■Events　Nichibunken-IHJ Forum

2019-2-20  The 16th Nichibunken-IHJ Forum

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Speaker

“Japan’s Road to the Olympics in the Meiji Era: An Attempt at “Sports Civilization” Theory”
USHIMURA Kei   Professor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies

Japan was forced to sign unequal treaties with the Western powers at the end of the Edo Period. Only after the abolition of consular jurisdiction in 1894, participation in a military coalition with the powers in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1899-1900, signing of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in 1902, victory over Russia in 1905 and recovery of tariff autonomy in 1911, did Japan become a “civilized” or “first-class” nation in theory, but in reality the country continued to struggle to win equality in the international community. Should there be any arena where the newcomer could stand on an equal basis, it was the field of sports in which the same rules apply to all participants, the most prestigious being the Olympic Games. Participating in the modern Olympics can thus be seen as proof that the country had finally entered the circle of “civilized nations.” Based on this assumption, this lecture will examine Japan’s path to joining the 1912 Stockholm Olympics.
*This lecture will be held in Japanese.

Commentator

MITANI Hiroshi   Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo

Place:

Lecture Hall, International House of Japan (Address: 5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032)

Start time:

18:30

End time:

20:00

Enrollment:

Required

Fee ：

Free

How to enroll:

Go to IHJ web site to register

Host:

International House of Japan

Co-host:

International Research Center for Japanese Studies