Japanese Research

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Dual Competition and War Risk: Characteristics and Geopolitical Impact of the New Upgrade of the U.S.-Japan Alliance

WANG Sheng, YANG Sien

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 1-13. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.001

Abstract （707）

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On April 10, 2024, the leaders of the United States and Japan held a summit and issued a joint statement, marking a new phase of the U.S.-Japan alliance. The characteristics of the new upgrade of the U.S.-Japan alliance are that the U.S. and Japan are promoting dual strategic competition with China in the Asia-Pacific region. The strengthening of the U.S.-Japan defense cooperation and practical orientation are the focus of the alliance upgrade. The scope of the U.S.-Japan alliance cooperation is more comprehensive, and the competition with China is more targeted. The upgrade of the U.S.-Japan alliance influences the geopolitical evolution of the Asia-Pacific region, leading to renewed tensions on the Korean Peninsula, complicating political and security issues in the region, and significantly increasing the risk of regional conflicts and even war. This situation poses a substantial negative impact on Chinas surrounding security and the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. China needs to strive to play the role of a responsible regional power and a member of the international community. It should place greater emphasis on risk monitoring of surrounding security and deepen its regional diplomacy, becoming an advocate and practitioner of regional peace. China should implement the Global Security Initiative at the regional level, promote the building of a community with a shared future for the countries within the region, and safeguard surrounding and regional security.

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Japans New Dilemmas in Arctic Governance from a Geopolitical Perspective

CHEN Qifei

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 14-30. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.002

Abstract （600）

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As a major energy-consuming nation, Japans traditional energy imports and transportation routes are subject to significant uncertainty due to political risks in regions such as the Middle East. The abundant oil and gas resources in the Arctic, along with the development and utilization of its shipping lanes, hold vital strategic significance for Japan. Concurrently, the rapid environmental changes in the Arctic are poised to significantly affect various sectors in Japan, including climate, fisheries, and maritime transport. Due to its non-Arctic state status and the constraints of the Arctic Councils system, Japan has long been unable to have decision-making power in Arctic governance affairs and has long encountered multiple difficulties. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the geopolitical landscape of the Arctic has undergone severe fragmentation. The halt in Japans cooperation with Russia, which wields significant control over Arctic shipping routes and possesses abundant energy resources, coupled with the deceleration of its collaborative pace with near-Arctic partners like China and South Korea, has plunged Japan into a fresh set of challenges in realizing its fundamental national interests in Arctic governance. On another note, Japan has intensified its deep cooperation with the United States on Arctic security strategies and has adopted a diversified and multifaceted approach to governance, thereby forging closer cooperative ties with Nordic countries. Nevertheless, these initiatives remain insufficient in resolving Japans new predicaments, and instead push Japan towards the security dilemma of maritime militarization.

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“GIGA School Program”: The Key Measures and Implementation Status of the Digital Transformation of Japanese Education

TAN Jianchuan

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 31-44. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.003

Abstract （999）

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With the wide application of digital technology in the field of education, the digital-driven educational change has become a worldwide theme. Countries continue to introduce digital development strategies and plans to implement the digital transformation of education in an all-round way. Since the launch of the education reform program named “GIGA School Program” in 2019, Japan has continuously improved the level of digital infrastructure construction, strengthened the application guidance of digital teaching in schools, improved the teacher training and support system, and achieved certain results.The implementation strategy reflects the characteristics of attaching importance to the concept of educational fairness, pursuing precise target management, emphasizing educational application guidance, and building a diversified collaborative system.However, there are still a series of problems in the implementation process, such as regional differences in the use of equipment, the increased work burden of teachers, the misunderstanding of the digital transformation, and the lag of educational management concept, which reflect the particularity and complexity of the digital transformation of education.

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The Development Process, Current Situation, and Role of “School Feeding” in Japan and Its Enlightenments

JIN Haiyan

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 45-60. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.004

Abstract （626）

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Nowadays, the “school feeding” program, which started with individual schools as a response to hunger or disaster for children, has developed into an important part of Japanese school activities, and has become an indispensable part of compulsory education. “School feeding” provides a nutritious and balanced lunch with guaranteed food safety for primary and secondary school students who are in the stage of vigorous growth and development, greatly promoting and ensuring the healthy growth of young people. The organic combination of food education and “school feeding” is an important feature of Japan. “School feeding” is not only a carrier and platform for food education, but also a“living textbook”that plays an important role in food education. As the foundation and prerequisite for school food education in China, accelerating the construction of the feeding system is an urgent task. To this end, it is necessary to change our mindset and try to liberate the issue of lunch for primary and secondary school students from their families and society, making it an important part of compulsory education. We also need to improve relevant legal systems and standardize implementation rules. At the same time, we need to think about how to make good use of the platform of school meals to promote food education and develop a food education culture with Chinese characteristics.

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The Historical Tradition, Realistic Obstacles, and Future Prospects of Female Emperors in Japan

GONG Na

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 61-70. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.005

Abstract （1151）

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The issue of female succession to the Japanese throne has both deep historical roots and significant legal and social obstacles. While a total of eight female emperors ascended the throne under special historical conditions in ancient Japan, the promulgation of The Imperial Household Law during the Meiji era and its subsequent revisions after World War II explicitly excluded female succession. The key to realizing female succession lies in amending The Imperial Household Law. However, since the Koizumi administration, despite multiple discussions on the matter, conservative traditions and political stability concerns have caused the reform process to stall. Furthermore, the publics support for a female emperor remains consistently high, and the continued advocacy for gender equality by the international community, particularly the United Nations, further highlights the significance of this issue. The question of female emperors is not only about legal reform but also but also reflects the profound contradictions and challenges in Japanese society between gender equality and the inheritance of traditional culture.

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Research on the Historical Evolution of Japanese Womens Employment Policy after World War II

HE Wei, YU Xueling

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (1): 71-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.01.006

Abstract （612）

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Japan began to enter an aging society with a low birth rate in the 1970s. In order to address a series of issues arising from this and promote sustainable development, the Japanese government has formulated a series of targeted laws and policies. The womens employment policy, as an important part of it, has gone through a tortuous process of development and change. Labor Standards Act, The Law on the Welfare of Hard-working Women, Law for Equal Employment Opportunity of Men and Women, and Child Care and Family Care Leave Law are the most representative legal documents. Overall, Japans womens employment policy keeps pace with the times, focusing on improving womens employment status and increasing their employment rate. However, at the same time, it also exposes issues such as effectiveness and the urgent need to strengthen constraints. Japan has accumulated rich experience and lessons in womens employment policies for more than half a century, which is worth referring to and learning from for China.

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On Japan‘s Collaborative Support System for Promoting Marine Policy

CHENG Yongming

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 1-15. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.001

Abstract （381）

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Japan has formulated four phases of the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy based on the Basic Act on Ocean Policy, continuously adjusting its maritime policies in response to evolving circumstances. This approach emphasizes both the continuity and reform of policies. To effectively implement these policies, Japan has established a collaborative support system that integrates domestic and international efforts. Specifically, this system focuses on the interconnected application of diverse policy tools, breaking down departmental barriers to achieve horizontal coordination and building a collaborative platform for multiple fields. It not only prioritizes the establishment of and participation in international maritime cooperation mechanisms and multilateral dialogue frameworks, but also emphasizes the expansion of maritime rights and interests through joint military exercises, defense cooperation, and practical maritime collaboration. Japans promotion of the construction of a collaborative support system for its marine policies is worthy of our reference, while we need to be more vigilant about some of its marine policies.

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A Critical Review of Kohei Saito’s Constructive Approach to “De-Growth Communism”

REN Ling, HUI Yue

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 16-26. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.002

Abstract （765）

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Based on the ideas of Marx, Kohei Saito critically draws on the “de-growth” economic theories of the Western left, and attempts to construct an ideal model of an ecological civilization characterized by shared wealth, common governance, municipal autonomy, and economic homeostasis-“de-growth communism”. This theory profoundly criticized the imperialist way of production and life and enriched the theoretical connotation of eco-socialism. However, in his study of “de-growth communism”, Kohei Saito overemphasized the analysis of Marxism from an ecological point of view, and put forward the view that Marx opposed the development of productive forces in his later years, which is suspected of “utopian”. At the same time, his theory also opposes economic development and environmental protection to a certain extent, deviating from Marxs dialectical view of nature.

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From Assimilation to “Symbiosis”: Research on Japan‘s Policy towards the Ainu Indigenous Inhabitants

XIAO Xiangling

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 27-40. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.003

Abstract （711）

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The Ainu people, as indigenous inhabitants of the northern regions of the Japanese archipelago and surrounding areas, have long suffered from the neglect of their ethnic identity and rights. In recent years, Japan has sought to rectify its past policies of forced assimilation towards the Ainu people by enacting the Ainu Ethnicity Support Law. This marks the first legal recognition of the Ainu people as indigenous inhabitants, emphasizing a notion of ethnic “symbiosis”. The shift can be attributed not only to pressure from the Ainu people for their rights but also to international public opinion and pragmatic interests. Despite the Japanese government’s changes in Ainu policies, the focus has primarily been on cultural and touristic aspects, with substantive granting of indigenous rights yet to be fully realized. In the future, the Japanese government still faces challenges in restoring Ainu indigenous rights, acknowledging historical aggression, and eliminating ethnic discrimination.

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Gentle Acceptance of Social Changes and Life Flow:Reflection and Inspiration on the Living Conditions of the Elderly in Tokyo Story

LIU Xiaoyi, XIE Yi

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 41-52. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.004

Abstract （608）

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With the development of modern society, population aging has become a major practical problem that troubles Japanese society. Some elderly themed films in Japan have reflected on the survival situation faced by the elderly population in the trend of aging, reflecting the expectations and helplessness exhibited by Japanese society in the trend of social changes and life flow, triggering profound thinking in Japanese society, and providing ideological preparation for coping with the continuous evolution of an aging society. Tokyo Story, as a successful model for mapping the deep psychology of the elderly population, delicately expresses the living conditions of the elderly population and reflects the reality of social changes and life flow. From the perspectives of philosophy of life, Zen culture, and the Japanese aesthetic concept of mono no aware, this article provides a theoretical interpretation of the living conditions and deep psychology of the elderly population reflected in Tokyo Story. It proposes that Chinese elderly themed film and television works should also apply Chinese style people-oriented thinking to deeply pay attention to the aging problem in Chinese society, and enhance the artistic appeal and social influence of Chinese elderly themed film and television works.

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Japan’s Family Elderly Care Support Policies and Their Formation Logic

LONG Yuqi

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 53-66. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.005

Abstract （892）

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Family care is an important component of Japans elderly care system. The rapid aging of population, declining birth rates, and smaller family sizes have had an impact on Japans family care system. Japan has introduced a series of family elderly care support policies, mainly including establishing a care insurance system, developing socialized care services, promoting housing construction, and building a comprehensive support system. Japans family elderly care support policies balance caregivers and care receivers, balance the contradiction between employment and family care, combine general support with personalized support, and combine socialized care with family care. The formation of Japans family elderly care support policies is in response to the needs of aging, seniorization, and low birth rates,influenced by political structure and party system, which is conducive to alleviating government expenditure pressure during economic recession. In order to adapt to changes of family structure and family values, it reflects the cooperation and co governance of government, family, and society in the governance of an aging society. China should learn from Japans experience, establish a long-term care insurance system, develop community-based elderly care services, optimize housing support policies, take into account the needs of the elderly and family caregivers, and establish a comprehensive assistance system for family caregivers.

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Lessons from Japan’s Medical Insurance System under the Background of Population Aging

QIN Cheng, WANG Xueyi

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (2): 67-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.02.006

Abstract （594）

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With the rapid progression of population aging in China, there is an urgent need to improve the medical insurance system to adapt to demographic changes and strengthen healthcare protection for the elderly. Based on a comparative analysis of international trends in population aging and medical expenditure, this study finds that Japans medical insurance system demonstrates advanced practices and effective outcomes, achieving the highest life expectancy with relatively moderate per capita medical expenditure. The study systematically summarizes Japans key reforms in response to aging, particularly the establishment of the medical insurance system for the elderly and the long-term care insurance system, as well as the construction of age-differentiated insurance structures and care frameworks, which has reference significance for Chinas medical insurance system reform. Drawing on the experience of Japans medical insurance system and combining it with the contradiction between Chinas current medical insurance system and aging population, this paper proposes suggestions for the “aging-friendly” reform of Chinas medical insurance system.

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An Analysis of Japan's “Human Security” Diplomacy from the Perspective of Role Theory

QIAO Linsheng, SONG Yang

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 1-15. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.001

Abstract （373）

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Role theory provides a vital analytical framework for understanding national diplomatic behaviors and policies. When a state's self-perceived role perception and practices clash with external role expectations in the international system, it may face external pressures arising from this. To achieve stable national role and gain international recognition, states often use role transition as a method for foreign policy adjustment. Japan's diplomatic practice in “human security” reflects multiple roles, which evolve due to internal and external role expectations amid shifting international environment and domestic societal development. The national role has followed a progressive trajectory from a norm advocate, development aid provider, and “peacebuilder” to a values-driven diplomacy practitioner, aid-for-interest seeker, and comprehensive security pursuer. Facing the relative decline in economic strength, Japan is attempting to expand strategic space through “human security”, aiming to construct broader international cooperation frameworks to support its strategic objective of attaining “normal state” status.

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Analysis of the Relationship between the Pre-war Japanese Communist Party and Social Democratic Parties

HAN Qianwei

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 16-27. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.002

Abstract （996）

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From the perspective of the interaction between transnational structure and political party initiative, the pre-war(1920s—1940s)relationship between the Japanese Communist Party and the social democratic parties had five characteristics. First, the establishment of the JCP in 1922 preceded and stimulated the emergence of social democratic parties, deviating from the European model where communist parties split from left wings of social democratic parties. Second, the high pressure of the imperial system, the strategic discipline and localization pressure of the Comintern, and the “triple squeeze” of the militaristic fascist system have jointly shaped the narrow survival space and strategic choices of political parties. Third, the relationship between the Communist Party of Japan and social democratic parties presented a dynamic game of “anti-communism and united”, with fierce competition between the two sides in terms of ideology, organizational resources, and united front strategies, resulting in repeated defeats of the concept of a unified proletarian political party. Fourth, the brutal suppression by the Japanese government not only dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese Communist Party, but also forced social democratic parties(especially the right-wing)to gradually abandon socialist principles under fascist pressure, turn to “national socialism” and ultimately be engulfed by the New Order Movement, profoundly revealing the fragility of the reformist line under the rise of militarism. Fifth, the genealogy of the Communist Party of Japan and the three major social democratic parties, the pre-war mode of opposition, and core differences deeply influenced the complex relationship between the Communist Party and the Socialist Party after the war, which was both united and opposed.

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The Impact of Economic and Political Uncertainty on the Overseas Business Performance of Japanese Enterprises: Based on the Moderating Role of Internal Trade

XUE Jun, LIU Guiliang, FAN Yue

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 28-45. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.003

Abstract （338）

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Against the backdrop of intensifying global economic and political uncertainty, research on how Japanese enterprises navigate such disruptions to sustain overseas business performance remains limited. This study, drawing on data from Japanese enterprises operating in major global regions between 2007 and 2022, explores the impact of economic and political uncertainty on their overseas business performance, alongside the role of internal trade mechanisms within multinational corporations, to analyze the endogenous driving forces behind the sustainable growth of overseas business performance of Japanese enterprises. Findings indicate that economic and political uncertainty has a positive effect on the overseas business performance of Japanese enterprises. The core of this impact lies in the internal trade mechanisms within multinational corporations, which enhance firms' risk management capabilities, leading to stable growth in overseas performance. Unveiling the instrinsic mechanism of how economic and political uncertainty affects the overseas business performance of Japanese enterprises, and profoundly elucidating the strategic value of overseas invest menes by enterprises, can provide valuable insights for Chinese enterprises to enhance their risk response capabilities and sustainable deve lopment levels in global operation.

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The Disposal of Problem Small and Medium-sized Banks in Japan and Its Implications for China

TIAN Zheng, LI Xin

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 46-58. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.004

Abstract （447）

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After the collapse of the bubble economy, Japan experienced the bankruptcy of small and medium-sized banks, which can be divided into three periods: the initial manifestation period, the rapid outbreak period, and the concentrated disposal period. Japan gradually formed measures to deal with problematic small and medium-sized banks, such as rescue-style mergers and acquisitions, early correction and early warning systems, which effectively alleviated the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis. The Japanese government also took measures to resolve the non-performing loans of small and medium-sized banks by strengthening the disclosure of non-performing loan information and improving the liquidity of non-performing loans through sorting out recovery agencies. Against the background of low interest rate spreads and an aging population, Japan's small and medium-sized banks continue to expand their sources of income, increase the scale and efficiency of their business operations, and build a local close-knit financial system to serve the needs of local social and economic development. Japan's experience has certain reference significance for promoting the risk disposal and transformation of China's small and medium-sized banks.

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The Characterized Body and Politics in Japanese Social Culture

HAN Ruobing

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 59-68. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.005

Abstract （373）

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In a mass consumption society, the pervasive emphasis on the characterization of body among social members has spurred the production and popularity of anime character merchandise that is particularly pronounced in Japan, known as the “Kingdom of Characters”. It is precisely the close interaction and consumption practices between people and anime characters, including the characterized display and cosplay of the body, the aestheticization of the body, and the metaphor of body politics that make anime characters no longer mere the given images with functional and directional attributes but the symbolic complexes imbued with sociocultural identity characteristics and social value attributes. Consequently, anime characters as art images have become a form of social consciousness that reflects reality and life by shaping vivid and specific social representations, thereby serving as an important carrier for Japanese social ideology.

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Comparative Study on Japanese Youth Employment and Policy Proposals

HUANG Guan, WANG Jingmiao

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (3): 69-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.03.006

Abstract （593）

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With the overall unemployment rate declining for a long time after WWII, Japan's youth unemployment has been particularly serious compared with other age groups since the “bubble economy” burst. There are both interpretations of the overall economic situation and theories based on Japan's employment structure regarding the causes of youth unemployment in Japan. Starting from the labor political movement in Japan, this article analyzes and discusses the emergence and evolution of youth unemployment in Japan. Through quantitative comparative analysis and evaluation of the youth unemployment situation in Japan, and relying on Okun's law to quantitatively test the relationship between the employment and unemployment situation of the Japanese youth group and its socioeconomic changes, the article interprets the various relief plans and effects of the Japanese government, and explores their policy design principles and inspirations for solving youth unemployment problems in China. Although due to differences in political and economic systems and social development levels, China cannot simply copy Japan's plan to address youth unemployment, research on the social, political, and economic issues caused by youth unemployment in Japan can still draw attention to similar problems in China. Analyzing its experiences and lessons can also provide China with ideas and policy alternatives to solve related problems.

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A Study on the Generative Mechanisms of Social Movements in Okinawa During the US Occupation and Rule Period

JIANG Zhishi, HU Peng

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (4): 1-22. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.04.001

Abstract （291）

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Following the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, Okinawa endured 27 years of U.S. military occupation. During this period, local social movements exhibited distinctive characteristics of broad scale, sustained duration, and complex organizational structures. Analysis through the political process theory reveals that the primary drivers lay in the U.S. militarys dual governance model centered on military interests.This model suffered legitimacy crises across ideological, procedural, and performance dimensions. In practice, this model suppressed the space for local autonomy and deepened residents sense of relative deprivation, thereby fueling widespread and enduring social resistance. On this basis, Okinawan society gradually developed a protest network characterized by both breadth and institutional penetration through mechanisms such as embedding within the local autonomy framework, cross-class alliances, and flexible protest discourse strategies.The experience of Okinawas resistance not only provides an important example for understanding collective resistance in peripheral areas, but also provides a historical mirror for contemporary anti-base movements and local autonomy struggles.

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The Formation of American Education Reform Policies Towards Japan in the Early Postwar Period

ZHANG Cheng

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (4): 23-35. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.04.002

Abstract （271）

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Around the end of WWII, in order to eradicate militarism and extreme nationalism that had distorted Japans development, the US formulated a series of reform measures targeting Japan. Through a process of “breaking the old” and “establishing the new,” these measures aimed to rebuild Japan into a democratic nation. Among them, education reform was given an important position.The formation of American educational reform policies toward Japan spanned both wartime and postwar periods. After a wartime debate between “moderate reform” and “radical reform”, the “positive reform theory” was formed after the war. The core of these policies was embodied in “Four Education Directives” and the Report of the US Education Mission to Japan. The essential goal of these policies was to eliminate the influence of militarism and extreme nationalism, and to establish a new education system grounded in freedom and democracy, supporting individual development of children and adolescents.Through the implementation of these policies, Japan’s education system underwent the transition, shifting from authoritarianism to democracy.

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Japan’s Experience in Advancing Basic Research Through Science and Technology Innovation Policies

TIAN Xin

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (4): 36-51. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.04.003

Abstract （360）

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Basic research serves as a vital source of scientific and technological innovation. After WWII, Japan strategically shifted from a “trade-oriented nation” to a “science and technology-oriented nation”, placing significant emphasis on basic research. To promote and support it, the Japanese government established a complete set of science and technology innovation policies. Organizationally, the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation(CSTI)provides overall coordination. Systematically, the integration of science and technology innovation industry, academia, and government is promoted. Legally, the Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Act serves as the fundamental framework, implemented through five-year cycles of the “Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan”. Practically, measures include promoting the legalization of basic research subjects and improve the scientific research funding system. The Japanese government has promoted the development of basic research through long-term planning, focusing on key areas, responding to social needs, innovation driven, talent cultivation, and international cooperation, achieving the second highest number of Nobel laureates in the field of natural sciences in the world since the 21st century. Considering challenges facing basic research in China, the paper calls for strengthened top-level design, increased investment in basic research, and reforms to the science and technology system.

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The Practical Mechanism and Enlightenment of Time Banks in Japan: Taking NALC as an Example

XIAO Panqing, LI Wenlin

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (4): 52-65. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.04.004

Abstract （390）

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Faced with the increasingly severe pressure of elderly care, time banks, as a mutual-aid social elderly care model, are gaining growing attention. Japan has actively explored the operation mode of time banks since the 1970s and gradually integrated them into the social elderly care system. After years of development, Japan’s time banks have become increasingly mature in terms of organizational forms and activity designs. It is particularly noteworthy that NALC(Nippon Active Life Club), as the largest time bank in Japan, has accumulated valuable experience in its development process and in addressing challenges, which holds significant reference value for the sustainable development of time banks in China. Specifically, NALC once faced multiple issues in its development, such as insufficiently close network connections among members, inadequate relevant rules and regulations, and a relatively weak foundation of mutual trust. To effectively tackle these challenges, NALC successfully realized the transformation and utilization of social capital by actively building close social networks, establishing scientific reciprocal norms, and forging a profound foundation of trust. The aforementioned strategies have significantly enhanced the resilience of its organization, further updated its maintenance system, and provided a practical and valuable reference solution for solving similar development problems. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of NALC’s operational mechanism and maintenance system is conducive to extracting effective paths for the sustainable development of time banks and laying a foundation for the innovation and improvement of social elderly care models.

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Qualitative Analysis of Japan’s Digital Archive Construction Policies(2003—2025)

WANG Zirui

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (4): 66-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.04.005

Abstract （224）

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In recent years, Japan has placed significant emphasis on the construction of digital archives for cultural resources. Beginning in 2003, the Cabinet Office has continuously issued the “Intellectual Property Strategic Program” annually, progressively planning and establishing an integrated and shared digital cultural resource system centered on Japan Search, which offers valuable insights. This study focuses on 23 “Intellectual Property Strategic Programs” published from 2003 to 2025. Employing the qualitative analysis tool ATLAS.ti and thematic content analysis, it examines the early driving factors, value orientations, strategic mechanisms, and future development trends of digital archive construction. The research reveals that the Japanese governments involvement in digital archive development is an inevitable outcome driven by its national strategic transformation, internal demands, and international trends. Its core objectives are to stimulate economic growth through culture, build a knowledge storage and circulation system, and enhance its international image. By adopting strategies such as establishing a unified search platform with Japan Search at its core to broadly collect various digital cultural contents, promoting the industrial application and diversified utilization of digital resources, advancing metadata standardization, strengthening professional talent cultivation and multi-party collaboration, and improving legal safeguards, Japan has achieved the functional evolution of digital archives from an early emphasis on storage to a later focus on utilization and value creation. The Japanese digital archives provides various references for China in integrating and optimizing digital cultural resources in the context of the national cultural digitization strategy, including top-level design, construction of national-level platforms, resource expansion, and diversified applications.

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“Minilateralism” or “Quasi-Alliance”: Study on the Repositioning of the U.S.-Japan-Philippines Trilateral Cooperation Mechanisms

HONG Yunxin, LI Yixin

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 1-17. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.001

Abstract （322）

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As important concepts derived from alliance theory, minilateralism and quasi-alliance exhibit significant differences in practice. In the evolution of the trilateral cooperation mechanism between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, although the U.S. portrays it as an exemplar of minilateralism under the “Indo-Pacific Strategy”, it demonstrates distinct “quasi-alliance” characteristics. Examining the seven dimensions of treaty constraints, exclusivity, scope of cooperation, cooperating parties, confrontational attributes, internal relationships, and cooperation goals, this paper argues that the United States, relying on its discourse hegemony, has framed this mechanism as “minilateralism”, while Japan and the Philippines have legitimized their policy of following the United States by joining it. Compared to “minilateralism”, the trilateral cooperation mechanism between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines is closer to a “quasi-alliance”, and is actually a “quasi-alliance” under the name of “minilateralism”. Its essence aims to strengthen strategic containment of China from security, economic, narrative, and other fields. The conceptual analysis of the trilateral cooperation mechanism between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines breaks through the narrative framework set by the United States at the theoretical level, providing a mirror for China to cope with the challenges brought by the trilateral cooperation mechanism between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines.

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A Strategic Analysis of the Alliance of the U.S., Japan, and Republic of Korea Trilateral Relations

YUN Xinlei

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 18-27. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.002

Abstract （309）

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Alliances are strategic assets that safeguard the national security interests and hegemony of the United States. Since the United States began its competitive strategy towards China, it has intended to form a strategic deterrence against China through the alliance of the trilateral relationship between the United States, Japan, and ROK, in order to win over China. The United States, Japan, and ROK have jointly taken a series of strategic measures, not only provoking ideological “factional confrontation” with China in terms of values, but also forming a “small NATO” in Northeast Asia to contain China in terms of military security, and promoting the “de-sinicization” of Chinas supply chain in economic cooperation. However, at the same time, the alliance of the trilateral relationship between the United States, Japan, and ROK also faces constraints such as goals beyond the scope of the U.S. financial resources, a lack of deep reconciliation in Japan-ROK relation, and potential checks and balances from China, Russia, and Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Therefore, in order to eliminate the small group pressure brought by the alliance of the United States, Japan, and Republic of Korea, China needs to continuously balance the strategic stability relationship between China, the United States, and Russia in Northeast Asia with the development of the international situation, actively promote economic cooperation with Northeast Asian countries, especially Japan and Republic of Korea, and thus promote the construction of a community with a shared future in the surrounding areas to jointly create a new future for Asia.

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Japan’s Oversea Agricultural Development in Brazil and Its Extension to Mozambique

XU Zhenwei

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 28-42. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.003

Abstract （300）

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Japan has limited arable land yet has achieved remarkable accomplishments in the agricultural sector, overseas agricultural expansion is an important support, as it promotes agricultural and economic development in both Japan and host countries, achieving mutual benefits. Japan‘s agricultural development in Brazil is a successful case, driven by both funding and technology, effectively alleviating Japan’s food crisis while helping Brazil become a major exporter of agricultural products after years of cooperation. Subsequently, Japan and Brazil attempted to conduct trilateral cooperation with Mozambique, but the initiative did not achieve the expected results due to a lack of understanding of Mozambique‘s national conditions, insufficient risk assessment, and the non-participation of Japanese agricultural enterprises. This indicates that agricultural development in Mozambique faces more complex factors, requiring more detailed risk assessment. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation offers a multidimensional perspective on Japan’s overseas agricultural development, and Japan‘s successful experiences in bilateral cooperation and lessons from trilateral cooperation provide many useful insights for China’s overseas agricultural development.

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Japan’s Flood Disaster Management System,Characteristics, and Implications: A Study Focusing on the Municipal and Rural Flood Disaster Response Guide

YUN Yulong, LIU Li

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 43-55. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.004

Abstract （306）

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The unique governance system formed by Japan over the years in response to flood disasters has not only reduced the huge losses caused by floods, but also enhanced the flood response capabilities of grassroots governments, communities, and the public in Japan, which helps to enhance the effectiveness of disaster prevention, reduction, and relief in Japan. Taking the Municipal and Rural Flood Disaster Response Guide, which has been continuously adjusted and updated in recent years, as an entry point for analysis, it is found that Japan has already constructed a flood disaster emergency response and relief system with the Cabinet as the pivot, the central government, prefectures, municipalities and villages as the hierarchical responsibility in its long-term flood disaster management practice. It has significant characteristics of close coordination between engineering and non-engineering measures, scientific and complete disaster emergency organization system, developed disaster emergency information network system, and continuously enhanced public awareness of disaster prevention and reduction. It has certain reference and enlightenment value. As China and Japan are both East Asian countries with frequent incidence of extreme rainstorms and, We can appropriately draw on Japan’s experience in flood disaster management, learn from its lessons, and improve the ability of grassroots capacity to deal with natural disasters such as floods by strengthening the resultant force of flood response, building a smart disaster prevention system, cultivating a national disaster prevention culture, and building a new paradigm for flood prevention and management, so as to enhance the grassroots-level capacity to respond to floods and other natural disasters, and continue to consolidate the grassroots foundation of emergency management.

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Basic Content, Cultivation Path, and Inspiration of Digital Literacy for Japanese Primary and Secondary School Teachers under the Background of Education Digital Transformation

CUI Meihua, WANG Zihe

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 56-68. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.005

Abstract （225）

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Against the backdrop of global education digital transformation, in response to the challenges of the “5.0 era”, the issuance of the “New Learning Guidelines” in 2017 marked Japans official entry into the period of education digital transformation. Through research, it has been found that Japan has accelerated the construction of digital campus infrastructure, laying a solid foundation for the development of teachers digital literacy; widely integrating digital content into teacher education courses to promote the improvement of teachers digital literacy in the pre-service stage; implementing diversified and blended digital literacy training for in-service teachers to promote their professional development; and enhancing teachers digital literacy through government, third-party agency evaluation, and school self-evaluation. Through Japan‘s experience, we can provide insights for China in four aspects: strengthening software and hardware to build a digital campus infrastructure, deeply integrating digital content into teacher education courses, streamlining management models to enhance the effectiveness of teacher digital literacy training, and constructing a national digital literacy evaluation system for primary and secondary school teachers.

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Methods and Paths for the Localization of the CEFR in Japan

LI Wenxin, HOU Renfeng

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (5): 69-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.05.006

Abstract （181）

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This paper examines the localization approaches and pathways of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFR)in the fields of English and Japanese language education in Japan, revealing the differentiated functions and recontextualization logic of the CEFR in different institutional domains. The study finds that CEFR-J focuses on the scientific reconstruction of language assessment, aiming to address the slow development of Japanese English learners language proficiency through detailed level segmentation and calibrated quantitative tools. The “JF Standards” focus on promoting overseas Japanese language education, constructing practical teaching guidelines through the localization of ability description language in local contexts. The Japan Framework of Reference for Japanese centers on policy guidance, adopting a strategy of “faithful translation with limited adjustments” to provide a unified language standard for educational administration. This tripartite differentiation, that is “theoretical assessment-instructional dissemination-policy management”, demonstrates both the tension of cross-cultural adaptability and local flexibility of the CEFR, offering important insights for the development of a “Chinas standards of Japanese language ability”.

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An Analysis of Japanese Think Tanks' Perceptions of China-U.S. Strategic Competition and Japan's Role

LIU Jiani

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (6): 1-17. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.06.001

Abstract （165）

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Against the backdrop of intensified strategic competition between China and the United States, Japan, as the most important ally of the United States in Asia, continues to rise in its position in the global and regional strategic layout of the United States. Selecting 32 research reports from 9 representative think tanks in Japan as samples, this study focuses on the main perceptions, internal roots, and potential impacts of Japanese think tanks on the strategic competition between China and the United States, as well as Japan's role. This will help China further strengthen its observation and analysis of Japan, and thus formulate appropriate response strategies with forward-looking thinking. Research has found that adopting a tough confrontational stance towards China at the strategic level has become the mainstream cognition of Japanese think tanks, and shows significant convergence, while there are still differences at the tactical level, especially on specific issues. The formation of Japanese think tank cognition is influenced by multiple factors such as Sino-Japanese relations and public opinion, domestic political ecology, think tank types, and expert tenure experience. This cognitive tendency not only exacerbates the Japanese governments strategic misjudgment of viewing China as a “hypothetical enemy”, leading to a more aggressive and confrontational policy towards China, but also guides public opinion both domestically in Japan and internationally to a certain extent, distorting and smearing China's national image.

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Why Does the “Jingri” Phenomenon Emerge?: A Perspective Based on Japan's Cultural Economy Strategy

HUANG Zhang

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (6): 18-32. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.06.002

Abstract （193）

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Japan's cultural economy strategy has formed a four-in-one structural system, consisting of the “Cultural Industry Strategy” as the foundation, the “Nation of Tourism Strategy” as the pathway, the “Cool Japan Strategy” as the medium, and the “Cultural Economy Strategy” as the integrative platform. This strategic system transforms cultural aesthetics into consumer motivation, cultural influence into economic growth, and cultural dissemination into national identity, thereby establishing a unique mechanism for shaping “Japan's charm” on a global scale. Against this backdrop, the deep penetration of Japanese cultural products into Chinese youth groups has given rise to the “Jingri” phenomenon, which is not an accidental event but rather a structural outcome of the interaction between global cultural-economic competition and national strategies.

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Practice and Implications of Japan's Community-based Integrated Care System

HAN Leijuan, OUYANG Wei

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (6): 33-48. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.06.003

Abstract （428）

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To address the challenge of an aging population, Japan has gradually developed a comprehensive care system based on specific communities. The Japanese community comprehensive care system adheres to the concept of continuous care, relying on specific community integration resources to provide integrated comprehensive care services including housing, medical care, nursing, prevention, and life support. This system features the integration of services throughout the full cycle and the collaboration of multiple stakeholders. However, it also has shortcomings such as imbalanced coverage across regions and among different groups, pressure on the sustainability of human and financial resources, and barriers to collaboration among multiple stakeholders. The experiences and shortcomings of Japan's community-based comprehensive care system suggest that promoting elderly care can focus on five key points: first, resource integration, optimizing the layout and matching of supply and demand based on living circles; second, policy coordination, using laws and planning to solve fragmentation and implementation gaps; third, stakeholder participation, activating social forces through multi-stakeholder collaboration; fourth, service stratification, prioritizing prevention to precisely match needs; and fifth, continuous care, refining services and connections throughout the life cycle to improve care quality.

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Interest Demands, Practical Characteristics, and Practical Challenges of Japan's Educational Aid to Countries in the Global South

GU Xianlin, QIN Yueyang

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (6): 49-64. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.06.004

Abstract （98）

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Foreign educational aid is a crucial measure for Japan to reshape its national image, enhance its international standing, and expand its economic and geopolitical interests. The Global South holds numerous seats in the United Nations and serves as a primary market for Japanese products and a source of raw materials, exerting significant influence on Japan's political objectives and socio-economic development. Therefore, Japan implements educational aid for the Global South. In terms of strategy and objectives, Japan leverages its economic strengths and cultural characteristics as the foundation for conducting educational aid, serving as a basis to meet the demands of a politically influential nation. At the same time, it aims to stimulate domestic economic vitality, promote economic growth, and enhance Japan's soft power through such aid. In terms of aid methods, Japan emphasizes both material support and institutional and capacity-building aid. While providing essential material guarantees for aid projects, it continuously amplifies the impact of Japanese-style education on the educational development of the Global South. In terms of aid distribution, Japan delivers differentiated educational aid based on the diverse political, economic, and geopolitical values of Global South countries, addressing local economic and educational needs while empowering the structuring, stabilizing, and sustaining of Japan's relationship with the Global South. Japan has also encountered challenges related to linguistic and cultural differences and complexities across various regions of the Global South during its educational aid efforts.

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Analysis of the Current Status and Trends in Ideological and Political Education in College Japanese Course Based on CiteSpace

WANG Shuaidong, LI Tenglong

Japanese Research 2025, 39 (6): 65-80. DOI: 10.14156/j.cnki.rbwtyj.2025.06.005

Abstract （96）

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In recent years, “Course Ideology and Politics” has become an important topic in the field of higher Japanese language education in China, with various achievements emerging in parallel, playing a positive role in promoting the reform of Japanese language teaching and the construction of new liberal arts. In order to systematically grasp the research trends of ideological and political education in Japanese language courses in Chinese universities, this article uses CiteSpace software to visually analyze the relevant literature included in the CNKI database from 2018 to 2024. Research has found that the study of ideological and political education in Japanese language courses in Chinese universities has roughly gone through three stages: the incubation period, the exploration period, and the expansion period, showing a development trend of continuous expansion of research scale, increasingly diverse themes, and significant improvement in depth and breadth. However, compared with the English academic community, the Japanese academic community still faces problems such as insufficient policy interpretation, serious lack of theoretical construction, and excessive homogenization of achievements in curriculum ideological and political research. In the process of promoting and deepening ideological and political research in Japanese language courses in the future, the academic community needs to adhere to keeping up with the times and strengthening the orientation of the times; emphasize innovative thinking and break through the constraints of paradigms; strengthen the literature foundation and enhance academic validity. Based on the characteristics of the discipline, we deeply cultivate theoretical construction to promote the organic integration of ideological and political education concepts in the curriculum with the reform of Japanese language teaching, and then promote the connotative construction and high-quality development of higher Japanese language education in China.

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