| OVERVIEW SESSION |
| 01 |
Northeast Asian Studies: Its perspectives |
Hiroki OKA |
| The recent geopolitical developments triggered by the end of the Cold War in the last decade of the twentieth century have enhanced the study of Northeast Asia. Especially for us, its
importance is exerted by our country’s proximity and involvement in this region and requires us to build a strategic and macroscopic regional-concept framework that makes it possible for
us to comprehend the region as a whole. Without such a horizon of holistic view on the region, we can hardly hope for an effective handling of the region’s imbroglio. On the other hand,
the progress of cultural exchanges between the countries of the region is accelerating the cooperative activities in the various fields of study.
In this session, the agenda and methodological issues of Northeast Asia are presented and discussed by the directors of four leading research centers for Northeast Asian studies, which are
the Center for Northeast Asian Studies of Tohoku University, Slavic-Eurasian Research Center of Hokkaido University, Center for Far-Eastern Studies of the University of Toyama, and
Institute for North East Asian Research of the University of Shimane. |
| Session A: Natural Environments in Northeast Asia - Natural History |
| A1 |
Panthalassan to Pacific Orogeny in Northeast Asia |
Naoto HIRANO |
| The northeastern coast of the Pangea Supercontinent surrounded by the Panthalassa Ocean remains as the present Northeast Asian region as a result of circum-Pacific orogenesis during the last
250 million years. Here, we explore the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean, mid-oceanic ridge subduction, and the collision of the Kuril and Japan Arcs that occurred over a 250 million year period using the
geology, volcanology and petrology of Japan, Mongolia, and Far Eastern Russia. |
| A2 |
Origins of Biodiversity in Northeast Asia |
Satoshi CHIBA |
| Northeast Asia is an essential region for understanding the origins of Japanese biota. In particular, regions of Far East Russia, Northeast China, and Mongolia are known to possess high species
diversity and endemism as biota in high-latitude areas. Despite high biological diversity and a close connection with Japanese biota, the evolutionary history of the biota in Northeast Asia remains
unknown. In this session, in order to understand the origins of the biodiversity of these regions, we introduce findings from recent researches in the evolutionary history of the freshwater and
terrestrial taxa of these regions. In addition, we reveal that this unique biota can provide excellent model systems to test hypotheses in ecology and evolutionary biology. Furthermore, we clarify
how this biota has contributed to the creation of Japanese biota by understanding the relationship between biota in Japan and that in Northeast Asia. |
| A3 |
Anthro-history and Environmental Adaptation in Northeast Asia |
Hiroki TAKAKURA |
| In terms of anthro-cultural history, hunting and pastoral adaptation is predominant in the traditional economies of Northeast Asian societies consisting of Siberia, Mongolia, and Northeast China.
Schematically, hunter-fishermen occupy the ecologies of the tundra, taiga, and coastal regions, and nomadic pastoralists range over the southern steppe region. On the other hand, from a micro
point of view, both in the historical and the present conditions, various subsistence complexes with certain types of social organization are formed according to individual local ecologies and social
settings. The session focuses on the local subsistence complex seen both from archeological and ethnographical observation, considers anthro-cultural history in terms of evolution and
adaptation, and examines the potential of human populations for environment usage, change, and conservation. Taking account of disturbance such as natural environmental disasters and the
impact of the imperial states historically governing in this region, we examine the resilience and vulnerability of confined local environment adaptation. Through this, we try to build a synthesized
perspective for an understanding of the environments and societies of Northeast Asia beyond the existing paradigm based on current political borders and linguo-cultural history. |
| Session B: Social Environments in Northeast Asia - Border Transgression |
| B1 |
Migration in Northeast Asia from the Viewpoint of Personal History: The Challenge of Multi-site
Anthropology |
Masahisa SEGAWA |
| By examining migration movements in contemporary Northeast Asia from the viewpoint of personal life history, we investigate the motivation and the mentality of migrants, which cannot be
reduced to simple politico-economical factors. At the same time, we undertake a challenging study so as to advance the possibility of a new cultural anthropology by using a “multi-site” research
method with which researchers carry out their fieldwork at multiple spots including the homeland, the intermediate drop-in, and the final destination of migrants. |
| B2 |
Livelihood Practices of Japanese and Korean Migrant Populations from Colonial through
Contemporary Times: Challenge of Multi-Sited Anthropology II |
Inja LEE |
| The macro-quantitative approach has not been able to capture the dynamics of migrant people in Northern East Asia, only generating the stereotypical image of second-class citizens. The
migrant people in Northern East Asia, however, have been known for successfully accomplishing their lifestyles through innovative daily livelihood practices. This session discusses the historical
and cultural implications of livelihood practice of Japanese and Korean migrant populations that having been living on the Korean peninsulam, the Japan archipelago and Manchuria respectively
from colonial through contemporary times. It focuses on the ways they have invented, reproduced, and passed on their livelihood methods. And finally the session discusses how the legacies of
the migrant population have been reinterpreted through time and place. |
| B3 |
The Progress, Problems and Prospects of East Asian Environmental Cooperation |
Atsushi ISHII, Jusen ASUKA |
| Environmental cooperation in East Asia attract significant attention of all related actors, including academic scholars and local governments besides national governments. In the 1990s, Japan was
the only “Elephant in the room” in terms of economic development in the region. Thus, in those days, the main paradigm of East Asian environmental cooperation had been how Japan would
help the other countries. However, it cannot be overstated that such paradigm ended because of the changing economic and security environment. In this panel, experts from China, Korea and
Japan discuss the new paradigm of East Asian by examining and evaluating the current state of such cooperation to confirm consensual understanding of East Asian environmental cooperation
and to elaborate on promising options to further it based on the new paradigm. |
| B4 |
Positioning of the Da Qing Empire’s Rule in Mongolian and Northeast Asian History |
Hiroki OKA |
| The establishment of the Da Qing Empire realized highly stable rule over the Mongolian nomadic people who had been a long‐time menace to the Chinese dynasties. What made this happen was
the peculiar and unique system of governance instituted over them. In this session, the discussions are directed towards investigating the characteristics of the Qing’s system of rule over the
nomadic people and positioning its historical context both in the history of the Mongols and of Northeast Asia. |
| B5 |
The Formation of Order in Northeast Asia after World War Two |
Kyosuke TERAYAMA, Toshihiro UENO |
| After the defeat of Japan in World War Two and the loss of its colonies-Manchuria, Taiwan, and Korea-a new order was established in the Northeast Asian region: the independence of the
Mongolian Republic, the formation of the People’s Republic of China through an internecine war between the Kuomindang and the Chinese Communist Party, and the division of the Korean
Peninsula after the Korean War. The purpose of this session is to illuminate the process of order formation by using newly opened archives materials and to give views on the peaceful
development of this region. |
| Session C: Preservation and Legacy of Heritage in Northeast Asia |
| C1 |
How Should Digitized Materials of the Northeast Asian Languages Be Made and Utilized? |
Hitoshi KURIBAYASHI |
| In this session, we will discuss how to make and utilize digitized materials of the Northeast Asian languages on computers and the internet. The main target languages are Mongolian and Manchu,
in such scripts as traditional Mongolian, Pagspa, Todo (Oirat), Cyrillic, Manchu, Sibo, and so on. In addition to the scripts, we will discuss the conducting of image processing of written texts and
the digitization of language sounds. |
| C2 |
Maintenance and Practical use of Historical Documents: How to protect Japanese village society
and a life in the Nineteenth‐century |
Kenichiro ARATAKE |
| Historical documents in Japan comprise official documents by administrative institutions as well as documents by a variety of common people in the 19th century. In Northeast Asia, it was a
Japanese characteristic that many documents were transmitted in a community. In this session, I, as a researcher engaged in the maintenance of historical documents, clarify the social image of
the 19th century based local documents. As a concrete problem, I consider methods of helping people’s lives carried out in those communities. First, I confirm the system of administration and
self-government of village society, consider those who were poor economically, and show a model of "19th-century Japanese‐type village administration." I then clarify the medical facts and the
changes in the common social ideas about hygiene. We would like to unite and understand management and medical treatment of a village and to deepen an argument about the life of people in
those days. This will lead not only to establishing a new study method in history but also indicate issues facing modern society. |
| C3 |
Food Webs and Host‐parasite Relationships in a Wetland Ecosystem in Western Siberia |
Shuichi SHIKANO |
| The Lake Chany system, located in the middle of Western Siberia, Russia, consists of huge shallow inland lakes and their surrounding wetlands. Our research project in this area focuses on the
following two topics: 1) clarification of the food web from primary producers such as phytoplankton and attached algae to higher consumers-fish and birds-in the lakes and wetlands of the
Lake Chany system by measuring the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio of organisms; and 2) incorporation of host‐parasite relationships into these food webs in the Lake Chany wetlands.
This research is undertaken because the role of parasites in actual food web systems has been little studied although there have been repeated calls for the inclusion of parasites in food web
studies in recent years. |
| C4 |
What are the characteristics of the Kano Bunko Collection collected by Kano Kokichi in the Meijiera? |
Akira ISOBE |
| When we go deep into the study of East Asia, Chinese classics are a source of accurate, useful information. There are many collections of East Asian Classics in Japan. The Kano Bunko Collection of
Tohoku University is one of the greatest collections of East Asian Classics. Many researchers have some superficial information about the Kano Bunko Collection but little essential knowledge
concerning its contents. So, we would like to introduce a few characteristics of the Kano Bunko Collection through the three presenters in this session. |
| Associated Workshop & Conference |
| S1 |
The 13th Workshop on Subsurface Electromagnetic Measurement |
Motoyuki SATO |
| This workshop will be an opportunity to present recent developments in subsurface geophysical exploration methods by using electromagnetics, which will include GPR and electromagnetic
induction and DC techniques. |
| S2 |
Workshop: Reviewing humanities and qualitative social sciences projects after earthquake
disasters and exploring the role of researchers |
Hiroki TAKAKURA |
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, universities in Japan and abroad implemented various projects either for academic or practical purposes related to contribution to disaster recovery. What
research projects were organized by humanities and qualitative social sciences? What results of the projects could be identified? This workshop is organized by those researches who share the
above‐mentioned concerns. An essential issue is to explore the role of humanities and qualitative social sciences in the face of gigantic natural disasters. Considering only earthquakes, there have
recently been many world-known gigantic disasters such as the 2004 Sumatra Earthquake, 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, and 2011 Canterbury Earthquake. In this
workshop, researchers in anthropology, religious studies, and area studies who have all experienced these disasters will report their experiences of the corresponding project, and discuss the
possibilities of their disciplines’ power to commit to suffering societies and contribute to recovery. A feature of these three disciplines is providing a deep understanding of the socio‐cultural
processes of human beings; on the other hand, prediction and planning is not their strength. As a result, these disciplines tend to hesitate in engaging in projects such as orienting societal reforms
or inventing new social institutions, while they are suggested by civil engineering, certain fields of economics, etc. The question in the workshop is to ask whether this attitude of humanities and
qualitative social sciences has changed or not after disastrous events. The second question, if researchers embark on a project, is to ask what effects can be achieved by the projects both in the
context of the public and academics. Reflecting on concrete projects conducted after the disasters, we will show the methodology, social significance, and problems and we will then discover the
field of contributions by the humanities and social sciences. |
| D1 |
Korea-Japan Joint Conference on Electromagnetic Theory,
Electromagnetic Compatibility and Biological Effect（KJJC 2015） |
Motoyuki SATO |
| KJJC is a series of academic conferences held mostly every three years in Korea and Japan. The last KJJC conference was held in Seoul in 2012. The 2015 Korea‐Japan Joint Conference is intended
to provide an academic forum for the exchange of information on the progress of research and development in electromagnetic theory (EMT), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and biological
effect (BE) by EMF including biomedical electromagnetics. The friendship between Korean and Japanese scholars will be further enhanced through the scientific exchanges in this joint conference. |
