vision.