The Japanese Studies Centre has been coordinating and enhancing the development of Japanese studies in Victoria since 1981. A full description of the history of the Centre can be found here.
The Japanese Studies Centre is governed by Board Members who represent several Melbourne universities engaged in research on Japan and teaching the Japanese language.
The mission of the Japanese Studies Centre is to enhance international cultural exchange and goodwill between Australia and Japan, and to support the field of academic study and education.
In 1989 the Japanese Studies Centre became one of the affiliated centres of the Monash Asia Institute.
The principal activity of the Japanese Studies Centre is to conduct and facilitate research on Japan. Activities of the Japanese Studies Centre include:
- a program of research seminars and lectures
- publishing papers on Japanese studies
- hosting visiting researchers from Japan
- housing a Japanese Manga-Library
- housing and working with the Japan Language Teachers’ Association of Victoria and the Melbourne Centre for Japanese Language Education
- supporting the Japanese Music Archive for the teaching and practice of Japanese music.
The Japanese Studies Centre is also the editorial home of the Routledge published journal, Japanese Studies, a fully refereed, international, interdisciplinary journal of the JSAA (Japanese Studies Association of Australia) which publishes scholarly articles on various aspects of Japan, as well as book and film reviews. In addition to general non-thematic editions, the journal regularly publishes guest-edited thematic issues on such themes as postwar politics, environmental issues, literature, citizenship, the legal system, modern technology, management, Japanese language teacher education, and popular culture. These thematic issues are particularly valuable for university teachers and students who use up-to-date studies of Japan contained in the journal to supplement course readings. Contributions are invited from scholars around the world. Ideas expressed by the authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, the Association, the Editorial Advisory Board, the JSC or the University.
Latest News
The Japanese Studies Centre Director, Prof. Carolyn Stevens, represented Monash and the JSAA at the Terasaki Center Annual Forum at UCLA, where directors of Japanese Studies Centers and Japanese Studies Associations from the US, the UK, France, Mexico, Brazil, and Korea exchanged views on the current state of teaching and research in Japanese Studies across these ... Read more
Dr. Iori Hamada (pictured centre) from the University of Melbourne presented her paper on ‘Authenticity and Domestication: A Study of Japanese Restaurants in Melbourne’ on 8 May. The seminar was well attended, all left the discussion thinking about about their favourite restaurants…and food! Read more
All welcome! When — Weds, 12 noon to 1 pm Where — Japanese Studies Centre, Auditorium. Building 54, Monash University Clayton campus, Wellington Rd., Clayton 13 MarchSpeaker: Dr. Reto Hofman, SOPHIS, Monash UniversityTitle: ‘Dark Link: Japanese New Order Theorists and Italian Fascism’ Abstract: Dr. Hofmann will discuss the role of Italian Fascism in Japanese New Order thinking ... Read more
More News
Wed 25 July 2012 4-5 pm Neal Akatsuka, Harvard University Abstract: Since 1996 when genetically modified (GM) food and feed were first imported into Japan from the United States, Japanese consumers have grown increasingly wary of the place of such food in their diets. Yet, in 1997, the Japanese brewery and liquor manufacturer, Suntory, in collaboration with ... Read more
