Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
54616:POLS 2001 Contemporary Japan (IB) 2025 Fall Mon5 College　of　Global　Liberal　Arts SUN YAO 2

Campus

OIC

Class Venue

AN510

Language

English will be the mediating language of this course.

Course Outline and Method

This course explores contemporary Japan through anthropological lenses, focusing on the transformations and diversities of ordinary people’s everyday lives in modern and contemporary Japanese society. This course draws on interdisciplinary perspectives, incorporating insights from history, anthropology, linguistics, politics, and economics, alongside key research themes in the field of Japanese Studies. Beginning with the legacies of the Tokugawa period and Meiji modernisation, the course traces Japan’s historical trajectory through empire, war, post-war reconstruction, economic expansion, and social change, culminating in its present form. Topics include identity formation, education, gender, language policy, subcultures, technological innovation, soft power, and foreign relations.

Students will critically engage with Japan’s ongoing negotiations between tradition and modernity, homogeneity and diversity, globalisation and localisation. Emphasis is placed on how internal and external forces, such as tourism, migration, and geopolitics, shape both lived experiences and global imaginaries of Japan today. The course integrates academic readings, audiovisual materials, guided discussions, and in-class activities to foster analytical and ethnographic thinking. It is suitable for students with interests in Area Studies, Media and Cultural Studies, Anthropology, Sociolinguistics, as well as the those who want to know more about Japan through critical glasses.

Students will be assessed based on the following coursework: 1) a 1,500-word literature review on a contemporary/historical issue of Japan covered in this course or on adjacent issues. This should be the literature review for the research you proposed for the in-class presentation; 2) 10 mins in-class presentation of personal research proposal and 5 mins Q&A; 3) participation in class and group linguistic landscape fieldwork research.

Student Attainment Objectives

The aim of this course is to equip students with the historical grounding, critical frameworks, and analytical tools needed to understand and assess the dynamics of contemporary Japan. Students will:

- Situate current social and cultural issues in Japan within broader historical and global contexts.
- Critically evaluate the narratives surrounding identity and social change in Japan and form their own research questions for future research.
- Analyse how language, education, media, and cultural production reflect and explore political and ideological discourses.
- Develop research skills through literature review and presentation of independent research proposal.

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1 (Sep 29)

Introduction: Why study contemporary Japan and how to?

 Introduction to Area Studies as a field
 Japanese Studies around the world and recent changes
 Brief history of Japan
 Diversity and current issues in Japan
 Delivery of this course
 Explanations of assignments and evaluations

2 (Oct 6)

From Edo to Meiji: The making of a modern nation

 Bakumatsu crisis
 Meiji restoration
 The cultural and political impact of the Meiji Restoration
 The unification of written and spoken language and language standardisation
 Language and education policy in modern Japan
 In-Class activity: 1) Play Bakumatsu mafia game (The Corrupted Samurai) 2)discuss the language policy in your home country/another country and compare it with that of Japan. Consider their historical contexts.

3 (Oct 13)

War and defeat: War and post-war changes

 A history of wars and colonisation
 War with China and the Pacific War
 Taiwan and Korea under Japanese colonisation
 Racial ideology and the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere"
 Current textbook disputes
 In-Class activity: analyse the semiotics of propaganda posters in Japan

4 (Oct 20)

Bubble burst: The lost decade

 The bubble economy (1980s)
 The burst of the bubble (1991-1993)
 Unemployment, freeter and hikikomori
 Aging society and low birth rate
 From the lost decade to the lost decades

5 (Oct 27)

Rituals and tourism: Commodification of traditional culture

 Secular ritual, symbolic acts in daily life
 (e.g., hatsumōde, Obon, Shichi-go-san)
 Matsuri and consumption of heritage designation
 Spiritual tourism and commercial experience
 Inbound tourism and their impact on local practices
 Tensions between preservation and transformation

6 (Nov 3)

Migration and minorities

 Immigration policy and identity politics
 Ethnic Minority: Ainu and Okinawa
 The burakumin (部落民) issue
 Zainichi Koreans and Korean schools in Kansai
 Language education and language policy for immigrants
 Activity: explore and discuss 1) How to find a job as a labourer in Japan? What are the requirements? 2) What kind of support is in place for labour workers to fit into their workplace and the local community?

7 (Linguistic landscape fieldwork Sep 29 – Nov 10)

On-demand class: Linguistic landscape study

 Watch the on-demand video on linguistic landscape research
 Select a touristic site for fieldwork
 Divide works within a group of five people (decided in the second class)
 Analyze the data and prepare for a 10 mins presentation for each group.

8 (Nov 10)

Dialects and peripherals

 Division of dialects in Japan
 Change of the status of dialects
 Linguistic changes of dialects
 Commodification and tokenistic use of dialects
 Activity: Group presentations of linguistic landscape fieldwork.

9 (Nov 17)

Gender, sexuality, and family structures

 Declining birthrate, solo living, and gender inequality
 LGBTQ+ visibility and rights in Japan
 Gender in the Japanese language and the queer Japanese language
 Activity: Watch Shinjuku Ni-chome: Home of the Queer

10 (Nov 24)

Education and societal pressure

 Juku and meritocracy
 School refusal and bullying
 Lost generation and “NEET”
 Subculture as a symbolic resistance (Gyaru, Otaku, etc.)
 Yutori Education and the yutori generation
 Activity: Watch clips from the documentary: The Making of a Japanese

11 (Dec 1)

Exported products of Japan: Manga, anime, and technology

 Soft power and cool Japan
 Exported aesthetics, cultural narratives, identity, and images
 Exported robotics, consumer electronics, and gaming
 The decline of Japanese digital products
 Research proposal presentations (Depending on number of students)

12 (Dec 8)

Research proposal presentation

 Presentation of research proposal

13 (Dec 15)

Research proposal presentation

 Presentation of research proposal

14 (Dec 22)

Research proposal presentation

 Presentation of research proposal

Class Format

All class are conducted in person apart from the 7th on-demand session.

Recommendations for Private Study

Recommended readings will be given for each session. However, students are encouraged to explore literature on their own and compose their own reading list.
The aim is not to read what was given but to practice the ability to search for relevant literature.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

Class Participation – 30%
- Students are expected to attend all classes punctually.
- Active participation in discussions and in-class activities is required.
- Students must also contribute meaningfully to their group’s fieldwork project.

Research Proposal Presentation – 30%
- Presentations will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
  - Level of preparation and organisation
  - Originality and feasibility of the proposed topic
  - Critical engagement with the subject
  - Integration of relevant literature
  - Clarity and professionalism of the delivery
*Students are expected to follow the presentation guidelines provided in the second class.

Literature Review – 40% (First Draft 10% + Final Draft 30%)
- The literature review will be assessed based on:
  - Clarity of argument and organisation
  - Relevance to the research topic and presentation
  - Depth of critical engagement with the sources
  - Quality of writing and proper formatting
*The first draft is to be submitted prior to the student’s in-class presentation and will receive both formative feedback and a provisional grade.
*A revised final draft is due by 24 December, incorporating feedback received.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Textbooks

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Talk with Students,Other (Separate instructions will be provided)

Other Comments

Students should take note of the following coursework requirements and associated deadlines:
1. Research Presentation
Each student is required to propose an individual research topic and present it during one of the scheduled sessions (11-14). Each session can accommodate three to four presentations. Slots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, though adjustments may be made under special circumstances. Presentations should be 10 minutes in length, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session.
1. Literature Review
A literature review of 1,500 words or more must be submitted one day prior to the student’s scheduled presentation. For instance, if a student presents on 22 December, the literature review must be submitted by 21 December.
2. Linguistic Landscape Fieldwork
Students will form groups of five to conduct linguistic landscape fieldwork. While group members are not required to visit the field site together, each student must take responsibility for a distinct aspect of the research. Findings will be presented in class on 24 November. Groups will be formed during the first and second session. An on-demand video explaining the assignment will also be made available after the first session.
[Academic Policies]
For the full list of academic policies, refer to the ”College of GLA Students Page” on manaba+R and Academic Handbook for All Undergraduate Students.

[Curriculum Map and Course Numbering]
Click here to see the Curriculum Map and Course Numbering: http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html
 
[Course Cancellation]
If the number of students is five or fewer, the College may decide to close the course.