Japan in the 21° Century
DR ANDREA BOCCARDI – WEEK 1 .  INTRODUCTION


Course Content
uIntroduction:
uThis course aims to provide a historical overview of Japan and Japanese society at the turn of the
21st century, focusing on the manifold perspectives, phenomena, and experiences that transformed
Japan during the ‘Heisei’ period and the beginning of the Reiwa. In particular, this course will
serve as an introduction to the prevailing ideas and views that shape what Japan is today, what
pivotal issues are perceived and discussed in Japanese society, and what impact they can have on
the domestic population as well as individuals interacting with it – such as you. In order to do
so, this course will touch upon economic, social, political and cultural issues as a way to outline
an introductory depiction of Japan in the 21st century within its own borders and in its
interaction with the rest of the world.

A matter of period(isation)
uAt the turn of the century:
uWhile the course focuses on Japan in the 21st century, we need to necessarily go back to the
cultural and historical roots that defined Japan as we see it in the last 24 years.
uAs a matter of fact, this course will not start with 2001 (the beginning of the new century), but
in 1989. Why is that?
uHeisei, Reiwa, and the like:
uThey are defined as nengō 年号 or gengō 元号.
uA nengō is a compound of two Chinese characters that define an era and it was imperial prerogative
to change it – it is, in fact, a way to show the Emperor’s power (Tokoro, 1996: 3-13).
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Nengō
uBefore the beginning of the Meiji period (1868 – 1912), nengō were changed by the Emperor «at
critical moments» during his reign (Iwatake, 2013: 235).
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uFollowing the Meiji Restoration in 1868, a new nengō system was created, according to which to a
single Emperor would correspond to a single nengō – meaning, every time an Emperor dies, a new
nengō is created with the enthronement of the new Emperor (Iwatake, 2003: 237).
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uJapanese sociologist Suzuki Hirohito (2019: 56) argues that the names of Japanese eras formes a
collective historical perception of the country based on the images surrounding the sociopolitical
condition of  Japan during such periods (e.g. «Meiji people», «Taishō democracy»).

Structure of the course
uWhile not comprehensive of everything that happened in Japan during the Heisei (1989 – 2019) and
Reiwa (2019 –  ) periods, this course will offer a somewhat chronological approach, although some
jumps back and forth will be necessary to explain causes and consequences.
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uThe course is divided into five macro-blocks, corresponding to one or more sessions:
uBLOCK 1 – The Lost Decade
uBLOCK 2 – Politics of Memory
uBLOCK 3 – Indigeneity and the Central Government
uBLOCK 4 – The Triple Disaster
uBLOCK 5 – Domestic Politics

Format of the Course
uFrontal lectures – that’s it.
uEach frontal lecture is backed up with academic sources (obviously!). I will share them with you
on the IS. Some of them are required readings for the final exam, some are only recommended if you
want to deepen further your knowledge but won’t be required for the final exam.
uI will share with you a more detailed syllabus with the list of required and recommended readings
for each week, besides uploading them on the IS for you to download.
uAttendance in class (more than 75%) is required to be able to take the final exam – you won’t be
allowed to do so otherwise (unless you are justified).

Final Exam
uThe exam will be a mix of open-ended and multiple-choice questions regarding the content of the
lectures and the required readings.
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uThe exam is open-book format. You can bring your notes (and the reading material, for what
matters), but please, only in paper form.
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uThe exam, as for the rest of the course, is in English, but the use of English language is
(obviously) not going to be evaluated (unless the answer is incomprehensible). You can bring an
English vocabulary or bilingual dictionary (again, not a digital one) if you feel like it, but it
is not required.

References
uIwatake, Mikako. "From a shogunal city to a life city: Tokyo between two fin-de-siècles." Japanese
Capitals in Historical Perspective. Routledge, 2013. 233-256. uSuzuki, Hirohito. 2019. “’Tennō =
Gengō = Jidai' no Hōkai Jidai Kataru Imi Toi Naoshi wo (Tokushū Tennōron)” [The Collapse of the
‘Emperor = Japanese Era Name = Period’ - Requestioning the Meaning of Narrating Eras (Special issue
on Discussing the Emperor)]. Journalism 327(4): 56-64.