Waseda University was founded in 1882 by Marquis Shigenobu Okuma who advocated the “harmony of western and eastern civilization”. The Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (WIAPS) was established in July 1997 in order to contribute to the mutual benefits and development of the Asia-Pacific region. Today, a century after its foundation, Waseda University is promoting university reform under the three concepts of “Asia-Pacific”, “media network” and “institutionalization of lifelong learning”.
The Institute was a merger of the Institute of Social Sciences and the Institute of System Sciences. The Institute of Social Sciences had long pursued research in the field of social science concerning modern Japan, while the Institute of System Sciences had been involved in collaborative research commissioned by industries and the government, and conducting business education targeting business employees. The Institute was formerly composed of two clusters: international relations (including area and policy studies) and international business. However, in 2008, the business cluster was separated from the Institute. The Institute today is largely composed of full-time faculty members of the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, and is run according to the rules of the Waseda University Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies. Exchange researchers from outside the university, visiting scholars and visiting researchers are also part of the Institute community.
The Institute focuses on the rapidly changing and developing Asia-Pacific region, aiming to construct a research and education network as well as becoming the source of abundant research results and information in diverse fields. In particular, it is dedicated to pursuing world-class research.
Today’s major research activities of the Institute are: 1) WIAPS Research Groups Activities by researchers in and outside the Institute; 2) Research sponsored by JSPS Grants – in –Aid for Scientific Research ; 3) Research sponsored by the Waseda University Grants for Special Research Projects. Research outcomes are published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, Research Paper Series and Research Material Series. The Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies was first published in 2000, the latest being Vol. 50, which was published in March 2025 (For the full table of contents, please refer to the publishing section on our website). The Research Paper Series and the Research Material Series began their publications in 2010 and 7 Research Paper Series and 11 Research Material Series have been published as of March 2025. Furthermore, the “Journal of the Graduate School of Asia -Pacific Studies”, a collection of articles by graduate students in the doctoral program, is also among the Institute’s publications. As of March 2025, 49 volumes have been published.
In addition to research and publishing activities, the Institute also provides special seminars and public lectures for the dissemination of its results.
Throughout these activities, the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies aims to further improve the quantity and quality of its studies. We look forward to your continued guidance and support.
WIAPS Research Groups are cross-sectional research activities that engage researchers in similar fields beyond WIAPS/GSAPS, including other institutions inside and outside of Waseda University.
For details of the WIAPS Research Groups, please click here.
The following research projects by WIAPS/GSAPS faculty and research associates are funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (JSPS KAKENHI).
Lead Researcher | Research Grant Type | Research Project Name | Research Period (Year) |
---|---|---|---|
UEKI, Chikako | Scientific Research (C) | 台頭国の不満の源泉:ナショナリズムの要因 | 2023-2025 |
ENDO, Tamaki | Scientific Research (A) | インフォーマリティと新しい社会契約:アジアのメガ都市を事例に | 2025-2029 |
GAGNE, Nana Okura | Scientific Research (C) | Anthropological Analysis of Infertility and Diversification of Families in Low-fertility Japan | 2025-2028 |
KIKUCHI, Tomoo | Scientific Research (B) | The Mechanism and Stability of Global Imbalances | 2022-2025 |
KURODA, Kazuo | International Collaboration Acceleration Fund (Overseas) | 平和のための予防外交・活動としての国際教育に関する共同研究 | 2024-2028 |
SHINOHARA, Hatsue | Scientific Research (B) | 満洲事変以後の国際連盟―戦後国際連合体制への継承と断絶 | 2024-2027 |
SETA, Makoto | Scientific Research (B) | 海戦法規の現代的課題とその克服に向けて | 2023-2027 |
NAKAJIMA, Seio | Scientific Research (C) | Dream Factory, Chinese Style: Institutional Changes in the Film Industry, 2001-2024 | 2025-2028 |
NABESHIMA, Kaoru | Scientific Research (C) | NTMsが国際貿易・地域経済に与える影響の実証分析 | 2022-2025 |
NABESHIMA, Kaoru | Scientific Research (B) | NTMsが産業間貿易に与える影響の実証分析 | 2025-2029 |
HAYASE, Shinzo | Scientific Research (C) | 東・南シナ海の領有権問題への社会史的アプローチ-海洋漁業、海運、環境保護 | 2022-2025 |
LIU-FARRER, Gracia | Scientific Research (B) | Determinants of International Students’ Educational Mobility: a Comparative Study of Japan and Germany | 2021-2025 |
LIU-FARRER, Gracia | Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows | フランス文化外交政策の一環としての在日フランス国際学校についての人類学的研究 | 2024-2026 |
LIU-FARRER, Gracia | Scientific Research (C) | Making transnational labor markets: an economic sociological study of Indonesian healthcare workers’ migration to Japan, Germany and Taiwan | 2025-2028 |
MATSUOKA, Shunji | Scientific Research (B) | 巨大地震予測の不確実性を踏まえた長期的災害対策と世代間公平性に関する研究 | 2024-2027 |
MIICHI, Ken | Scientific Research (C) | ムスリム社会における「進歩的」なジェンダー思想の形成 | 2025-2028 |
LEHENY, David | Scientific Research (C) | Pandemic Narratives in the Asia-Pacific: COVID-19 and the Contest over Global Status | 2022-2025 |
ONUKI, Mayuko | Early Career Scientists | 開発途上国における拡張接触と障害者差別と偏見 | 2021-2025 |
NGUYEN, Anh Hao | Early Career Scientists | Developing and Validating a Sense of Urgency Scale: Unveiling the Psychological Mechanisms for Performance Enhancement | 2025-2028 |
CHUNG, Kangryol | Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows | 日本企業による高度外国人材の雇用実態に関する社会学的研究:在日コリアンを事例に | 2023-2025 |
HARADA, Merisa | Early Career Scientists | 19世紀半ばから20世紀初頭の軍縮・軍備制限制度化構想の検討 | 2024-2025 |
HARADA, Merisa | Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows | 第一次世界大戦前の仲裁促進運動と国際紛争防止・解決の法枠組み | 2024-2026 |
The following research projects by WIAPS/GSAPS faculty and research associates are funded by the Waseda University Grants for Special Research Projects (“Tokutei Kadai”) in the Academic Year of 2025.
Lead Researcher | Research Grant Type | Research Project Name |
---|---|---|
ENDO, Tamaki | Research Base Creation | バンコクにおける格差の動向と労働市場の分析 |
KATO, Atsushi | Research Base Creation | インドにおける州レベルの労働政策に関する政治経済的研究 |
KATSUMA, Yasushi | Research Base Creation | サステイナビリティ向上とSDGs達成における高等教育機関の役割と課題 |
KIKUCHI, Tomoo | Research Base Creation | The Distance Puzzle and Tax Havens: A Comparison of Portfolio Investment between China and USA |
KURODA, Kazuo | Research Base Creation | 平和と紛争解決のための教育グローバルガバナンスに関する研究 |
SHINOHARA, Hatsue | Research Base Creation | 国際連盟から国際連合へーイギリスとアメリカの協調 |
SETA, Makoto | Research Base Creation | 国連海洋法条約における外部規則の位置づけ |
NAKAJIMA, Seio | Research Base Creation | 現代中国映画産業の制度論 |
HAYASE, Shinzo | Research Base Creation | アジア・太平洋地域における「戦争の記憶」の追跡調査・補足調査 |
LIU-FARRER, Gracia | Research Base Creation | Visa schemes and care worker migration from Indonesia to Japan |
MATSUOKA, Shunji | Research Base Creation | 厄介な問題に挑戦する新しい「対話の場」のデザインに関する研究 |
NGUYEN, Anh Hao | Research Base Creation | Developing and Validating a Sense of Urgency Scale: Unveiling the Psychological Mechanisms for Performance Enhancement |
Exchange Researchers/Visiting Scholars/Visiting Researchers/Visiting Fellows hosted at WIAPS 2025/4/1.2025
Aside from research reports, Exchange Researchers/Visiting Scholars/Visiting Researchers are also given opportunities to present on their research activities at the WIAPS Seminar. For information on past WIAPS Seminars, please click here.
As one of way of giving back to society, WIAPS publishes journals and research report series on the findings and results of daily research and educational activities.
For details of these publications, please click here.
WIAPS/GSAPS hosts public lectures/seminars as well as symposiums through the year for the dissemination of academic research outcomes. WIAPS/GSAPS invites various lecturers/ speakers from Waseda University including WIAPS/GSAPS faculty members as well as leading scholars and experts from the public and private sectors and from other educational institutions all over the world. These events offer an international forum for fostering intellectual exchange and discussion on diverse topics and issues.
For more information on public lectures/seminars, please click here.