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US Leading Scholar Kent Calder Speaks on Japan’s International Influence
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US Leading Scholar Kent Calder Speaks on Japan’s International Influence

Mon, Jul 21, 2014
US Leading Scholar Kent Calder Speaks on Japan’s International Influence
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On June 25, Professor Kent Calder, Director of the Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, spoke to a full house at Waseda University about his analysis of Asian influence in global affairs in Washington DC, based on his recently published book, “Asia in Washington: Exploring the Penumbra of Transnational Power”. The seminar was chaired by Professor Aiji Tanaka, Faculty of Political Science and Economy, and co-hosted by the Institute for Research in Contemporary Political and Economic Affairs and the Organization for Japan-US Studies.

 

Professor Calder discussed the changes in the social-political community in Washington during recent decades. Today, Washington has become one of the most important arenas for global affairs, with clusters of think tanks, universities, law firms, lobbyists, consulting PR firms, the mass media, multilaterals like the IMF, and NGOs spread across the city and the surrounding area.

The main point which Professor Calder discussed was Asian influence in Washington. He noted that this was particularly important considering the “ethnic politics” in the US, where growing Chinese-, Indian-, and Korean-American communities make historical issues especially sensitive. He remarked that Japan tended to take the US relationship for granted and that its influence in recent decades was relatively weak. To illustrate this point, he pointed out that while many foreign leaders had addressed the US Congress, no Japanese prime minister has ever addressed a joint session of Congress; furthermore, Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese diplomats had substantial US experience, resulting in high fluency in English and the impression of strong commitment to US relations.

Following Professor Calder’s presentation, Professor Shujiro Urata, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies (GSAPS) , and the audience joined the discussion with various questions and comments, enjoying the opportunity to exchange views about global political affairs.

In a meeting before the seminar, Professor Kaoru Kamata, the president of Waseda University, congratulated Professor Calder on his receipt of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in the 2014 Spring Imperial Decorations.

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