Professor Kazuhiro Takii and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (IRCJS) were dispatched as lecturers to give JICA Chair special lectures, and face-to-face lectures were held jointly with local universities as follows.
Paraguay Tuesday, June 20: Universidad Nacional de Asuncion Wednesday, June 21: Universidad Nacional de Itapua
Argentina Monday, June 26, National University of La Plata
Professor Takii has been very active in his research on the establishment and development of the Meiji Constitutional System and the history of international relations. In 2010, he received the Suntory Prize for Arts and Letters for his book “Hirobumi Ito: A Politician of Knowledge” (Chuokoron Shinsha), and again in 2022 for his book “Toshimichi Okubo: A Leader Who Links “Knowledge”” (Shinchosha), which won the 76th Mainichi Publishing Culture Award.
This time, the lecture included human stories of the people involved in the new “nation-building” after the Meiji Restoration, their backgrounds, experiences, etc., and their thoughts on how they worked to modernize Japan. The lecture introduced the Iwakura Mission manga, which Nichibunken is working on jointly with Kyoto Seika University and the Kyoto International Manga Museum to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Iwakura Mission, and the main characters that appear in the manga, and provided an opportunity to think about what modernization in Japan meant through the challenges faced by the people of the Iwakura Mission 150 years ago. The lecture was easy to understand and the participants listened attentively to it, and it was highly praised as “impressive” by the participating academics, including university faculty members.
© nichibunken
The key messages of the lecture are as follows
Iwakura Mission; in search of the country’s clothing
Western civilization includes various countries with different histories, traditions, and levels of development, and we should not be hasty in accumulating national strength in a manner appropriate to national circumstances.
A nation needs a constitution, just as it needs clothes that fit its own appearance. When a nation has a constitution, the shape of the nation becomes clear.
Hirobumi Ito and the Enactment of the Meiji Constitution; Encounter with Professor von Stein (University of Vienna)
What Stein taught, that it doesn’t work to just make a constitution; for the constitution to work, the “shape of the country” has to be remade to fit it.
To prevent the administration from becoming dysfunctional, it is important to establish the organization and management of the administration, set up a cabinet system to lead the administration, and develop universities as national institutions to train personnel to take charge of administrative activities.
Thoughts of Hirobumi Ito;
In light of his upbringing as a poor farmer, he will create a society in which people with talent and knowledge can demonstrate it.
The Constitution is the mechanism for government with a knowledgeable citizenry.
Parliament is supposed to be a place where elected members of the people debate, exchange knowledge, make compromises and concessions, and bring about harmony. ⇒ A challenge for democracies around the world.
Paraguay
1 . The lecture at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción was held in such a way that students who attended the lecture could receive credits toward their graduation. 110 students, mostly from the Faculty of Law, attended the lecture despite the remote location of the venue campus and the Faculty of Law campus. In his closing remarks, President Molinas himself listened attentively to the lecture and said, “I learned a lot myself,” which seems to have conveyed the purpose of the lecture.
The lecture at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción was held in such a way that students who attended the lecture could receive credits toward their graduation. 110 students, mostly from the Faculty of Law, attended the lecture, despite the remote location of the venue campus and the Faculty of Law campus. In his closing remarks, President Molinas himself listened attentively to the lecture and said, “I learned a lot myself,” which seems to have conveyed the purpose of the lecture. 2 . At the Universidad Nacional de Itapua, the lecture was prepared and implemented at the active initiative of the university, led by Vice President Nelly Monjes, a participant in the JICA FY2022 Japan Invitation Program for Chairs, and was attended by students from across the faculty, the president, vice president, and other faculty members, as well as Japanese citizens from the local Encarnacion Japanese Association. In addition to the participation of students from across the departments, the president, vice president, and other faculty members, 169 Japanese Americans from the local Encarnacion Japanese Association participated in the face-to-face lectures.
At the Universidad Nacional Itapua, the lectures were prepared and implemented at the active initiative of the university, led by Vice President Nelly Monjes, a participant in the FY2022 JICA Chair Invitation Program to Japan, and attended by students from across the faculty, the president, vice president, and other faculty members, as well as the local Encarnacion Japanese Association. In addition to the participation of students from across the departments, the president, vice president, and other faculty members, 169 Japanese Americans from the local Encarnacion Japanese Association participated in the face-to-face lectures. 3 . During their stay in Encarnacion, the participants visited the library of the Identity Center of the Japanese Association of Encarnacion, where many books brought by immigrants from those days are preserved. It was evident that not a few of the immigrants at that time were highly educated.
(with students and others at the Universidad Nacional de Asunción) (Prof. Takii with the Rector and Vice Rector of the Universidad Nacional de Itapua)
Argentina
1 . The JICA Chair at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata is now in its third year and started in April, and Professor Takii’s lecture was the fifth lecture of the course. Approximately 100 people attended, including people from the Faculty of Law, students, Argentinean lecturers in the JICA Chair (Japanese studies scholars, many of them former government-sponsored students of the Ministry of Education), and students from the Nichia Institute in Buenos Aires. Professor Takii’s lecture was not merely a history of the Meiji Constitution, but also introduced the significance of its enactment and the spirit that runs through it.
The JICA Chair at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata is now in its third year and started in April, and Professor Takii’s lecture was the fifth lecture of the course. Approximately 100 people attended, including people from the Faculty of Law, students, Argentinean lecturers in the JICA Chair (Japanese studies scholars, many of them former government-sponsored students of the Ministry of Education), and students from the Nichia Institute in Buenos Aires. Professor Takii’s lecture was not merely a history of the Meiji Constitution, but also introduced the significance of its enactment and the spirit that runs through it. 2 . In addition to the lecture at the university, the participants had a discussion with Professor Daniel Szabcsai (President of the Constitutional Law Society of Argentina), who is considered the highest authority of the Constitutional Law Society of Argentina, and others at CARI (Argentine Council on International Relations)*1, the largest diplomatic think tank in Argentina. After a welcome and thank-you speech by Mr. de Centibañez, Vice President of JICA, and an introduction of the purpose of Professor Takii’s visit to Argentina by Mr. Takeda, Director of the JICA Branch Office, Professor Takii gave a 15-minute presentation on the history of the Meiji Constitution, which was followed by a question and answer session and exchange of opinions with Dr. Szabcsai, Professor Recalde, and others. Both professors showed great interest in the content of Professor Takii’s presentation, and a friendly atmosphere prevailed throughout the discussion and exchange of opinions.
(Lecture at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata)
(Discussion with experts from the Argentine Council on International Relations)
Future Initiatives
The series of lectures and exchanges of opinions given by Professor Takii at the IJLC were highly evaluated at each destination, and we will continue to enhance and strengthen the JICA chairs in each country through collaboration with the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (IRCJS).
… and upwards
© Source JICA
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.