The Japan Society Review

Saturday 12 January 2013 marked four hundred years since a British ship sailed for Japanese waters to establish the first contact and start a mutually-beneficial relationship which prospers to this day. Japan400 Press Lunch is an occasion to celebrate Japan-British relations. Review by David Watts with photos by Sean Curtin

September 2013 marked fifty years of the department of Chinese studies, now morphed into the East Asian Studies (EAS) Department. To properly celebrate its Golden Jubilee, the department set up a series of lectures, talks and activities. Review by Sean Curtin

By Hiroshi Tasogawa During the two years of Kurosawa’s involvement in Tora Tora Tora Tasogawa worked as an interpreter for Kurosawa. In this book he details the events of those years and attempts to [...] Review by Michael Sullivan

By Kaimai Jun Matsumoto came to prominence in 1936 as the journalist who broke the news of Chiang Kai-shek’s detention. Japan as it grapples with globalization and ‘diversity’ has much to learn from Shigeharu Matsumoto. Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

By Richard Lloyd Parry In People Who Eat Darkness we get to see a new perspective of the events surrounding the disappearance and murder of Lucie Blackman as we follow the author's investigation into what had occurred to her. Review by Michael Sullivan

By Paula S. Harrell In this interesting study of five Japanese personalities of the Meiji era, who were closely involved with Chinese modernisation, Dr Harrell shows that the relationship between Japan and China was [...] Review by Sir Hugh Cortazzi

The Man Booker at Birkbeck, 7 November 2012 The evening’s talk was mainly about Never Let Me Go but touched other aspects of Ishiguro’s style of writing. Review by Susan Meehan

By Patrick Galbraith Otaku Spaces is a book that attempts to dispel some misconceptions by allowing these people who are considered to have otaku interests, to discuss their hobbies and the rationale behind them. Review by Lucy Searles

By Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere The book is a scholarly study based on Professor Rousmaniere’s experiences in Japan working with Japanese scholars of ceramics. It will be a valuable source for all interested in Japanese ceramics. Review Sir Hugh Cortazzi

Directed by Cristian Jimenez Bonsái is a youthful and whimsical film inspired by literature – Proust looms large; though not a Japanese film, the title, of course, is. It won the Films in Progress 19 Award in Toulouse in 2011. Review by Susan Meehan