Mr. Wakamiya Yosibumi, chariman of the editorial

On May 10th, the Graduate School of International Studies had the privilege to host a distinguished lecture by Wakamiya Yosibumi, chariman of the editorial board for Asahi Shimbun. His lecture was on the issues of “Japanese nationalism and Asia ’s reconciliation.”

A few of the topics he covered were on former Prime Minister Koizumi’s Yasukuni Shrine visitations, the reunification of the two Korea’s from the perspective of the Japanese, abduction issues with North Korea, and Japan’s controversy on the ratification of article 9 of its constitution.

The lecture was very stimulating and insightful as the students and chairman discussed many sensitive issues in which has been stirring up discourse internationally.

Mr. Wakamiya Yosibumi’s visitation to our GSIS was greatly appreciated, and our faculty and students were able to learn from his perspective and the general views of the Japanese regarding these key subjects which academia has been and is continually researching and analyzing today.