At the 14th JSAA conference, one of the new initiatives advocated by president of the JSAA, Professor Purnendra Jain (University of Adelaide), were two sessions on “Japan’s Vision of an East Asian Community: Responses from Asia” and “The State of Japanese Studies in Asia”. For these sessions, guest speakers from a number of Asian countries, including China, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, India and Singapore, were invited to participate. I would like to examine the important role played by the JSAA conference in light of this initiative.

The session discussing Japan’s vision of an East Asian community engendered lively debate. It was expected that regional economic links will continue to be strengthened on the basis of bilateral Free Trade Agreements. However, as long as the competitive relationship between the two major powers, Japan and China, is not resolved, it was deemed very difficult and too early for such a structure to move beyond the conceptual stage at present. However, rather than the actual content and outcomes of the debate, it was the opportunity to come together to discuss a common issue that made this session particularly worthwhile

To me, this session highlighted the following important functions of the JSAA conference: ·

• For Japanese studies researchers from Australia, it is an opportunity to reacknowledge the importance of perspectives from Asia.
• For Japanese studies researchers from Asia, it provides a platform within the region where they can present their research in English.
• For both Australian and Asian researchers, it is a place where they can exchange ideas with a view to future cooperation, promoting networking amongst the region’s scholars.

In a similar way, the participation of dozens of Japanese researchers and postgraduate students from a variety of fields builds networks with the Japanese academic world. As a place for young Japanese researchers to present this conference also plays an important role.

In recent years, it has often been pointed out that Japanese studies in Australia is in decline, but this year’s JSAA conference demonstrated the high standard of Japanese studies scholars in Australia and the wide variety of fields in which they work. This testifies to Australia’s advantage in the area of Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange. At the same time, I believe the potential of the JSAA conference as a place to forge links between Japanese studies researchers in the region, and for postgraduate students and young scholars to gain experience in international academic circles, proves that the results of the JSAA far exceed its original aims.

I hope the 2005 JSAA conference will bring about new research projects and dialogue between researchers, not only in Australia but throughout the region.

Translated from Japanese by Catherine Maxwell (Editor)
Photo courtesy of JSAA conference secretariat.