| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12468:[2025 Spring]IR18‐AE105 Japan and the West (RA) § 12469:IR-AS108 Japan and the West (RA) § 12470:Japan and the West (RA) § 12471:RUIR-1612 Japan and the West(RA) | 2025 | Spring | Mon3 | College Of Law,College Of Economics,College Of Business Administration,College Of Social Sciences,College Of International Relations,College Of Policy Science,College Of Letters,College of Image Arts and Sciences,College of Information Science and Engineering,College of Sport and Health Science (tentative name) | CHADHA Astha | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by April 1. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R. The assignment will include watching a video and submitting a written assignment to be submitted by Week 8
This will also be announced in class in Week 1.
Student Attainment Objectives
- analyze the historical and cultural factors that have shaped Japan's unique identity and its interactions with the West.
- trace the evolution of Japanese-Western relations, including periods of isolation, conflict, and cooperation since WW2
- compare and contrast Japanese and Western values, social norms, and cultural practices.
- analyze Japan's role in international affairs, including its security alliances and foreign policy objectives.
- conceptualize "soft power" and its application in Japanese foreign policy.
Recommended Preparatory Course
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1 | Introduction: Japan and the West |
Decoding "Japan" and the "West" as geographical and cultural markers; discussing Orientalism |
|
| 2 | Voyages to the West |
Historical interactions between Japan and the West |
|
| 3 | Approaches to Nihonjinron |
What is Nihonjinron; how Japan can be approached through the lens of Nihonjinron |
|
| 4 | World War 2 through Japanese perspective |
Japan's WW2 experience; representation of the Holocaust in Japanese popular culture |
|
| 5 | Post war Japan and relations with the West |
US-Japan relations and Japan-Europe relations after WW2 |
|
| 6 | Japan through the West: Differences |
How the "West" understands Japan and Japanese culture |
|
| +R-Jugyo | Reading and Writing assignment |
Watch the assigned video and attempt the writing assignment to be submitted by Week 8 |
|
| 7 | Japan and the West: Navigating the nuclear threat |
Approaching Gojira and Godzilla; decoding the nuclear imaginaries in japan and the West |
|
| 8 | Cool Japan: Japanese soft power |
Understanding "Cool Japan" as Japanese soft diplomacy |
|
| 9 | Approaching Japan through culinary culture |
Japan as a tourism hotspot and its culinary culture: Ramen Girl |
|
| 10 | Japanese foreign policy towards the West I |
Japan-US relations and approach to security |
|
| 11 | Japanese foreign policy towards the West II |
Japan-Europe relations and approach to security |
|
| 12 | Final Presentations I |
Final presentations by students |
|
| 13 | Final Presentations II |
Final presentations by students |
|
| 14 | Conclusion and wrap-up |
Course conclusion, reflection of topics learnt and wrap-up |
Class Format
Recommendations for Private Study
In class, students will be required to share what they learnt from the topic of the week.
Students' responses will count towards the final grade.
Towards the end of the course, students will be required to do a final presentation on any topic of their choice related to the course contents.
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 | Active class participation (30%)
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Class policy on AI usage / academic dishonesty:
1. Students are required to uphold academic honesty in class for all assignments, reports, quizzes, etc.
2. Students’ use of generative AIs, including grammar checkers like Grammarly or translators such as
Google Translate is strictly prohibited. Reports, assignments, or any course-related written work using AI in any measure for text generation, will be treated as plagiarism and graded according to the university rules for plagiarism/academic dishonesty. Additionally, directly copying or using information from electronic tools, or using false information taken directly from generative AI software, such as ChatGPT, will also be treated as academic dishonesty.
3. Students are therefore advised and encouraged to use the Writing Tutorial Program provided by the university and seek help from tutors, rather than relying on AI or software such as for grammar checks.
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)
Other Comments
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/