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I specialize in international relations and conflict resolution, and my research focuses on "reconciliation," the final stage of conflict. After a conflict occurs, there is a process of ceasefire, peace negotiations, treaties, and peace building. However, there are many cases where ceasefire agreements are broken and conflict breaks out again, such as in civil wars in African countries and ethnic conflicts in various regions. In addition, debates over historical recognition continue in East Asia. What can be done to achieve sustainable peace? I believe that it is necessary to build relationships of trust not only between governments, but also between people. I define this state as "reconciliation" and am conducting research to find the social conditions necessary to reach it.
I have particularly focused on reconciliation in the East Asia region. In Japan-Korea and Japan-China relations, there have been no invasions or conflicts since the postwar liberation of the colonies and the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. However, the situation remains such that it is difficult to say that reconciliation based on trust has occurred. Even if Japan believes that it has "already apologized," there are voices from China and Korea that "Japan is not facing up to history" and that "there has been no sincere apology." Mutual dissatisfaction has turned into "anti-Korea," "anti-China," and "anti-Japan," and situations have arisen in which dialogue itself is difficult. I have continued my research with a particular emphasis on East Asia, with the belief that it is necessary to maintain and restore a situation in which we can know each other, understand each other with empathy, and engage in calm dialogue.

Recently, I have also been working on issues surrounding the Atlantic slave trade and slavery since the 16th century in European countries and African and Caribbean countries. In particular, as the Black Lives Matter movement (protest against violence and discrimination against black people) that occurred in 2020 raised, the responsibility and evaluation of historical figures who were involved in the slave trade, slavery, and colonial rule are being questioned. I have been paying attention to the fact that descendants of people who were brought to Europe as slaves are calling for apologies and compensation for their ancestors. I am thinking about how to correct the injustices of over 100 years ago in today's world, when the direct victims are no longer with us, and how present and future generations can build relationships based on trust.
There are various ways to achieve reconciliation, including apologies, compensation, and education to reflect on and pass on memories. Regarding issues in Japan-Korea and Japan-China relations, some say that "sincere apologies are better than compensation," while others say that "compensation is the true proof of apology." On the other hand, many descendants of slaves in Africa and Europe claim that "the structure of racial discrimination and economic exploitation born from the slave trade and slavery has continued for hundreds of years to this day, and we have always suffered educational and occupational discrimination. We need compensation for the damage caused by this discrimination." Opinions vary depending on the case and the person, so it is very difficult to generalize methods for building trust. We are working to highlight this complexity, organize the various routes to reconciliation, and "theorize reconciliation."

I became interested in international relations when I was in elementary school and watched the war movie "Glass Rabbit" based on a true story. I was shocked and saddened by the horror of the air raids and the sudden death by machine gun fire of the protagonist's father, who had just been talking to the protagonist's daughter. I was also filled with anxiety and fear, wondering "when will the next war be?" At the same time, I felt a strong indignation about why ordinary citizens had to be sacrificed in a war started by the leaders of a country. Wanting to know the causes of war and what power really is, I decided to study political science and international relations. As I studied, I came to realize that Japan was not only a victim but also a perpetrator. I also learned that Japan's apologies and compensation were not always accepted, and I gradually began to focus on issues related to reconciliation.

 
I believe that in order to achieve reconciliation based on trust, it is important for perpetrators to squarely face history and sincerely engage with victims. If they have hurt someone, they must admit their wrongdoing and apologize without making excuses.
However, facing history squarely and engaging sincerely with the victims is not an easy task.
For perpetrators, facing history squarely means, first of all, recognizing their own wrongdoings and reflecting on them. However, this is not to be condemned forever. It is to learn why past mistakes occurred and why they could not be prevented, to learn lessons and fulfill the responsibility of not repeating the same mistakes. To do this, it is important to unravel all materials and objectively understand the facts of the past and their background.
The reality of history is very complicated. It may even lead to excuses and justifications, let alone lessons. I believe that in order to face that complexity head-on and learn lessons that are not deceptive, it is very important to experience the voices of the people involved. When I read the wartime records and diaries of the former Japanese military and hear the stories of the various people involved, I always feel deeply moved. When I hear about the atrocities committed by the former Japanese military, I feel anger and sadness, as well as horror at the madness of war. At the same time, I have come to realize the irrationality of war, which cannot be resolved with a simple moral judgment of good and evil, from the leaders who tried to avoid war, the feelings of the soldiers who believed in the cause and cared for their families, and the suffering of the civilian victims of air raids and atomic bombs. It is for this reason that I am able to more frankly accept the weight of Japan's responsibility for not being able to prevent the war.
Furthermore, in the testimony of one former comfort woman, she said, "I don't hate Japan. I hope the younger generation will never antagonize us. I hope war will never happen again." I was encouraged by her inner strength in thinking about future generations, without being bound by her own hardships and experiences as a victim. At the same time, I felt sorry and ashamed when I thought about how much conflict she must have had to go through to reach that state of mind. For this very reason, I realized how important it is to reflect sincerely on our past and not be content with the tolerance of the victims.
Listening to the voices of the various parties involved in this way allows us to see both the limitations and possibilities of human beings, and gives us the courage to face complex history humbly but without despair. It also gives us the ability to think from the other person's perspective and empathize, which can lead to an honest reexamination of ourselves. We believe that this attitude can be the catalyst for victims to open up to their perpetrators and build a new relationship. Facing oneself in reconciliation is also in line with the Christian teachings that form the foundation of our education, which call for first facing one's own sins.

These are messages sent by people who donated in response to an appeal by the Asian Women's Fund, which carried out atonement projects for former comfort women. They include messages of apology to the victims and prayers for the happiness and restoration of the honor of the former comfort women. (From the Asian Women's Fund website)

However, given the issues of historical perception that remain in East Asia and the numerous examples of historical conflicts developing into armed conflict, I strongly feel that further elaboration is necessary for my ideas to be persuasive and to be put into practice.
Therefore, I conduct reconciliation research from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. Theoretically, I am researching issues of morality and law in historical interpretation, forgiveness and memory, identity, and mechanisms of nationalism. Empirically, I am critically examining the effects of concrete policies in the real politics and diplomacy of contemporary methods of redressing historical injustices such as past slavery and colonial rule in the Caribbean, including the reconciliation process with the Philippines and the United States, the compensation claims movement of Japanese air raid victims, the reconciliation between Germany and victims of forced labor in Eastern Europe under Nazi German occupation, and the historical injustices of past slavery and colonial rule in the Caribbean, in addition to the cases of Japan's efforts at reconciliation with China and South Korea. I am also conducting these studies as part of a joint research project at Waseda University led by Professor Toyomi Asano of Waseda University, entitled "Exploring International Reconciliation Studies Based on Universal Values and Collective Memory" (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research "Fund for Accelerating International Joint Research (International Leading Research)"). There, I have had many stimulating discussions with researchers from various countries and ages, mainly Germany and the United States, as well as Japan.

In recent years, conflicts and divisions have deepened in the world, as seen in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and armed conflict in Palestine. I believe that it will take many years to reach a ceasefire and reconciliation for any issue, but the first step is to understand the positions of both sides. It is important not to end the discussion with a simplistic view or a stereotypical view that "one side is evil," but to respect each individual and listen to what the other person has to say. The other person also has family and friends, and is a human being with feelings. Not losing sight of this commonality is essential to breaking the cycle of revenge, and even if it is difficult to forgive the other person, I hope that we do not lose the imagination to believe that a better future awaits us beyond our anger and sadness.

Young people in Japan should not see these events as "a war happening somewhere far away," but should think of them as something that always concerns them. As members of the international community, I hope that you will face the world with a sense of ownership and consider how you can use the experience of East Asia to resolve conflicts. Although there are historical issues in Japan-China and Japan-Korea relations, we have come to this day thanks to the many things we have built up over the decades of trial and error since the war, such as the joint hosting of the FIFA World Cup by Japan and Korea, the popularity of K-POP in Japan, and the large number of Chinese and Korean tourists visiting Japan. I believe that we can use these experiences to our advantage in the future.

University is a place where you can freely study what you like and what interests you. Although you may feel surprised and excited at first, you may also encounter some big obstacles. In my own studies of reconciliation studies, I have faced complex and grand problems that cannot be explained by political science or international relations alone, and that require the study of other fields such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, and even literature. Even so, the driving force that helped me overcome these difficulties was the honest voice of my own heart that said, "I want to know." When you face difficulties, I hope you will listen to your own voice and continue to face your studies and research without ever giving up.

The joy of learning is that through learning you can gain new perspectives, deepen your understanding of people, society, and yourself, and discover your place in society. By experiencing this sensation, your axis of how you want to commit to society will naturally emerge, and you will be able to actively engage with society. I hope that all students will spend their four years here able to forge their own axis through academic study.

In Odate city, Akita prefecture, a memorial service is held every year for the Chinese victims who were forcibly taken away and forced to work in mines during the war. (Odate City Hall website twist)