Issue 4 Inside this issue: Winter 2015 Editor’s Note 2 Upcoming Events 3 IAJS News: A summary of Japan-related academic events in Israel 4 Interview with Ikezu Joji— Japanese language teaching 9 Special Feature: Manga Library and AMAI—Anime and Manga 12 Association in Israel Featured Article: Global and Local: The Secrets of Japanese 14 Animation—Dr. Raz Greenberg Special update—Incredible Discovery of Japanese Buddhist Paintings 17 New Scholar in Focus: Interview with Omri Reis, PhD Candidate at the 19 University of Tokyo New Publications: A selection of publications by IAJS members 23 The Israeli Association for Japanese IAJS Council 2012-2013 The Israeli Association of Studies Newsletter is a biannual Japanese Studies (IAJS) is a non publication that aims to provide Honorary President: -profit organization seeking to information about the latest Prof. Emeritus Ben-Ami encourage Japanese-related developments in the field of Japanese Shillony (HUJI) research and dialogue as well as Studies in Israel. to promote Japanese language Council Members: education in Israel. We welcome submissions from IAJS Dr. Nissim Otmazgin (HUJI) members regarding institutional news, Dr. Michal Daliot-Bul (UH) For more information visit the publications and new research in the Dr. Irit Averbuch (TAU) IAJS website at: Dr. Sigal Ben-Rafael Galanti www.japan-studies.org Image: Manga books from the Manga field of Japanese Studies. Please send (Beit Berl College & HUJI) Library at the Hebrew University of your proposals to the editor at: Dr. Helena Grinshpun (HUJI) General Editor: Ms. Julia Stolyar Jerusalem. [email protected]. Dr. Alon Levkowitz (HUJI) Language Editor: Ms. Nikki Littman Dr. Rachel Shaoul (TAU) IAJS Newsletter, Winter 2015 1 EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Friends of IAJS, interview with Mr. Ikezu Joji from the Japan Foundation in We are delighted to present you with the fourth issue of the Egypt about new trends in the IAJS Newsletter. This issue focuses on Japanese popular field of Japanese language culture which, in recent years, has become an object of education. This interview may interest around the world to scholars and fans alike, and be beneficial for universities and Israel is no exception to this trend. schools trying to advance Japanese language teaching Although a small country, Israel has a dedicated base of outside of Japan. passionate fans of Japanese popular culture, most of them organized under AMAI, the Anime and Manga Association Dr. Shalmit Bejarano continues the discussion from the in Israel. AMAI is a non-profit organization whose purpose previous issue about the Elizabeth Gordon collection of is to increase interest in Japanese anime and manga in Buddhist art in the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. particular and in Japan in general through various projects. In this issue, she discusses the digitization process of the This year, their annual event, Harukon, will take place in collection and reveals the turbulent history of this unique one of Israel’s biggest convention centers with coverage by person and collection. NHK World. The newsletter also includes announcements of upcoming In addition to efforts by AMAI to establish manga events related to Japanese studies, as well as reports on collections in public libraries, this is also the second year significant events of the last six months and since the opening of the manga library at the Hebrew announcements of new publications by IAJS members. University of Jerusalem, which is probably the biggest of its We conclude with our regular feature: an interview with a kind in the Middle East. promising young scholar. This time we talk to Mr. Omri The newsletter also include a coverage of the international Reis, a PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo. Mr. workshop on Japan's anime industry, held in May last year, Reis's research focuses on digital journalism in Japan and which brought together scholars and professionals from the explores the manifestation of concepts such as peer-based anime industry in Japan, Israel, and beyond social production in news production. The world of Japanese popular culture, particularly anime We sincerely hope you enjoy this issue. and manga, has also become a research topic for Israeli Happy New Year! scholars. Dr. Raz Greenberg presents his PhD dissertation Julia Stolyar which deals with finding a methodological framework for researching animation and analyzing early Japanese IAJS Newsletter Editor animated productions. Following the seminar held in November on new directions in Japanese studies, Dr. Mika Levy-Yamamori conducts an IAJS Newsletter, Winter 2015 2 UPCOMING EVENTS The 3rd Biannual Conference of “From Port Arthur to Tel-Hai: Joseph Trumpeldor and the Israeli Association for Japan” is an international conference commemorating 110 Japanese Studies years since the release of Joseph Trumpeldor from captivity in Japan. The conference is being held by the Venue: Tel Aviv University, 11-13 May, 2015 Conference languages: English, Hebrew, Japanese Department of East Asian Studies of Tel-Hai College in cooperation with the Israeli Association for Japanese Organizers: Dr. Michal Daliot-Bul, University of Haifa and Studies. It will connect research about Japanese history chair of IAJS Academic Committee, Dr. Helena Grinshpun, with research of Zionist and Israeli history, bringing to light Hebrew University, Dr. Mika Levy-Yamamori, Tel Aviv a little-known story about the time Joseph Trumpeldor, one University, Dr. Nissim Otmazgin, Hebrew University and of Israel’s most outstanding Zionist symbols, spent in chair of IAJS, Dr. Liora Sarfati Donskoy, Tel Aviv University Japan and, more broadly, discussing Jewish-Japanese The broader theme for the 3rd Biannual Conference of the relations in the early years of the 20th century. Israeli Association for Japanese Studies (IAJS) is Joseph Trumpeldor served as a soldier in the Russo- “Galapagosizing Japan? The Challenges of Participation Japanese war (1904-1905), was captured at Port Arthur, and the Costs of Isolation.” Proposals may address this and imprisoned in Japan. While in Japan, he was engaged topic from various perspectives, such as Japanese politics in Zionist activity, leading his fellow Jewish prisoners, and and economy, social and cultural processes, Japan from had the opportunity to shape his political identity. Upon historical and transnational perspectives. We encourage conclusion of the war, he returned to Russia and later proposals that illuminate the processes taking place within immigrated to Palestine where he became an important Japan as well as Japan's place in the regional and global Zionist figure. After his death at the Battle of Tel Hai in scene from a wide range of disciplines, including, but not 1920, Trumpeldor became a Zionist symbol of courage and limited to, political science, anthropology, economics, bravery. cultural studies, international relations, and literature. Organized panels and individual papers that address The conference will explore Trumpeldor's military record topics other than the conference's main topic will also and Zionist activity during the war and the impact of this be considered. Deadline for proposals: February 10, period on his later years, his character and ideology, as 2015 well as his legacy and the prevailing myths. It aims to present new points of view on the topic, especially For inquiries please contact [email protected] regarding the profound influence that Trumpeldor’s time in “From Port Arthur to Tel-Hai: Japan exerted on his subsequent life and direction. Joseph Trumpeldor and Japan” For details please contact Dr. Roni Sarig, Tel Hai College: [email protected] Venue: Tel-Hai College, 26-27 May, 2015 IAJS Newsletter, Winter 2015 3 IAJS NEWS A summary of Japan-related academic events in Israel International Workshop on fascinating from a cultural and artistic point of view, but it is Japan’s Anime Industry: also a huge industry that generates considerable revenues Attainments and Prospects for the Japanese economy. It is also crucially important for development of other Japanese industries, such as Venue: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Truman electronics and games, which are worth very little without Institute, 21 May, 2014 their cultural content. Keynote Speaker: George Wada, President of Wit Studios An international workshop “Japan's Anime Industry: Attainments and Prospects” was held at the Hebrew University, bringing together scholars and professionals from the anime industry in Japan, Israel, and beyond. The participants included the famous anime producer, Mr. George Wada, president of Wit Studio. Another interesting point that was raised in the discussions is that in more recent years, it is Japanese anime and manga which are drawing students into class. If, in the past, young people around the world chose to study about Japan because of its “miracle” economy and superb managerial system, these days the majority are attracted by Japanese popular culture. The workshop, organized by Dr. Nissim Otmazgin The event included a special “Japan Day” organized by the (Hebrew University) and Dr. Michal Daliot-Bul (University of students of the Department of Asian Studies, featuring Haifa), focused on the organizational aspects of Japan's public lectures on Japan, Japanese food stalls, and a anime industry and addressed topics related to media festival-like atmosphere. The climax was a cosplay distribution and convergence and the changing structure competition and the screening of the famous anime series and