In the autumn presentation session of the 2023 Atsumi Foundation fellows, 8 researchers presented their unique perspective in their respective fields, through the product of their passion and hard work in their research. It was a valuable session with many things to learn from.

The first presentation by Tokunaga Yoshiaki showed how the 1920s establishment of parliamentary democracy and the rise of the dictatorial regime, despite their appearing to be opposed to each other, were actually connected to each other. Through showing specific legislative cases, Tokunaga explained in details how the dictatorial regime took advantage of parliamentarism while establishing its power, showing how important a multifaceted perspective is important in historical research. As the advisor commented, it was evident that there are many who look forward to Tokunaga's career not only because of the research theme, but also the position as someone who could bridge the Western world and Iran.

The following presentation by Omino Akira analyzed the interaction of local community, day laborers, and social movement, focusing on San'ya in Tokyo, during Japan's high economic growth period. Omino showed us how San'ya's unique urban space was formed, as well as how the struggle for survival played out, providing us with an important perspective in urban research. There is also a flophouse area in Yokohama where I live, and I was able to engage with its historical background for the first time.

The third presentation by Chang Jun Shi posited the laboratory experiment results and the application of cyclic peptide, which has been expected to be a next-generation molecule for drug development. In particular, the research on the discovery of thiopeptide with high affinity using FIT system and mRNA display, as well as its application, is extremely promising in the field of medicine. As someone who has experience in the field, the only thing I can say is: wonderful! I was deeply touched by Chang's passion to research and contribution to drug development, and was excited by this world-recognized research that could benefit those who suffer from connective tissue disorder, as well as improve many people's health.

The last presentation of the first half by Jia Haitao explored the effect of economic development and urban re-development towards the local culture from a literary lens, in order to reassess the regionality within Shanghai literature. The trend of reassessing the regionality and the shifts in literary expression towards it was fascinating, and Jia's analysis that focused on Shanghainese as a literary language was impressive, allowing me to see a fusion of city, literature, and local culture.

After a short break, the fifth presentation by Huang Jo Hsiang was a comparative legal analysis of labor laws in Japan, the United States, and Taiwan, discussing the freedom to leave/change work as well as its limitations within the increasingly fluid labor market. Huang showed the difference in interest coordination between labor and management under different legal systems, from an approach rooted in various perspectives, reconfirming the importance of labor rights in a globalizing society. As someone with a strong interest in labor environment issues of medical workers, I found this research from a legal perspective to be very important.

The sixth presentation by Kusuda Yuki analyzed how the French Revolution had parallels drawn to and was influenced by the English Revolution. Kusuda elucidated how intellectuals and politicians were predicting the future, basing their view on historical continuity and similarity, as well as referencing the history of past revolutions. When the advisor commented how the French people's historical perception was displayed in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic, I was deeply impressed that the perspective related to the revolutionary period and its historical perception could be used to understand the present as well.

The seventh presentation by Kugo Kasumi explored the 1960s-70s Japanese photographers' theoretical background, and showed that they were not just acting as artists, but were also acting with sharp social critique. The research reconfirmed that photographic expressions contributed to social changes, and I once again felt the great influence culture and art has. Aside from the value of Kusuda's research or having my intellectual curiosity stimulated by her perspective, I found the facilitator's comment how Kusuda enjoys full marathon to be charming.

The last presentation by Sim Minseop analyzed the historical implication and the relationship with colonial rule of public hygiene policies in Korea under Japanese Occupation. By exploring how the hygiene facilities built for combatting infectious disease affected the local community, Sim explained the effect of colonial policies towards the social structure. Sim's inquisitive mind does not stop at the academic history of hygiene, but extends to supports for Africa and activities in Médecins Sans Frontières in the present day. The fact that Sim pursues the field of public hygiene through activities in various locations around the world gave me a new perspective on my own research theme of health and medical welfare.

After the fellows' presentations, we heard comments from advisors, the Executive Director of the Foundation, as well as selection committee members, which gave me even deeper understanding of various research. While I wanted to shower them with questions in the gathering afterwards, there was not enough time, so I would love to hear from them in the future. Imagining that I will be presenting my research next year gives me a great sense of pressure, but I also strongly feel the will to pursue my research, following the footsteps of my seniors.

Written by: Omoto Keiko (2024 fellow)

Photos from the day

Translated by: Motoki Luxmiwattana