Hase Masato, Professor, Waseda University   I believe curling’s charm lies in how we can sense traditional “culture” in it. Of course, as a television viewer, my pleasure in watching curling undoubtedly comes from its aspect as a “game,” in which a contest of high skill determines victor and vanquished. Helped along by the commentators, I can appreciate the refreshing feeling when multiple of the opponents’ stones are repelled in a double takeout; the ingenuity of trained muscles executing a sweep to control the speed and direction of a draw; and the complexity of a strategy that attempts to places guards in a way to create an advantage. This understanding allows me to enjoy curling as a sports game. Of course, in the case of the recent Beijing Olympics, as I cheered, “Come on, Loco Solare!” I also certainly watched curling with the ... ... [Read more]

  Manabe Syukuro, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, interviewed at his home: Learn from your rivals and play to your strengths – the world-renowned 90-year-old authority shares the secrets to reaching the pinnacle of achievement Interviewed by Tsuyama Keiko, journalist When I look back on it, my life as a researcher has been a string of good luck. A paper I wrote back in graduate school happened to catch the attention of an American researcher and I was invited to the US. Then, at a research institute in the US, I was blessed with good supervisors and staff in a positive environment, and I was able to immerse myself in research with full access to a supercomputer. That string of good luck continued all the way to receiving the Nobel Prize, but it truly came as a surprise. When you look at ... ... [Read more]

Iokibe Makoto, President of the Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 21st Century Research Institute, former Chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council following the Great East Japan Earthquake ――It’s been 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake. You served as chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council following the Great East Japan Earthquake. Iokibe Makoto: I guess I was nominated as Chairman of the Reconstruction Design Council because of my experience from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, which marked a major turning point in Japan’s disaster response and reconstruction policy approach. At the same time, I was also a victim myself. My house in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture was completely destroyed, and, at Kobe University where I worked, 39 students, including my seminar student, and two members of staff lost their lives. All in all, the earthquake caused the deaths of 6,343 people.  Having unexpectedly become a victim myself, ... ... [Read more]

  Okamoto Takashi, Professor, Kyoto Prefectural University   China, “emperors,” and “empire” Regarding China as an “empire” and its supreme leader Xi Jinping as an “emperor” seems to be a common idea in both East and West. A Western magazine I saw a long time ago also used a photo of Xi Jinping wearing a traditional Chinese emperor costume on its cover. The autocrat, meaning the “emperor” of an “empire” who reigns supreme over vast territories, is probably the most obvious image of the modern Chinese leader both in China and abroad. Of course, Xi Jinping and the other Chinese leaders are not emperors in history. There is no hereditary rule and they have terms of office. Reign and tenure in themselves are not the same. The system is indeed one that was created by denying the earlier imperial system. If we are to ... ... [Read more]

  “I like Japan, but I don’t.” Disconnecting from the Familiar and Heading Out into the World. Sorita Kyohei, pianist The performance I had dreamt about since I was 12, felt like it lasted but for a moment. It was the final round of the International Chopin Piano Competition [in 2021]. The 40 minutes I spent playing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, my most favorite piece in the entire the world, was also a passage of time where I realized my dream had come true after 15 years longing so deeply. I placed second. I am the first Japanese person to achieve this since Uchida Mitsuko, 51 years ago [1970]. After winning second place, the perspective in front of me began to rapidly change right before my eyes. The goals and hurdles that had only seemed vague and muddy prior to this, came clearly ... ... [Read more]

  The vast majority of the daily media coverage on Ukraine originates from Western media outlets. However, there are many international opinions that are not reflected in these media reports. This article examines the various views held by non-G7 nations in light of the historical context from which they emerged.   Haneda Masashi, Director of Tokyo College, The University of Tokyo   In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24, the Tokyo College of the University of Tokyo, where I serve as director, initiated an interview series in April entitled “The Ukraine Crisis: Perspectives From Around the World.” We invited researchers whose primary geographical areas of expertise are the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, China, Southeast Asia, and Latin America to comment on how the Russian invasion is perceived in their respective research regions. The video recordings of the ... ... [Read more]