| Lesson topic and target |
Japanese Politics and Diplomacy
This
seminar aims to provide an opportunity for both international and Japanese
students to discuss contemporary Japanese politics and society either in English
or in Japanese. Using PowerPoint, international students are required to give a
presentation on Japanese politics in Japanese while Japanese students are
required to do it in English. Through discussions in this bilingual seminar,
students can expect to not only obtain an adequate knowledge of Japanese
politics but also improve communication skills both in English and
Japanese. |
| Syllabus and plan |
１． How different is Japan from other
constitutional monarchies?
２． Is the Constitution of Japan truly “unique,”
in the world?
３． Can the Democratic Party of Japan achieve the
“politician-led” government?
４． What role has the opposition parties played
in Japanese political process?
５． Why cannot Japanese prime ministers
display strong leadership?
６． Why is the Supreme Court of Japan judicially
passive?
７． Why does the political corruption remain to be a major issue in
Japanese politics?
８． Can Governor Hashimoto change Osaka politics?: The
Agendas for Local Reform.
９． Has US-Japan relations changed under the
Obama-Hatoyama governments?
１０． Is China-Japan relations likely to change in
the US-China bipolar era?
１１． What does the principle of “UN centrism” mean
for the Japanese diplomacy?
１２． How has Japan contributed to the development
of the developing countries?
１３． How can Japan face a financial deficit?
１３．What impact are declining birth rate and aging population likely to have
on Japanese society?
１４．How should Japanese government confront North
Korea? |
| Evaluation method and baseline |
Class Presentation, Active Participation in
Discussions: Term Paper= 50%:50% |
| Notice (include info. on related class) |
Regular attendance in the class is
required. |
| Office hour・Ｃontact information |
Office: E409
Officehour: Lunchtime, Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays.
(e-mail yasuoka@kobe-u.ac.jp） |
| Message for student |
International students who wish to study Japanese
politics and international relations are welcome. |
| Text |
Hayes, Louis D. 2009. Introduction to Japanese Politics., 5th ed.,
(New York: M.E. Sharpe). |
| Reference Material |
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