Japanese Studies & International Dialogue NavigationVoices for a Better Japan: Insights from Anthropology, Religion, Sociology, and History
Date: Wednesday 11 March 2026, 6pm GMT (In-person and Hybrid Event)
Venue: The University of Manchester
With: Dr. Chika Watanabe, Prof. Erica Baffelli, Dr. Yuki Asahina and Dr. Aya Homei, with a special introduction to Japanese Studies at The University of Manchester by Dr. Peter Cave
This talk is available to watch on our YouTube Channel!
To watch the video recording of this lecture, click here.
Talk Description:
On March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m., a 9.1magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan, triggering a devastating tsunami and a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Marking the fifteenth anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, this event will explore what happens when disasters and crises occur and how individuals and communities respond to them. Each speaker will give a short presentation (approximately 10 minutes) drawing on their specific area of expertise, followed by questions from the audience.
The presentations will explore themes such as the intersections between disaster preparedness and art in activities with children; new social connections created through disaster relief activities in Tohoku with marginalised communities in Tokyo; collaboration between labour unions in supporting temporary and precarious workers; and actions, including formal apologies, addressing Japan’s painful past of forced sterilisation. Collectively these talks will reflect on examples from Japan that show how individuals and organisations mobilise to respond to disasters, crises, and difficult historical legacies.
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Speaker Profiles
Prof. Erica Baffelli is Professor of Japanese Studies at The University of Manchester (UK). She is interested in religion in contemporary Japan, with a focus on groups founded from the 1970s onwards. Her research projects and publication focus on religion in contemporary Japan; religion and media; new and minority religions; religion, gender and violence; and Buddhism and emotion. She is currently PI on a Leverhulme Research Project on "Fear and Belonging in Minority Buddhist Communities" (2023-2027).
Dr. Yuki Asahina is a Lecturer in Japanese Studies at the University of Manchester. Trained as a sociologist, his research interests include social inequality and political sociology, focusing on Japan and South Korea. Yuki has recently completed his first book manuscript, Meritocracy’s Children (2027), and an edited volume, The Digital Rise of the Far Right in Japan (2026).
Dr. Aya Homei is a Reader in Japanese Studies at the University of Manchester. Her research focuses on the history of medicine and science in modern Japan and East Asia, with interests in reproduction, population, gender and diplomacy. Aya is the author of Science for Governing Japan’s Population (2023) and co-edited Medical Women in the Japanese Empire (2025). Most recently, she is working on a historical book examining Japanese family planning and healthcare diplomacy in Southeast Asia and involuntary sterilisation in Japan after World War II.
Dr. Peter Cave is Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies and Director of the Japanese Studies programme at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on education in Japan, both contemporary and twentieth-century. His publications include books on primary and junior high school in Japan, as well as articles about educational reform, history education, maths education, and club activities in Japanese schools.
What is ‘Exploring the World of Japanese Studies?
The Japan Foundation London’s new talk series ‘Exploring the World of Japanese Studies’ aims to display the breadth and diversity within Japanese Studies, to inspire and motivate future researchers as well as to shine a light on the research being conducted at various universities around the UK.
View Other Talks in This Series
The Japan Foundation, London