This is the class homepage for my course “The History Issue in East Asia” taught in the spring term of 2024.
Syllabus: 19J4002-多文化社会論1
Rubric: Politics of History in East Asia 2024
Writing Academic Essays at University video series
Reading materials are available via my website War Memory Tourism: A Research and Teaching Resource. Readings on WMT specific to the week’s class are linked at the appropriate places below. The most useful general texts for this course as a whole are available at WMT: A Timeline.
Video lectures and other on-demand materials made in 2020 (during the Covid-19 crisis) are available here (password given in class). They may be used for revision, or to catch up if you were absent from class. Note that these materials are not publicly available (i.e. they are for TUFS students only) and they are not a substitute for attendance at class.
Week 1: Introduction (8 April)
In class: Course explanation. Reading the Statement by Prime Minister Abe (14 August 2015). Read in English/Japanese.
Lecture notes: 20240408 HIEA Week 1
Week 2: Japan’s Decision to Go to War (15 April)
In class: Discussing this section of the Abe statement. The Road to War (Abe Statement)
Lecture notes: 20240415 HIEA 2 Road to War
Homework: Prepare for the debate next week: “Japan had no choice but to go to war in 1941 against the US and Britain”. Reading: WMT: A Timeline.
Week 3: Debate “Japan had no choice but to go to war in 1941 against the US and Britain” (22 April)
In class: Debate 1. Here is the class opinion poll (fill it in after the debate).
Homework: 1) Decide the topic for your active learning assignment. Start working on the assignment in preparation for submission on 17 June. 2) Read/watch the various documents at WMT: Official Narratives in preparation for class discussions next time.
Week 4: Japanese Official Apologies, 1993-2015 (13 May)
In class: Have Japanese apologies for WWII been considered sincere? What is a “sincere apology”? How long after an act of aggression does a country (not only Japan … any country) need to continue apologizing? What do we make of the various statements of apology and remorse (hansei) by the Japanese government?
Lecture notes: none.
Homework: Prepare for the debate next week: “Japan has not paid sufficient compensation for its actions during the Asia-Pacific War”. Read materials at WMT: War Responsibility (particularly the section “Compensation”).
Week 5: Debate “Japan has not paid sufficient compensation for its actions during the Asia-Pacific War” (20 May)
In class: Debate 2. Here is the class opinion poll (fill it in after the debate).
Homework: Start looking through the materials at about Yasukuni Shrine at WMT: Remembering the Dead.
Week 6: The Yasukuni Issue (27 May)
In class: Lecture/discussion about Yasukuni Shrine.
Lecture notes:
Reading for Homework: Prepare for the debate next week: “The Japanese Prime Minister should worship at Yasukuni Shrine on 15 August every year”. Read materials at WMT: Remembering the Dead.
Week 7: Debate “The Japanese Prime Minister should worship at Yasukuni Shrine on 15 August every year” (3 June)
In class: Debate 3. Here is the class opinion poll (fill it in after the debate).
Homework: Work on your ALH assignment. It is due on 12 June.
Week 8: The A-Bombs (10 June)
In class: Lecture and discussion about Japan’s defeat, occupation and the lead up to the first use of nuclear weapons in war. Supplementary materials relating to the Tokyo Trials are at WMT: War Responsibility.
Lecture notes:
Homework: Reading in preparation for the debate: “The A-bombs did not force Japan to surrender”. Read materials at WMT Hiroshima (I).
Week 9: Debate “The A-bombs did not force Japan to surrender” (17 June)
In class: Debate 4. Here is the class opinion poll (fill it in after the debate).
Homework: Start looking through materials about Japan’s territorial disputes. WMT: Territory.
Submission deadline for the Active Learning Hours project (fieldwork at a World War II site).
Week 10: Territorial Disputes (24 June)
In class: Japan’s postwar relations with neighbours.
Lecture notes:
Homework: Reading in preparation for the debate: “The Senkaku Islands, Takeshima and the Northern Territories are Japanese territory”. Read materials at WMT: Territory.
Week 11: Debate “The Senkaku Islands, Takeshima and the Northern Territories are Japanese territory” (1 July)
In class: Debate 5. Here is the class opinion poll (fill it in after the debate).
Homework: End-of-term test preparation.
Week 12: Re-Reading the Abe Statement (8 July)
In class: Discussion regarding the Abe statement (using the on-demand materials).
Homework: Think about whether reconciliation is possible in Asia by looking at the materials WMT: Reconciliation.
Week 13: End-of-term Test (15 July)
Written in class under exam conditions. See the grading rubric for details.
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