Join us for our Spring Quarter Seminar Series featuring Shorenstein APARC Visiting Scholar and Japan Program Fellow Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, Emeritus professor at the University of Tokyo and a distinguished scholar in modern Japanese politics, presents his new interpretations of six major issues in modern Japanese politics based on recent studies in Japan and his own experience as the Ambassador to the United Nations and the President of Japan International Cooperation Agency.

This seminar series re-examines several important and well-known issues in modern Japanese politics and diplomacy from the late 19th century to the 21st century based upon the lecturer’s recent research and experience within the government. Major topics are, Meiji Restoration as a democratic revolution, resilience of Taisho Democracy, Military as a bureaucracy, Surrender and the American Occupation, Yoshida Doctrine and the Regime of 1955, Development of ODA policy, and recent development of Security Policy in the 21st Century.

Catered dinner will be served at seminar sessions.

Speaker:

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Shinichi Kitaoka is the former President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA: 2015-2022) and Emeritus Professor, University of Tokyo. Previous posts include President of the International University of Japan (2012-2015), professor at University of Tokyo (1997-2012), Professor of National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) (2012-), Professor of Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, the University of Tokyo (1997-2004, 2006-2012), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations (2004-2006), and Professor of College of Law and Politics, Rikkyo University (1985-1997).

Dr. Kitaoka’s specialty is modern Japanese politics and diplomacy. He obtained his B.A. (1971) and his Ph.D. (1976) both from the University of Tokyo. He is Emeritus Professor of the University of Tokyo and Rikkyo University. He received many awards including the Medal with Purple Ribbon for his academic achievements in 2011.

Seminar Sessions

Session 1: Meiji Restoration -  April 10, 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Meiji Restoration, or revolution, was not only the establishment of centralized government, but also a democratic revolution in terms of wider participation of the people across classes and regions.

Session 2: Taisho Democracy - April 24, 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Party politics in pre-war Japan has been considered incomplete and fragile, but the rise of political parties in Taisho period (1911-1926) was a remarkable phenomenon and not particularly fragile compared to contemporary democracies around the world.

Session 3: Surrender and Occupation - May 1, 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

What was the purpose of the United States? What did unconditional surrender mean? Why were the atomic bombs dropped? How was the constitution written and the Tokyo International Tribunal conducted? The legacies of occupation will also be discussed.

Session 4: The regime of 1955 - May 8, 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

In 1955, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Socialist party were formed While the former led Japan for 38 years, the latter remained out of power. The reasons of this rivalry and the consequences of this system will be discussed.

Session 5: Recent development of Japan’s security policy - May 15, 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Japan has set several constraints on their security policy, such as no export of weapons and a one percent ceiling on the military budget against GDP, among others. Finally, under Premier Abe, Japan started a series of effort to gradually become a “normal” country.

Session 6: Japan’s ODA - May 30 (FRIDAY), 2025, 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Japan began its Official Development Assistance in 1954, only 9 years after its defeat, and became No. 1 donor in the 1990s. The amount of ODA began to decline in 1997, reaching half of its peak, and Japan is now No. 3 in the world. However, Japan developed various unique approaches in its ODA. Now, as the US withdraws from ODA and the conflict between advanced and developing countries becomes tense, Japan’s ODA may provide unique approaches to developing countries.