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From Vision To Legacy: Walter Gellhorn And The Establishment Of The Toshiba Library For Japanese Legal Research, Yukino Nakashima

Journal of East Asian Libraries

This paper chronicles events surrounding the creation of the largest academic Japanese law library in the United States, while focusing on two extraordinary law faculty members at Columbia Law School and their successful fundraising efforts from the initial concept of building a Japanese law library through the establishment of permanent funding. It recounts others who tirelessly supported carrying through this arduous plan. It is about insightful visions, perseverance, and lasting personal relationships, as well as building a foreign law collection in the United States. It examines lessons to be learned.

Here, There, And In-Between: On The Civilizing Process And Civilizational Analysis, Michael Palencia-Roth

Comparative Civilizations Review

This essay presents a cautionary tale about certain problems with systematization and abstraction in comparative civilizational studies. It advocates instead for the analysis of single works, limited events, or particular figures, within larger issues pertaining to what is understood as a “civilization” or “culture”. It prioritizes certain aspects of the civilizing process: the here, or the civilizing and interpretive gaze; the there, or the Other that is the object of that gaze; and the in-between. It further suggests that insights and methods from Mikhail Bakhtin, Hans-Georg Gadamer and others from the humanities, social sciences, and philosophy can …

Christianity On Homebrew: Alessandro Valignano, Indigenization, And Japan's Hidden Christians, Brayden Lane

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the historiographical connections between Alessandro Valignano and the localized tradition of Christianity that produced the hidden Christian communities of Japan in the seventeenth century. Valignano, as overseer of Jesuit missions in Asia in the late sixteenth century, implemented policy changes designed to bolster the number and quality of laymen clergy assisting the Westerners with missionary duties. Valignano faced criticism for his overestimation of the time needed for training and for his methodology, but his efforts to train and support laymen clergy contributed to a rising trend of Christianity as a unifying tradition for local communities. The laymen …

When Big Brother Blinks, Josh Eyre

BYU Asian Studies Journal

When discussing modern Japanese literature, works of the late 1930s and early 1940s are largely left out of the discussion. Stories written during this time are ignored by scholars, forgotten by readers, and at times even excluded from an author’s “complete works” by publishers (Keene 1987, 906–907). These works are often thought to be devoid of literary merit or not worth studying due to the high levels of scrutiny and censorship that Japanese authors were subjected to by the far right and intensely nationalistic Japanese government of the time. I would argue, however, that the near total dismissal of Japanese …

Christianity On Home Brew, Brayden Lane

BYU Asian Studies Journal

In 1659, after enduring three years of torture and refusing to renounce his teachings, a Christian priest was executed in Nagasaki by decapitation under order by local officials. This man, who had taken the name of Bastian at his baptism, had spent the previous several years leading and teaching his fellow Christians in the villages near Nagasaki. He did this in secrecy, for in those days, professing belief as a Christian had been declared illegal by the Japanese government under penalty of death. In the course of his ministry, he saw many of his brethren meet their deaths for their …

Home, Maddie Yamamura

AWE (A Woman’s Experience)

I stood in the brightly lit bathroom, a giggle bubbling out of me as I inhaled the coconut and gardenia scented hand soap. The gentle breeze I’d missed tickled my skin. The Hawaiian humidity hugged me. The rustling palm fronds outside the window whispered hello. Welcome home.

The Monster On The Road Is Me, Amanda Morgan

Children's Book and Media Review

Koda Okita has never done anything special, unless you count having to wear a helmet due to narcolepsy. At his secret crush Aiko’s funeral, Koda has a narcoleptic episode that brings a dream of Aiko’s last moments alive. As the days go on, more tragic deaths follow and Koda has more dreams, with crows stalking the victims in each. As Koda investigates why crows and their dark energy are becoming more common in his Japanese village, he is lead on adventure involving ancient legends. Soon it is up to Koda to face the mountain demon, as he has to choose …

Seeking Collaborative Instruction Models Beyond The Pandemic: Lessons Learned From The Japanknowledge Workshop Series Hosted By The Plains To Pacific Alliance, Michiko Ito, Tokiko Y. Bazzell, Tsuyoshi Harada, Adam H. Lisbon, Kevin Mcdowell, Mitsutaka Nakamura

Journal of East Asian Libraries

As the Pandemic disrupted normal communication patterns and networking opportunities, videoconferencing, usually using the Zoom platform, became the preferred method for academic institutions to continue providing instruction to students and supporting researchers. In 2021, the Plains to Pacific Alliance (PPA) developed plans to use this technology to present a workshop series on the JapanKnowledge database that would be open to Japanese studies researchers and students in North America and beyond. This entailed deciding on content, developing instructional materials, promoting the workshops in collaboration with the North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources, creating a registration system, presenting the workshops …

A Comparison Of The Economic And Cultural Development Of Japan And Thailand Through The Human Development And World Happiness Indices, Tanner Money

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to make human development and happiness comparisons between two countries that are found in the same region of the world and share similar cultural and historical backgrounds. For this study, the human development measures for Japan and Thailand are compared based on Life Expectancy, Literacy Rates, and Gross Domestic Product (per capita) measures. First, the historical development of Japan and Thailand is presented, highlighting the key historical economic and political moments in each country that has led them to their present state of development. Second, the two countries were compared using quantitative and qualitative …

Prejudice Against Religion In Japan -And Its Influence On Proselytism Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints-, Shawna M. Lawlor, Dainan Skeem

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sharing the Gospel in Japan since 1901, its membership reaches only a little over 128,000, which is approximately one in every 1000 people living in Japan. There have been numerous theories concerning the relatively slow progress of the Church there. However, as I analyzed interviews of Japanese converts, I noticed a common theme in each of their stories; each convert had mentioned that before their conversion to the Gospel, they viewed religion to be something strange and suspicious. Having been born and raised in Japan, I agree that this …

Heroes Of World War Ii: Attack On Pearl Harbor, Megan Hall

Children's Book and Media Review

The morning of December 7, 1941, on Oahu seemed a day like any other. But when the bombs began to fall, the United States, and ultimately the world, would never be the same again. Lisa Owens tells the story of that day through witnesses and historians. The perspective of soldiers, civilians, nurses, and even young girls are shared in this book. The attack on Pearl Harbor lasted three hours, and left 3,581 United States citizens (both military and civilian) dead. The heroic acts of those present that day saved many lives, but left them with memories of a day they …

Paper Wishes, Emma Patton

Children's Book and Media Review

Ten-year-old Manami’s whole life changes when her family, along with other Japanese-Americans, are forced to move away from their homes to prison camps around the United States. Manami and her family end up in the California desert—a huge change from the beautiful island in Washington where she grew up. After Manami gets her precious dog, Yujiin, taken away during the relocation and after the shock of such dismal living conditions, Manami finds that she is unable to speak. Instead, she finds solace in drawing. She draws pictures and writes notes to Yujiin and releases them into the wind, hoping that …

The Last Leaves Falling, Lisi Merkley

Children's Book and Media Review

Sora, a teenager in Japan, wants to be a professor when he grows up, but he knows that he never will. He’ll never grow up, that is. Sora has ALS, and he knows the disease will take over his life, destroy his body, and eventually kill him. When he becomes confined to a wheelchair and his school can’t accommodate him any longer, Sora loses all his friends and doesn’t see a purpose to his life. On a whim, he joins an online chat group and makes two fast friends. Even with these two new friends, Sora struggles with the idea …

The Day The World Went Nuclear, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

The bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese got the United States involved in World War II. President Truman repeatedly warned Japan to surrender or he would unleash a terrible bomb on Japan. Emperor Hirohito refused to act but finally surrendered only after the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were annihilated by atomic bombs. This book documents the major players involved with developing the atomic bomb, the heads of state most concerned with this time in history, and the military leaders involved in war decisions on the ground, air and sea. This book shows and tells the how and why …

A Darkly Beating Heart, Meagan Andrus

Children's Book and Media Review

Reiko wants nothing more than to exact revenge on everyone who has ever wronged her. While working in Japan with her aspiring fashionista cousin, she visits Kuramagi, a village determined to preserve historical accuracy. In Kuramagi, Reiko stumbles upon a historical artifact that allows her to step into the life of Miyu, a girl from the Edo period of Japan whose heart also craves vengeance. Reiko believes that in order to exact her own revenge, she has to help Miyu with hers. However, Reiko does not know all of the secrets surrounding her sojourns into Miyu’s life, or what has …

From Freeze To Fire: How Economic Sanctions Against Japan Led To The War In The Pacific, Mitch Rogers

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Complexity Of Numerical Modeling For Predicting The Mechanisms Of Toxic Algae Bloom In Lake, Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Dr. Daisuke Kitazawa

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

A three dimensional hydrodynamic ecosystem coupled model was employed to simulate algae transition and toxin produced ability under the nutrients limited conditions in eutrophic Lake Kasumigaura, Japan. Numerical simulation was carried out for the four years of the period 2005–2009. Algae have shifted seasonally and annually between 2005 and 2009, among three major algal: Microcystis, Planktothrix and Cyclotella. The mathematical model reproduced well the transitions of dominant algae in the four years by calibrating ecological parameters. The biomass of Planktothrix suddenly increased in the summer of 2008, and Planktothrix became the dominant species. Longer periods of stratification, lower …

Numerical Modeling On The Pollutant Effects In The Ecosystem Of Kamaishi Bay (Japan) By Coupling Mec And Ecopath Model, Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Dr. Daisuke Kitazawa

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

A three dimensional Marine Environmental Committee (MEC) model was conducted to describe the specific circulation patterns of currents, temperature, and salinity driven by wind and tide forcing in Kamaishi Bay at Miyagi Prefecture in the Great East Japan. The major concern of this study is the diffusion of pollutants caused by 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami disaster impacts on marine ecosystem. In this study, we also simulate the changes of water quality and ecosystems structure from January 2009 to December 2012. The MEC model has been used to predict the distributions of various key water quality indicators and tide flow in …

Praise And Prejudice: American Attitudes Toward Japan In Uncle Ben, Anna Nielsen, Rachel Baron, Emily Orton

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

Uncle Ben in Japan is a 1933 geographical workbook intended to teach American schoolchildren about Japan. This text highlights both positive and negative American attitudes towards Japan in the 1930s. Although this work expresses certain views progressive for its time, it also contains evident assumptions of American national superiority.

The Trek East: Mormonism Meets Japan, 1901-1968, Stephen J. Moody

BYU Studies Quarterly

Shinji Takagi. The Trek East: Mormonism Meets Japan, 1901-1968.

Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2016.

Bomb: The Race To Build-And Steal-The World’S Most Dangerous Weapon, Robyn Lee

Children's Book and Media Review

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon takes young adult readers through the years leading up to the first use of the atomic bomb by the United States against Japan in World War II. Bombreads like a thriller as you follow the story lines about the scientists in the United States trying to build a functional bomb, their counterparts in Great Britain, and the espionage the Soviets used to successfully steam information. Steve Sheinkin takes you behind the scenes to learn about some of the most influential people in scientific history and what they had to sacrifice …

Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story, Bethany Stevens

Children's Book and Media Review

Sachiko is six-years-old when the bomb falls from the sky, forever altering her life's trajectory. Her two-year-old brother, Toshi, dies immediately in the blast. twelve-year-old Ichiro and fourteen-year-old Aki soon follow, suffering from the affects of radiation poisoning that know one understands or knows how to treat. Next is Uncle. Sachiko, Mother, and Father survive the initial destruction and attempt to rebuild the life that was so suddenly torn away from them. Years down the road, cancer from the radiation takes Father away. Sachiko survives as a silent witness, always keeping in remembrance those who didn't make it. Bolstered by …

Family Structures In Japan And Korea: How Are Children Affected?, Jennifer Burdge, Kristie Rowley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Recently, Japan and Korea have experienced increased strain in their society. In Japan, citizens ranging from ages 55 to 64 years make up 38.3 percent of the population, and those 65 years and over account for 24.8 percent of the population. This means those that are 55 years old or more make up over 52 percent of the entire population (“East & Southeast,” 2013). Due to the aging population, and declining birth rates, there is much pressure put upon adults, young adults, and youth. This pressure has dramatically changed marriage and divorce rates, education attainment, and employment, which all impact …

Paper Lanterns Paper Cranes, Rebeca Wallin

Children's Book and Media Review

When Kyushu wakes up unexpectedly in a hospital she finds herself forced to confront her past. Orphaned at 5 years old after the atomic bomb drop in Hiroshima, she has lived on the streets and managed to scrape by. After collapsing in the street though, soldiers find her and bring her to a hospital that specializes in treating those with sicknesses related to the bombing. Kyushu is quickly losing her sight and the doctors find her condition hard to assess since she refuses to provide information about her past. The American psychiatrist trying to study and help her is also …

Wondrous Tales Of Old Japan, Rebeca Wallin

Children's Book and Media Review

Kabuki Theatre comes to life in a child friendly way in this dramatized collection of fairy tales from Japan. The show’s opening introduces children to the elements of Kabuki; music, costumes, vocal use, stage assistants, and movement are succinctly but thoroughly explained and demonstrated. Classic fairy tales are then retold in that style. Momorato – The Peach Boy is the story of a boy born from a peach to a childless couple who then rids the village of the ogres that have been tyrannizing it. In The Story of Urashimataro, a kind fisherman is brought to the Dragon King under …

Geek Girl #2: Model Misfit, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Harriet Manners knows that being a model does not automatically make your life easier. She still has to juggle school, bullies, her stalker, breaking up with the handsome supermodel, Nick, friend challenges, and getting along with other models. When she goes to Japan for the summer to be the star of a new fashion line, nothing seems to be going right for her. Nick is dating one of her roommates, none of her friends or family are answering her phone calls, she accidentally keeps doing things that are culturally offensive, and it looks like someone might just hate her enough …

Takarazuka--Japan's Premier Amusement Park And Modern Theater, Dennis H. Atkin

Selected Papers in Asian Studies: Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies

No abstract provided.

Japan’S Newest Security Bill: Constitutional, Legitimate, And Necessary, Serene Papenfuss, Mariah Kerr

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

No abstract provided.

The Papers Of Jay Jensen And The Japan First Mission

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Academic objectives of our research project have been extremely successful. Several of our students produced papers from our research and presented them at a regional conference of the Association for Asian Studies. One of our students published her essay in the Religious Education student journal and won an award for her contribution.
We have produced a whole transcript of the journal of Jay Clair Jensen, including translations and reproduction of thousands photographs. We also produced annotation of the whole journal, which will be submitted for publication at the Religious Studies Center, to add to literature about the worldwide church.

Predictive Factors Of Gender, Attitudes Towards Sec, And Relationships On Signs Of Dating Violence In Japan, Joshua Murphy, Niwako Yamawaki

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Domestic violence is on the rise and poses serious societal and health concerns. Studies have shown that between 21% and 34% of all women in the United States will be physically assaulted by an intimate partner (Browne, 1993). Shockingly, 1 of every 5 female high school students have reported physical and/or sexual assault by her date (Silverman, Raj, Mucci, & Hathaway, 2001). Furthermore, in Japan a study done by Nakata (2007) found that 30% of female high school participants reported they had experienced unwanted sexual activity. It is important that this study occurs given the lack of investigation in adolescents’ …