100 years of cultural sharing: UW earns honor for Japan Studies program

In 1909, the University of Washington opened its Department of Oriental Studies. One hundred years later, what is now the Japan Studies program is receiving the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award in recognition of its work in Seattle and worldwide.

The UW has been a pioneer in Japan studies and Japanese language education, and at a time when Japan studies programs nationwide are shrinking or giving way to a focus on China, the UW program remains strong. Japanese is the second most popular language on campus, after Spanish, and about a thousand students enroll in other Japan-related classes every year.

"We continue to have a growing program and strong program, one that's interconnected with the community at large, and one that's connected at a global level as well," said Ellen Eskenazi, the outreach and program- development manager for the Japan Studies program. "Because we're well-established, we're able to maintain that strength."

Japan Studies is an umbrella program that includes concentrations in international studies, political science, art history and business. Eskenazi credits its strength to this breadth of courses available and to the relationship the faculty has with Japan.

Robert Pekkanen, an associate professor of international studies, visits Japan at least yearly to do research, and he traveled on the campaign trail with several politicians in this year's election for the lower house of the Diet.

Campaigning in Japan is far more restricted than in the U.S., Pekkanen said. Candidates have almost no way to get close to voters except by meeting them face to face — which is what they do.

"It's a whirlwind, and tiring," Pekkanen explained. "It's amazing the stuff they go through."

This strong connection to Japan has been a foundation of the Japan Studies program, Pekkanen said.

"We have an international reputation, which is just great," he said. "We've got great people, we've got great students, and we're thriving."

Both Pekkanen and Eskenazi see the foreign minister's commendation as a great honor. This is the first time the UW has received such an award.

"It's not just saying, 'You've been going on for a hundred years,' but you know, we've done a good job," Pekkanen said. "We're very pleased."

The award is in recognition of the role the UW plays in furthering Japan studies and in the relationship between Seattle and Japan. The UW is this year's only recipient of the award from the Seattle Consulate-General's jurisdiction, which covers Washington, northern Idaho and Montana.

"If this program didn't exist ... there would be that much less students that would not have understood about Japan or [its] various aspects," said Akira Takeda, senior aide for information and cultural affairs with the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle. "We want to help them keep up with the program and develop it into a bigger program."

Graduate student Deirdre Martin, who's studying political science with a focus on Japan, spent this summer working with Takashi Shinohara, who was elected to Japan's House of Representatives this year. The internship is one of many opportunities students have to work in Japan.

"This program has gone beyond my expectations ... honestly," said Martin, who will give the keynote speech for the student portion of the award reception hosted by the Consulate-General tonight. "I just want it to get bigger and more famous and keep on keeping on."

Molly Rosbach: 206-464-2311 or mrosbach@seattletimes.com

Information in this article originally published October 23, 2009, and corrected October 23, 2009, incorrectly spelled University of Washington lecturer Itsuko Nishikawa's name. It also incorrectly referred to the Japan Studies program as an arm of the Jackson School. We regret the error.