Recent Events / Notices

16 April 2010 (Friday)
Traditional Japanese Inns and Their Great Female Managers: Take a Photo in a Kimono
Time: 4:00-5:30 pm
Venue: Global Lounge

19-23 April 2010
Board Exhibition: Japanese Legendary Creatures and Photo Competition
Iris Fortune Telling Booth
Venue: KK Leung Concourse (South Side)

Photos Competition: My Japan
Submission Deadline: 14 April 2010
Judging Period: 15-19 April
Board Exhibition Period: 20-23 April 2010 / Venue: KK Leung Concourse (South Side)
Prize Presentation: 23 April 2010 / Venue: Theatre, Chong Yuet Ming Amenities Centre (T303)
Format: 8R size print out, Minimum: 8 Mega Pixel (2448 x 3264 pixel 4:3 aspect ratio), 300 dpi.
Submission method: by email jaso@hku.hk

23 April 2010 (Friday)
Department of Japanese Studies - Student Performances
Year 1: Poem Recitations
Year 2: Speeches
Year 3: Play – Spirited Away, Japanese Animation Dubbing
Year 4: i) 三島由紀夫 Yukio Mishima: 熊野 Yuya, 綾の鼓 Aya no Tsudumi, 邯鄲 Kantan & 塔婆小町 Sotoba Komachi; ii) Japanese Stand-Up comedy.

Time: 1:00 - 6:30pm
Venue: Theater, Chong Yuet Ming Amenities Centre (T303)

Please click on this link to download the poster

Main Organizers: School of Modern Languages and Cultures, Japanese Society A.A.H.K.U.S.U.
Co organizers: Consulate General of Japan
Supported by: The Faculty of Arts, Okami Association of Japanese Ryokan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Canon Hongkong Co. Ltd, Japan Airlines, Greenreadings Bookshop, Kagome, Global Lounge

For enquiries, please contact Ms. Cice Chan (2219 4403 / cice@hku.hk) or Ms. Luci Cheng (2859 2049 / luci@hkucc.hku.hk).

8 April 2009 (Wednesday)
Film Show: Angel’s Egg
Time: 5:30 pm
Venue: MG07, Main Building, HKU

9 April 2009 (Thursday)
Get into the J-pop Groove 09
Time: 12:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Venue: Global Lounge, HKU

14-17 April 2009
Wishing Week Counter
Time: 12:30 - 6:30 pm
Venue: Run Run Shaw Podium, HKU

14-24 April 2009
Board Exhibition: Japanese Wishing Customs
Date: 14-17 April
Venue: Run Run Shaw Podium, HKU
Date: 20- 24 April
Venue: K.K.Leung Concourse, HKU

21 April 2009 (Tuesday)
Mochitsuki - Traditional Japanese Mochi-pounding Ceremony
Time: 12:45 - 2:00 pm
Venue: Sun Yat-sen Place, HKU

21 April 2009 (Tuesday)
Traditional Japanese Inns and their Great Female Managers: Kimono Workshop
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Venue: Global lounge, HKU

24 April 2009 (Friday)
Japanese Studies Student Performance
Time: 2:30 - 6:00 pm
Venue: Global lounge, HKU

25 April 2009 (Saturday)
The 5th Hong Kong Secondary School Students Japanese Speech Contest
Time: 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU

Sponsors of this year’s Japan Month include the Consulate General of Japan, the Society of Japanese Language Education in Hong Kong, Japan Airlines, AVEX Asia, Forward Music, SONYBMG Music Entertainment, the WATAMI Group, Hong Kong Judo Kan, Canon, Japan National Tourism Organization, the Office of International Student Exchange, and the Global Lounge.

For enquiries, please contact Mr. Cyrus Chan (2219 4403 / cyrusc@hkucc.hku.hk) or Ms Lucilla Cheng (2859-2049 / luci@hkucc.hku.hk)

Sino-Japanese Relations Symposium

Thirty years ago, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda signed the 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship, in hope that they could build upon the 1972 diplomatic normalisation and enhance the relationship between China and Japan after decades of hostilities. The 1978 Treaty was not merely a product of strategic exigencies and political convenience; the spirit behind the Treaty was supposed to provide the very foundation upon which future bilateral relations were to be constructed. Three decades have gone by since the signing of the 1978 Treaty, and in retrospect, one might find it hard to agree that Sino-Japanese relations is marked by peace and friendship. The latter half of the last thirty years has been particularly challenging. From 1995 onwards, hardly a year went by without major diplomatic flare-ups and political friction between China and Japan. Nationalism, realpolitik concerns, conflicting strategic interests and clashing identities have been attributed to be responsible for the difficulties we are witnessing in Sino-Japanese relations today.

History, however may go on to show that 2008 would be a critical and noteworthy year in East Asia, not only because this year marks the 30th anniversary of 1978 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Neither is it because Japan and China have reached a formula by which they can resolve their differences in the historic year which China is hosting the Olympics. Rather the significance of this year could be attributed to the fact that China and Japan seems to have reached an inflection point in their bilateral relationship. The respective visits of Japanese PMs Abe and Fukuda in 2006 and 2007 to China and the anticipated return visit of President Hu later this year; the visit of the Chinese warship Shenzhen to Japan and the relatively low key way in which various disputes are being handled this year all seem to stand in testimony that both the government and the people in Japan and China recognise that something has to be done in order to improve bilateral relations. 2008 could well be the year that for the first time in the post Cold War era, China and Japan are moving to reconcile their differences at the highest level, with popular domestic political support and corresponding diplomatic will. Yet, the all important questions still remain: Which way forward for Japan and China? How do they find lasting peace and friendship ?

The HKU Department of Japanese Studies is proud to present a symposium to commemorate this critical year in Sino-Japanese relations. This symposium will be held on 10th and 11th June 2008. The purpose of this symposium is to:

- take stock on the achievements and the challenges of Sino-Japanese relations since the signing of the 1978 Treaty of Peace and Co-operation, particularly in the post Cold War era.
- provide an in-depth discussion of the different difficulties within this set of bilateral relationship, for example over territorial dispute, historical legacies, energy competition, theatre missile defence, bilateral relationships with the US, the Taiwan issue, Korean nuclear crisis etc.
- assess bilateral or third party efforts to effect reconciliation between the two nations and the policies and measures instituted to enhance of relations fostering co-operation.

Details information: http://www.hku.hk/japanese/sino/

第8回国際日本語教育・日本研究シンポジウム アジア・オセアニア地域における多文化共生社会と日本語教育・日本研究2008 Call for Paper The Eighth International Symposium on Japanese Language Education and Japanese Studies: Multiculturalism and Japanese Language Education/ Japanese Studies in Asia and Oceania 2008 Department of Japanese Studies School of Modern Languages and Cultures The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong 開催日: 2008年11月8日 （土曜日 ）・ 11月9日 （日曜日） 会場: 香港大学 発表申込み 発表申込用紙 （Call for Papers） にご記入の上、 2008年3月31日までに シンポジウム運営委員会宛に email 添付でご送付ください。 採否は 2008年6月中に ご連絡します。 内容 今回のテーマ 「アジア・オセアニア地域における多文化共生社会と 日本語教育 ・ 日本研究」 の主旨に沿うもの 発表時間 個人発表（発表20分＋質疑応答10分） フォーラム （3～4人の発表者で発表 ・ 質疑応答を含めて90分） ポスターセッション （5分）

使用言語 日本語・英語・中国語 論文集 発表論文は『会議録 （Proceedings）』に 収録し、 審査を経て、 『論文集』を 発表する予定です。 論文執筆に関する詳細は会議後に ご連絡いたします。 参加申し込み（Registration）は2008年6月から開始します お問い合わせ・申し込み先：email:hkusympo@hku.hk Website for The Eighth International Symposium: http://www.hku.hk/hkusympo/

The Cultural Realm of The Way of Tea ‘Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea’ 茶道的文化 - 從一碗茶說"和" talk by Dr Sen Genshitsu 千玄室 博士 March 20, 2008 (Thur) 5:30pm Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU Programme: 5:30pm: Lecture by Dr. Sen Genshitsu 6:45pm: Chado Demonstration 7:30pm: Japanese Tea Appreciation and Reception

This talk is co-organised by the HKU Foundation and the Department of Japanese Studies, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, in association with the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong. Dr Sen Genshitsu was the Grand Master of the Urasenke Tradition of Tea from 1964 to 2002, when he transferred the position to his eldest son. The Sen family lineage of tea goes back almost 500 years, to the influential 16th century tea master, Sen Rikyu, who elevated the serving of a bowl of tea into an art form. Dr Sen Genshitsu was born in Kyoto in 1923. He has been widely acknowledged for his contributions to the fields of Japanese history and culture, and was awarded the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan in 1997. As a young man, Dr Sen Genshitsu served in the airforce division of the Japanese navy during World War II, an experience that was to have a profound impact on him and convinced him of the need to promote peace and mutual respect among nations. Over the past 50 years, he has shared the ideals of the Way of Tea – Harmony, Respect, Purity, and Tranquility – with people in over sixty countries around the world, using tea to transcend cultural and linguistic differences, and expressing his goal through the phrase “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea”. In 2005, he was officially appointed Japan-UN Goodwill Ambassador by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 千玄室博士從 1964年起到 2002年是裏千家的 “家主” （家元）， 千家的家系上溯 五百年， 乃 十六世紀茶道的 集大成者 千利休。 利休曾向當時大權在握的織田信長和豐臣秀吉獻茶， 將一碗茶提升到藝術的境界。 作為 第 15代的家主， 千玄室博士承襲了 “宗室” 的名號。現時， 裏千家第 16代家主由其長男繼任。 千玄室博士 1923年出生於京都， 畢業於日本同志社大學， 中國南開大學哲學博士， 並擁有 15個名譽博士銜， 他對日本 歷史和文化的貢獻廣為人知， 1997年獲天皇頒授文化勳章以表揚其功績。 千博士 第二次世界大戰期間在日本海軍航空隊受訓， 年青時的這一段經歷讓他深受衝擊， 充分體會到促進 國家之間 和平 共處與互相尊重的重要性， 基於這種思想， 隨後 50年間， 千博士一直努力用茶來打破不同 語言和文化間的壁壘， 並以 「從一碗茶說“和”」一語概括其理念， 向世界上 六十多國廣泛傳播茶道的精粹 「和敬靜寂」。 2005年 9月，日本外務省授予他 聯合國親善大使的稱號。 For more details, please go to http://daaosys.hku.hk/aep/bin/ HKU Foundation & Department of Japanese Studies SMLC

The programmes in the Japan Month 2008 include:

1. Mar 20, 2008 (Thursday)
Lecture by Dr. Sen Genshitsu,
The Cultural Realm of the Japanese Way of Tea: “Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea"
followed by Chado Demonstration and Japanese Tea Appreciation
Venue : Rayson Huang Theatre
Time : 5:30pm ~ 8:30pm

2. Mar 31- Apr 13, 2008
Japan Festival 日本の祭
Venue: K.K.Leung Concourse
Time: 12 noon - 7 pm

3. Mar 31 to Apr 25
Board Exhibition of Chado

4. Apr 1, 2008 (Tuesday)
Sakura Sakura : Springtime Violin Melodies by Ms Fujikake Yukiko
Venue : Global Lounge
Time : 12:45pm to 1:30pm

5. Apr 9, 2008 (Wednesday)
Film Show: Kikujiro’s Summer 菊次郎の夏
Venue : T6, Meng Wah Complex
Time : From 5:30pm

6. Apr 9 to May 18, 2008
Sharaku through the Eyes of Contemporary Japanese Artists 現代日本寫樂藝術
Venue : University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

7. Apr 13, 2008 (Sunday)
The 4th Hong Kong Secondary School Students Japanese Speech Contest
Venue : Rayson Huang Theatre
Time : From 2:00pm

8. Apr 16, 2008 (Wednesday)
Get into the J-pop Groove
Venue : Global Lounge
Time : 1245pm to 4:00pm

9. Apr 24, 2008 (Thursday)
Japanese Traditional Inns and their Great Female Managers
Venue : Global Lounge
Time : TBC

10. Apr 25, 2008 (Friday)
Students in Japanese Studies : Plays, Poems, and Presentations
Venue : Theatre 303, Chong Yuet Ming Amenities Centre
Time : From 3:00pm

Co-organized by
Office of International Exchange
Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong
Society of Japanese Language Education, Hong Kong
Japan Airlines
University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong

Talk by Ms Mitsuyo KAKUTA (角田光代） Title: Being a Writer in Japan 「日本において作家であること」 Date: March 6, 2008 (Thursday) Time: 16:00 to 17:00 Place: The Convocation Room, Main Building, The University of Hong Kong Language: Japanese Abstract: During her talk, Ms. Kakuta will discuss the following questions: What process does one normally follow to become a writer in Japan? How did she become a writer? What made her want to become a writer? What inspires her writing? How has the Japanese novel evolved over the last 20 years? 日本で作家になるにはどのような方法が一般的であるか、 私はどのようにしてなったか、なぜ作家になりたいと思ったのか、 自作について、この二十年ほどの日本での小説の移り変わりなどについて。

About the Speaker: Ms Mitsuyo KAKUTA is the author of over forty books and the winner of numerous literary prizes, including the Noma Literary Prize for New Writers (1996), the Tsubota Joji Prize (1997), the Sankei Children’s Book Award (1999), and the Fujin Koron Literary Prize (2003). Woman on the Other Shore won the Naoki Prize in 2005 and is her first book to appear in English. She is also known for her essays about rock music and manga and her frequent appearances in popular magazines. 角田光代（かくた・みつよ） 1967年神奈川県生まれ。早稲田大学第一文学部卒業。 90年「幸福な遊戯」で 海燕新人文学賞、 96年『まどろむ夜のＵＦＯ』で 野間文芸新人賞、 98年『ぼくはきみのおにいさん』で 坪田譲治文学賞、 03年『空中庭園』で 婦人公論文芸賞、 05年『対岸の彼女』で 直木賞、 06年「ロック母」で 川端康成文学賞、 07年『八日目の蝉』で 中央公論文芸賞を受賞。 その他の著書に、 『東京ゲスト・ハウス』 『人生ベストテン』『ドラママチ』 『薄闇シルエット』など Ms. Kakuta is in Hong Kong to take part in the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2008. Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Ms Lucilla Cheng by email at luci@hkucc.hku.hk

Recruitment Talk: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubis

For enquiries, please contact Ms Lucilla Cheng (2859-2049 / luci@hkucc.hku.hk)hi UFJ
Management Trainee Program
Recruitment Talk

Date: 15 February 2007 (Friday)
Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Venue: Theatre 2, G/F Meng Wah Complex HKU

Japanese Studies Student Wins First Prize in Essay Writing Competition

Henry Kwok Chee Ying, a Japanese Studies and Journalism student on a one-year HKU Worldwide exchange programme to Akita International University (AIU) in the northwest of Japan, has won first prize in an essay writing competition organized by the AIU’s Student Voice Committee. To enter the contest, students were asked to submit an 800 to 1,200 word essay, in English, describing what they would do to improve AIU should they be appointed President of the University.

Henry’s prize-winning submission recommended the setting up of a Department of Language Studies, along the lines of the University of Hong Kong’s own School of Modern Languages and Cultures, as well as an increase in the number of foreign languages taught at AIU, which currently stands at four. Using his own experiences as a foreign exchange student to support his argument, Henry went on to list some of the benefits of learning a second or third language and to explain how it had broadened his horizons and enhanced his understanding of other cultures.

Henry’s prize includes a certificate signed by the current President of Akita International University, Dr. Mineo Nakajima, and 30,000 yen. Well done!

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures’ Yoshiko Nakano hosts HKU Arts Talk on RTHK Radio 4

As part of a series of RTHK 4 radio programmes featuring teachers from the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Arts taking turns to talk about music that relates to their life and work, Dr. Yoshiko Nakano will host a two-hour show entitled “Across Languages and Cultures” on Saturday, January 12, 2008, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

In order to reflect the School’s cultural diversity and her own research interests, which include intercultural communication and globalization, Dr. Nakano has chosen music by artists from 11 different countries. In keeping with the theme of transcending cultural boundaries, the programme features an eclectic combination of Japanese, Korean and French pop, a Brazilian guitar piece, and Stevie Wonder’s “Superwoman”. Other tracks selected showcase jazz and classical music compositions along with unusual interpretations of all-time favourites, including a funky ukulele version of George Harrison’s “While my guitar gently weeps”.

“Across Languages and Cultures”
presented by
Dr Yoshiko Nakano (School of Modern Languages and Cultures)
Saturday, January 12, 2008,
10:00am - 12:00pm
RTHK Radio 4 FM 97.6 – 98.9
http://www.rthk.org.hk/channel/radio4/

For an overview of the three other programmes featured in this series, please visit:
http://www.rthk.org.hk/culture/magazine/finemusic200801/finemusic_200801.pdf

Public Lecture : Sino-Japanese Relations

You are cordially invited to a public lecture entitled "Sino-Japanese Relations" which is co-organized by the General Education Unit and the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. The lecture will be held on November 30, 2007 (Friday) from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Room 223, Knowles Building (in Putonghua).

We are honoured by the presence of Professor Jiang Lifeng, the Director of Institute of Japanese Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who comes all the way from Beijing to speak with us. Prof. Jiang is a well-respected scholar who is specialized in Japanese politics and Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations. His major publications include "The Nationalistic Conservatism in Contemporary Japan's Politics", "An Assurance of the Security and Development in Northeast Asia" and "A Clarification on Hirohito's 'Imperial Edict of Taking the Blame on Himself'", etc.

Sino-Japanese Culture Exchange Forum

You are cordially invited to a "Sino-Japanese Culture Exchange Forum" which is co-organized by the General Education Unit and the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. The forum will be held on November 28, 2007 (Wednesday) from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Rayson Huang Theatre HKU (in Cantonese).

The forum will feature Ms. Saho Nobuko, a Japanese writer who speaks fluent Cantonese, and Mr. Anthony Ip, a local cultural critic who speaks fluent Japanese. They will share with us the experience of living in Japan and Hong Kong.

Za Ondekoza - Japanese Drumming Group

The Department of Japanese Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures is pleased to present a performance by:

ZA ONDEKOZA – JAPANESE DRUMMING GROUP
RUNNING, BEATING AND DANCING ON THE EARTH

Date: November 23, 2007 (Friday)
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Sun Yat-sen Place HKU

Za Ondekoza, or demon drum group, was founded in 1969 by Mr. Den Tagayasu. The drummers’ performances aim to reflect the concept of ‘Sogakuron’, which literally means ‘running’ and ‘music’, and usually combine feats of human endurance with high intensity taiko drumming, symbolizing the drama and energy of life on Earth.

The group members are currently based at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture but they have performed all over the world. Za Ondekoza made their American debut in 1975, performing immediately after participating in the Boston Marathon. Between 1990 and 1993, the group spent three years running and drumming around the United States, beginning and ending their journey with shows at Carnegie Hall in New York. By the time they returned to New York, they had performed 355 times and run for 1,071 days, covering approximately 14,910 km (9,200 miles).

Between 1998 and 2000, Za Ondekoza toured around China, starting their self-titled ‘Long Journey’ in Shanghai and passing through several major cities, including Hong Kong and Kunming, before ending it in Xian, having covered a total distance of roughly 12,500 km (7,700 miles). The group plans to start a new Chinese tour in 2008, aiming to arrive in Shanghai in time to perform at the 2010 World Expo.

During their brief stay in Hong Kong to help celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, Za Ondekoza will also stage two performances at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall on Saturday 24 November.

Conference: Decolonisation of the Soul - Hong Kong, China and Japan

Date: 5th -6th Nov, 2007
Time: 9:00 - 18:00
Venue: Foundation Chamber, Eilot Hall, The University of Hong Kong.

Name of Participating unit:
School of Modern Languages and Cultures, HKU
Research Group on Decolonisation of the Soul
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research Japan

Talk: Structural Changes in Trade & Economic Relations in the Pan-Pacific - A Japanese Perspective

The Department of Japanese Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures is proud to present a talk by Mr. Takashi Nishizawa of Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. entitled:

Details of the event are as follows:

Date: October 29, 2007 (Monday)
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Venue: K230, Knowles Building, HKU

In this talk, Mr. Nishizawa will share his views on the current trends of different Asian economies and the recent drastic change to the structures regulating trade among Asian countries. He will also discuss the impact of the appreciation of the RMB on China’s trade structure and on the world economy as a whole.

About the speaker:
Takashi Nishizawa is a Senior Economist at Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., based at the company’s Financial and Economic Research Center in Tokyo, Japan. He provides research, analysis and projections on medium-term economic trends and structural issues (e.g. population, aging societies, social security) in Japan's and other countries' economies. He also identifies and analyzes themes of interest to investors in Nomura’s year-end report, Medium-term Economic Outlook, and in the Research Series of publications. Themes currently taken up as a member of the Economic Structure Analysis team include the impact of rising oil prices on the global economy and the assessment of appropriate long-term interest rate levels for Japan.

Talk: Marketing Scents and the Anthropology of Smell

Department of Japanese Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures is proud to present a talk by Professor Brian Moeran entitled: ‘Marketing Scents and the Anthropology of Smell’. The talk is one of a series of workshops organized by the Department of Japanese Studies as part of its postgraduate degree programme.

In this talk, Professor Moeran will examine the situated meanings of smell in the production and consumption of incense in Japan. Arguing that neither anthropology nor marketing – in spite of certain shared methodological and theoretical concerns – has been particularly successful in examining smell itself (as opposed to the socio-cultural aspects thereof), Professor Moeran will show how both incense manufacturers and retailers need to consider factors – like colour coordination, packaging and naming – that are extraneous to smell and incorporate them into their practices in order to create and sustain olfactory taste among contemporary Japanese.

About the speaker:
Brian Moeran is Professor of Culture and Communication at the Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, Copenhagen Business School. A social anthropologist by training, he has written widely on advertising, art and aesthetics, ceramics, fashion magazines and other media forms, primarily in Japan. Among his more recent publications are The Business of Ethnography (2005) and Ethnography at Work (2006, both published by Berg). He is Director of Creative Encounters, a four-year research programme focusing on the socio-economic organization of creative industries and funded by the Danish Strategic Research Council (2007-2011).

Date/Time: 27/09/2007 16:00-18:00
Venue: P5-01, Graduate House, HKU
Language: English

All are welcome to attend.
The workshop will be conducted in English.

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Cheng Lucilla by email at luci@HKUCC.hku.hk or by phone at 2859-2000.

Monolingual, Bilingual, Trilingual and Self Expression and Language Educationn - the current situations and issues in Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan

Organiser: Japan-Korea-Asia Education Culture Centre, (NPO) Japan, and School of Modern Languages and Cultures, the University of Hong Kong

Participants: Invited from Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, mainly university and high school teachers and students in Japanese studies and Japanese language education.

Venue: University of Hong Kong, Main Building MG07
Time:
5 Aug 2007 (Sun) 9:30-17:00
6 Aug 2007 (Mon) 10:00-17:00
7 Aug 2007 (Tue) 10:00-13:30

The conference is sponsored the Japan Foundation in Japan.

The 1st conference was held in Kobe, Japan, 2nd in Pusan, Korea, 3rd in Shanghai, China. It is meaningful for the 4th Conference to be held in Hong Kong, and we look forward to your support of the event.
Thank you in advance and looking forward to seeing you.

Contact person:
Ms Maggie Leung
Honorary Research Associate, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, HKU
Vice President, the Society of Japanese Language Education, Hong Kong
Executive Member, Japan-Korea-Asia Education Culture Centre, (NPO) Japan
Council Member, the Japan Society of Hong Kong
Tel: 22194068

Research Colloquium Spring 2007 (4 July 2007)

Ms. Zhou Fang, M. Phil. Candidate, HKU
“Once were Japanese: a study of the elder native Taiwanese"

Date: July 4, 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 15:00 to 16:30
Venue: Room 813, K.K. Leung HKU

Exchange meet with Japanese School students (7 June 2007)

1. Opening Ceremony, HKU students and J-School students do greeting. Brief speech of introduction by a staff member of Department.

2. Exchange activity, HKJS teachers will suggest activities. Students split into small groups. Ideally there will be two or more HKU students for each of the groups of Japanese students.

3. Campus Tour led by HKU students take J-school students around some interesting points of the campus. They will go around in small groups. Our students will bring Japanese students to one of the eateries on campus and have lunch together. A chance for JS students to try the food on campus!

4. Closing ceremony, HKJS student acts as MC. Speech of thanks from Headteacher of Japanese School.

Date: June 7, 2007 (Thursday)　
Time: 09:15 to 13:30
Venue: T１, Meng Wah Complex HKU
This is open for any students who are taking any Japanese language and Japanese Studies courses.

Japan Month (3-30 April 2007)

Date: April 3 (Tuesday)  
Time: 12:45pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Global Lounge
Japan Month Opening Ceremony and Mini-concert: Koto and Shakuhachi Performance (琴與尺八演奏)   

Date: April 11 (Wednesday)  
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Venue: Theatre 4, Meng Wah Complex
Film Show: Poppoya (鐵道員)

Date: April 20 (Friday)
Venue: Global Lounge
Traditional Japanese Inns and Their Great Female Managers, sponsored by Japan Airlines International Co., Ltd.
1) Staying at Ryokan (感受日本的傳統旅館) : 12:30pm – 2:00pm 
2) Kimono Workshop (和服穿著示範與體驗) : 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Date: April 21 (Saturday) 
Time: 2:00pm – 5:15 pm
Date: Rayson Huang Theatre
The 3rd Hong Kong Secondary School Students Japanese Speech Contest
 
Date: April 30 (Monday)
Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Venue: Global Lounge             
春祭@HKU  
Okinawa Acer Dance Performance
Travel Information Booths
Traditional Festival Games
 
Date: April 3 to 30 (Mondays to Fridays)
Time: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Venue: Global Lounge
Free Colour-Copying Service with Fuji Xerox Colour Copier. For all HKU students and staff members.

Research Colloquium
Spring 2007

Date: April 4, 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 16:00 to 18:00
Venue: K.K. Leung Room 813

ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME

The Faculty of Business and Economics and the School of Modern Languages and Cultures are glad to announce the seminar on:

THE JAPANESE ECONOMY: TODAY AND TOMORROW

presented by Professor Hiroshi Yoshikawa, an eminent scholar on Japanese economy and policy-making.

Language: English

Professor Yoshikawa is a Research Counsellor and Faculty Fellow of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). RIETI is one of the leading think tanks that have come to the forefront of Japan's economic policy making.

He is also a Professor of The University of Tokyo and a member of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, Cabinet Office, Japan. He has written widely on various Economic issues and has recently published 'Reconstructing Macroeconomics: A Perspective from Statistical Physics and Combinational Stochastic Processes'. He holds a BSc of Economics from the University of Tokyo, and a PhD in Economics from Yale University.

At the seminar, Professor Yoshikawa will share his insights on the current Japanese economy and predict the future.

Looking forward to seeing you at the talk.

Venue: Theatre 6, Meng Wah Complex, HKU
Date: 15 Mar 2007, Thursday
Time: 16:30 - 17:30

For further information and registration, please go to the following website: http://www.fbe.hku.hk/Japanese.Economy.2007

Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Ms. Angela Fung by email at angelafung@fbe.hku.hk or by phone at 2859 1197.

Recruitment Talk

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Management Trainee Program

Date: 7th March 07 (Wed)
Time: 5:00pm - 5:55pm
Venue: Room KK Leung LG 109
Target audience: 2007 graduates in Business, Finance, Economics, Management, Japanese Studies, etc.

Workshop on Japanese business

Date: 12 - 15 Mar 2007

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures is organizing a short course for all alumni and 3rd year students, who are now working or planning to work in a Japanese company, during 12 to 15 March 2007. The teacher who has over 10 years of working experience in a Japanese company in Japan, Ms Catherine, Ka Ping Au Serizawa will cover the following topics:

1) how to write resume for job-hunting in Japanese;
2) how to handle job interviews in Japanese;
3) introduce the general corporate culture of Japanese companies;
4) how to deal with Japanese bosses;
5) how to deal with Japanese and local colleagues in Japanese companies;

In short, this course will give you some hints of how you as a local staff can assist you to work in a Japanese company. Those who are interested in joining this course can apply by sending your name, year of graduation from HKU , contact number & email to Ms Josephine Kwok at jojokwok@hkucc.hku.hk on or before 11 January 2007. If you have any further questions about this course, please feel free to contact Miss Josephine Kwok at 2219 4208 or by email.

Seminar

Professor Roger Goodman
(Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies, University of Oxford)

“Is Japanese Higher Education Really in Crisis ? ” (in English)

The Japanese Ministry of Education estimates that anything between 15-40% of Japan’s 700 four-year and 400 two-year colleges will no long exist in their current form within 5-10 years due to the demographic decline in the number of eighteen-year olds in the population and the oversupply of places that developed during the early 1990s as the second baby boom passed through the sector. While most of the national universities will continue, in the short run, to be protected by state support (despite theoretically being turned into independent administrative agencies), there has developed a desperate fight for survival among Japan’s private institutions which cater for 80% of the student population. This talk examines - in the context of the history of the development of private higher education in Japan and its main forms of management - why it has been so difficult for those lower-level private universities which are particularly at risk to implement reforms that can meet this demographic challenge.

This paper also explores the effect on the tertiary education system of a developing bifurcation between top universities (which are becoming more competitive to enter) and bottom universities (which offer a so-called ‘free pass’ to anyone wants to enter). While this polarisation will mean many students who aim only to enter lower-level universities will dramatically reduce their investment in studying from junior high school onwards (and hence will become increasingly difficult to teach in a university context), overall universities will be come increasingly accountable to market pressures. This will lead to a dramatic improvement in a number of key areas in Japanese higher education, including recruitment practices, teaching, enrolment management, counseling and student support as well as research and administration.

Date: 21 December 2006 (Thursday)
Time: 16:30 - 18:30
Venue: Room 605, KK Leung HKU

Nomura Securities Lecture

The Department of Japanese Studies in The School of Modern Languages and Cultures presents Nomura Securities Lecture 'Outlook for the Japanese Economy'

Mr. Takashi NISHIZAWA
Senior Economist, Nomura Securities Co. Ltd, Tokyo Japan
Financial and Economic Research Center
Economic Research Department

Date: 17 October 2006 (Tuesday)
Time: 13:00 to 14:00
Venue: M217 Main Building

Takashi Nishizawa, Senior Economist at Nomura Securities, provides research, analysis and projections on medium-term economic trends and structural issues (e.g. population, aging societies, social security) in Japan's and other countries' economies. He also identifies and analyzes themes of interest to investors in the year-end report, Medium-term Economic Outlook, and in the Research Series of publications. Themes currently taken up as a member of the Economic Structure Analysis team include the impact of rising oil prices on the global economy and assessment of appropriate long-term interest rate levels for Japan.

Inauguration Ceremony

The School of Modern Languages and Cultures (SMLC) will hold its Inauguration Ceremony (29 September 2006) at the Global Lounge.

Venue: Global Lounge HKU
Date: 29 Sept 2006, Fri
Time: 18:00

School Reception

About 100 Japanese students from Japanese School (Secondary) will visit HKU on Thursday, 8 June 2006.

Students are welcome to be volunteers, please sign-up your name at General Office counter, KK819 or contact Ms M. Kobayashi at kmlui@hkucc.hku.hk for details.

Japan Month - 28th April 2006 (Friday)

Film Show: ‘Love Letter’ (情書)

Japan Month - 21st April 2006 (Friday)

Film Show : ‘Grave of the Fireflies’ (火垂るの墓; 再見螢火蟲)

Traditional Japanese Inns and their Great Female Managers
Organized by Department of Japanese Studies and Japan Airlines

Theme: Fierce fight!! Kendo (激闘!! 剣道)
Activities: Book selling counter, board exhibition and video show about Kendo

“Japan and China: Working towards a Mature Relationship”
Speech by: Mr. Takanori Kitamura, Consul-General of Japan at Hong Kong

Organized by the Centre of Asian Studies and Department of Japanese Studies

The Consul-General of Japan, Mr Takanori KITAMURA, joined the Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972.  He has served on several postings at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, culminating in his appointment as Minister there from 1998 to 2000.  He has also served at Japan's embassies in the United States, the Philippines and Greece, and at the United Nations. Back in Tokyo, he served as Director of the Research and Programming Division, and Deputy Chief of Protocol. From 2000 to 2002, he was Managing Director of the Planning and Evaluation Department at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and he was Senior Research Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs between 2002 and 2004.  Since March 2004, he has been Consul-General at the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong.

Photos Gallery
http://www.hku.hk/japanese/department/kitamura.html

Theme: Fierce fight!! Kendo (激闘!! 剣道)
Activities: Opening Ceremony, Kendo Performance, Refreshments

Photo Gallery

- deadline 28 March 2006, detail information

Akita International University (AIU) will hold Summer Program 2006 for intermediate and advanced Japanese language learners to provide an opportunity to raise the level of their proficiency in Japanese and to experience the Japanese way of life. We expect them to get a feel for the atmosphere of the local area surrounded by beautiful nature while staying in the Residence Hall of AIU.

- deadline 30 April 2006, detail information

A briefing session conducted by Kyushu University will be held on February 14, 2006 (Tuesday) from 12:30-2:00pm at Global Lounge. Staff of Kyushu University will introduce the programme and answer any questions you might have. Interested students are strongly encouraged to attend.

Applications for the Asia in Today’s World (ATW) programme are now invited from non-final year undergraduate who obtain a current CGPA of 3.20 or above and are with non-Japanese nationality. A scholarship of 120,000 yen will be offered to one selected HKU candidate who successfully gains admission to the ATW programme.

- deadline 25 February 2006, detail information

The Japan Society of Hong Kong is organizing its Scholarship Programme for the year 2006. As previous years, the awards are open to competition, and candidates from various areas of study, at degree or non-degree levels, and between the ages of 18-35 are eligible to apply.

As such, this Scholarship Programme is fairly unique, in that is open to people from all walks of life, and therefore does not simply place sole emphasis on academic achievement.  Accordingly, not only student who attend Universities, are eligible, with students of subjects such as Japanese Language, Cooking, Cosmetic Science, Japanese Musical Instruments, and even Martial Arts are also encouraged to apply.

The main purpose of the Scholarship, which is most generously supported and funded exclusively by The Hong Kong Japanese Club, is to promote the study of Japanese Language and Culture, and therefore helps to enhance mutual understanding between the peoples of Hong Kong and Japan.

Application forms for the Scholarship Programme are available at the General Office (KK819) Department of Japanese Studies, HKU. (Copy of application from is acceptable)

Applicants who wish to apply to the Programme with the intention of commencing their studies in Japan in the coming academic year should note that the deadline for application form submission is 24 February 2006 (Friday).  Completed application forms should reach the Secretary General of the Japan Society of Hong Kong by the above date.

Should you require any further information, please feel free to contact Miss Elaine Lee at 2537-3797.

The Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) offers Scholarships to foreign students who wish to pursue Japanese studies in Japan. The tenures of the scholarships are for one academic year commencing from October 2006.

The applicants must be regular undergraduate students in their 1st and 2nd year at the University. Students who have been nominated for the Japan Exchange Programme may not apply.

Application forms and Information Sheets can be obtained from the Department of Japanese Studies (KKL 819). Completed forms must be returned to the office of the Department of Japanese Studies by 3 February 2006.

At this moment, you are not required to submit the medical certificate or the reference letter of your teacher. You only need to do so after you have been selected by the Departmental Selection Board. All the successful candidates will be informed by the Department on 13 February 2006 or as soon as possible thereafter. Results will also be posted on the Departmental notice board.

The Consulate-General of Japan will conduct selection of candidates through a written test of the Japanese language and interview :

Written Test
Date : 7 th March 2006(Tuesday)
Time : 1430 – 1630 hrs
Venue : Multi-Purpose Room
46/F., Consulate-General of Japan

Applications are invited from non-final-year full-time undergraduate students for the Japanese Student Exchange Programmes for academic year 2006-2007

Host institutions that are open to applications are as follows:

• Hitotsubashi University
• Hokkaido University of Education Sapporo
• International Christian University
• Kansai Gaidai University
• Oita University
• Soka University
• Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
• Utsunomiya University

A summary of the above host institutions can be found at http://www.hku.hk/liaison/worldwide.

“The 21st Century COE (Center of Excellence) Program” was implemented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) beginning in fiscal year 2002. The program’s focus is to build global research and education centers at the graduate school doctoral level and its aim is to promote the creation of universities that are internationally competitive and of the highest global standards. This program promotes interchange and partnerships with overseas research organizations with the goal of academic information exchange and the dispatch and appointment of young researchers. Currently, the program has affiliation commitments with universities and research institutions in such countries as China, South Korea, France, Brazil and Canada, and there are plans to further expand this list. The Department of Japanese Studies, The University of Hong Kong and Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program have short term (2 weeks) exchange programs of young researchers. Each institute will provide facilities for the invited researcher during their exchange period. Expense concerning the “Research Exchange” will be borne by Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program.http://www.himoji.jp/

Roundtable Discussion & Teach-in "Japan, China and Asia: Where Do We Go From Here?" is a two-day forum in which experts from Japan, China, Hong Kong and the U.K. will address and analyse the historical and current situation between Japan and its Asian neighbours. The focus of the discussion will be on how to move forward in a constructive way from the anti-Japanese sentiments that are still strong in China, Korea and Hong Kong and the Japanese reactions to such feelings. The experts will furthermore start a discussion about Japan's repeated apologies for the war and why they are not accepted; and on the issue of whether Japan will change its "Peace Constitution" and what reactions that may provoke.

Teach-in
By invitation only

The HKU Office of International Student Exchange (OISE) will invite applications for the One-year Exchange Programmes (2006-2007) in December 2005.

The Japanese Government is offing scholarships to students who are permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau to study in Japanese universities as research students.

Speaker: Dr. Yoshiko Nakano (Assistant Professor, HKU)

This is a workshop on "How to Give a Presentation." There is, of course, no one right way to present a paper. In this workshop, rather than trying to list all important presentation skills, I will discuss how I construct my presentations. First, I will give a spin-off of my paper for Japan Anthropology Workshop "'De-Orientalizing' Rice?: The Role of Chinese Intermediaries in Globalizing Japanese Ricecookers". Then I will discuss what thoughts have gone into it, and how I might adjust it if I am talking to a group of political scientists or business executives. I will also use some student Power Point, and show how I might do it differently.

11th JETRO Business Japanese Proficiency Test

Organiser: JETRO
Co-organiser: HKU Space
Test Date: 19-6-2005
Application Period: 23-2-2005 – 25-4-2005
Fee: HKD250
Apply to: HKU Space (9/F TT Tsui Building, The University of Hong Kong)
Enquiries: 29755878/5693

- Karaimo Exchange in Kagoshima (Year 1 & 2)
- The Kagoshima Asia-Pacific Centre (KAPIC) (Year 2)
- The Kagoshima Bank Business Programme (Year 2 or 3)

The application period for these programs is from February 25 to March 7, 2005 (1700 hrs). The results will be posted on the Notice Board in mid-March.

To: Students (Year 1, 2 & 3, Certificate Course, Japanese Language Ia, Ib, IIa & IIIa)

The Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) offers Scholarships to foreign students who wish to pursue Japanese studies in Japan. The tenures of the scholarships are for one academic year commencing from October 2005.