ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE MARITIME ASIA THEME
Production and Broadcast of Japan and the Sea Video Series
The video series Japan and the Sea aims to provide an opportunity to think of the future of Japan and the Japanese through a multifaceted review of Japan's relationship with the sea.
With program content that is even more unique for fiscal 2000-2001, the series is to be broadcast by various stations, and will also be available for the video collections of schools and libraries.
Production and Broadcast Details
Four programs (episodes three through six) were produced on historical events related to Japan and the sea, and broadcast together with episodes one and two, which were produced last fiscal year. The completed series is being archived in the Foundation's video library.
Episode One: "National Seclusion and the Sea/What if Japan Had Not Adopted the Policy of National Seclusion in the 17th Century?"
Featuring: Heita Kawakatsu
Episode Two: "Giant Ship Sinking/The Tragedy Hanging Over Economic Growth"
Explores whether a maritime disaster could cause the end of Japan.
Episode Three: "Pirate Murakami/The Story of Japan's Most Notorious Pirate on the Inland Sea"
Featuring: Joe Murakami
Episode Four: "Kitamae-Bune / The Men Who Created a Free Trade Zone in the Sea of Japan"
Featuring: Joe Murakami
Episode Five: "The Ryukyu Period, Nation Building Through Trade/The Spirit of Independence in Okinawa History"
Featuring: Shunshin Chin
Episode Six: "Malacca Straits: Intersection with the World/Seafaring People Build the History of the Shore"
Featuring: Shoji Kaneko
All reported by Miyoko Omomo
Broadcast Stations to Date
・Bionet: 1, 2
・MX TV (Tokyo Metropolitan Television Broadcasting Corp.): 1, 3, 4, 5
Asia Open Forum
The Asia Open Forum serves as an intellectual exchange between Japan and Taiwan, which have no formal diplomatic ties. The Forum has been held since 1989 based on a proposal by Lee Teng-hui, the Former president of Taiwan. In fiscal 1999-2000, the Public Relations Division cooperated in holding the Forum on December 4 and 5 in T'ainan, Taiwan.
The Forum took up a mutual research theme of the Division, Maritime Asia, and held a lively discussion regarding the new sense of identity of the Taiwanese and security issues regarding the Taiwan Strait. A report summarizing the discussion was also prepared.
Date: December 4-5, 1999
Place: T'ainan, Taiwan
Research on Maritime Culture
To establish a historical perspective for maritime culture, the Division consigned research to Heita Kawakatsu and released interim results. The consigned research project is scheduled for completion in March 2001.
Heita Kawakatsu's Interim Results Conference
Date: Friday, March 31, 2000
Place: Conference Room, The Tokyo Foundation
Theme: "Maritime Culture in Asia and Beyond"
Free Discussion on Maritime Matters (Fiscal 2000-2001)
Date: Friday, June 23, 2000 (Fiscal 2000-2001 activity)
Place: The Tokyo Foundation
Theme: "Dreams for the Pacific Ocean"
Participants: George Oshima (Presenter, Professor Emeritus, Kwansei Gakuin University)
Akio Miyajima (Presenter, Director of Oceania Division~ Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Yasumasa Takahashi (Presenter, Professor Emeritus, Gunma University, Professor,
Maebashi Kyoai Gakuen College)
Kimindo Kusaka (Commentator, Chairman, The Tokyo Foundation)
Heita Kawakatsu (MC, Professor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies)
Naoki Nakazawa (PHP Institute, Inc.)
