Public Lecture Series by Distinguished Guest Speakers from Japan: Sino-Japanese Relations: The Past and the Present

Abstract
At the turn of the 21st century, Sino-Japanese relations have encountered a sea change. Public sentiments against each other have deteriorated and perpetual diplomatic problems in territorial issues or historical problems continue to exist. However, if we extend our scope to the period from the early modern period, a more complex picture of Sino-Japanese relations will emerge. Power shifts occurred twice in East Asia- first, from China to Japan, and second, from Japan to China. This is due to the fact that the timing of population growth and economic development differed in Japan and China. Population in Japan increased first in the 17th century while in China in the 18th century. Japan experienced another period of population growth and development from the late 19th to the late 20th century (except for the wartime era), while China developed rapidly in the late 20th century. In this context, the mutual image of Japan and China has changed tremendously. With historical documents and opinion polls, Professor Kawashima will untangle the complicated process of Sino-Japanese relations and image-making and discuss a future prospect of cooperation.

About the Speaker
Professor Kawashima graduated from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1992. Subsequently, he earned a master's degree in Oriental history and a PhD in literature. He became Assistant Professor of Asian Politics at the Faculty of Law, Hokkaido University, in March 1998 and Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo, in October 2006. He is currently Senior Fellow at the Institute for International Policy Studies, advisor to the CSIS-Nikkei Virtual think-tank and the National Security Council. He has engaged in research in various institutions in Beijing and Taipei as well as at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. His first book, The Formation of Chinese Modern Diplomacy was awarded the Suntory Academic Prize in 2004. More recent works include History of Japan-Taiwan Relations, 1945-2008 (2009), Modern History of Japan-China Relations (2013), and International Politics surrounding Modern China (2014).