Research Findings of the Taiwan Research Center at Waseda University Recognized by the Japanese Academic Community
The Waseda University Taiwan Research Center Project which is jointly promoted by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Waseda University in Japan provides an excellent research environment, and the level of research on Taiwan and related topics has earned recognition in academic circles in Japan, greatly increasing the visibility of Taiwan studies in the highly competitive world of Japanese academia.
Achievements in the Project’s fourth year, from April 1, 2021 to March 31 this year include: “The Formation of Taiwan as a Land of Agriculture: The Transformation of Family and Social Relations from the Late Qing Dynasty to the Early Japanese Rule Era”, a paper by Dr. Ryuki Nitta, a full-time researcher, won the 12th Tokyo University of Tokyo Nanbara Shigeru Memorial Publishing Award. “Minor officials and the Cession of Taiwan: The Disintegration of the Tax Collection Agency in Southern Taiwan”, another paper by Dr. Ryuki Nitta, won the Historical Social Field Award, from the Japan Association for Taiwan Studies.
“Japanese War Peace Treaty and Overseas Chinese in Japan: The Nationality Issue of ‘Chinese’ under the 1952 System (1951–1952)”, a book by researcher Dr. Tsuruzono Yuki, won the Political and Economic Field Award from the Japan Association for Taiwan Studies, and Dr. Huang Weixiu, a recruiting researcher, won the 17th Nakasone Yasuhiro Award from the Nakasone Yasuhiro Institute for World Peace, in recognition of his important contribution to promoting Japan’s understanding of Taiwan and cross-strait relations.
This year, with the support of the Taiwan Research Center, Waseda University has offered 15 courses Taiwan studies, and a total of 589 students took one or more of these courses. The number of courses and the number of students who enrolled in them have both increased compared to last year. This reflects the importance that the university places on Taiwan studies and that the courses are attractive to students. And Waseda University also provided scholarships to 11 students this year, to encourage its students to do more Taiwan related research.
In addition, 16 online research workshops and seminars on Taiwan research were held at the university, and experts invited from Japan and abroad interacted and exchanged ideas. The exchanges of ideas and discussion between researchers in Japan and Taiwan at these workshops are helping to increase possibilities for other research institutions in Japan and research institutions in Taiwan to organize online seminars and workshops and further strengthen the field of Taiwan studies in Japan.