Part of the Toyota Visiting Professor 30th Anniversary Special Lecture Series

Reflect on the changes in the 30 years since my lectureship at Michigan, point out changes that have taken place in both countries, among both Americans and Japanese, and within the two societies.

How have the changes affected relations between the two countries?

It would appear that Japanese are getting on well but how about Americans?

Try to analyze cognitive maps of Americans and Japanese, perception gaps between two countries.

Introduce lessons learned from own experience, and describe areas of bilateral friction both political and economic, and how the two countries overcame them.

Finally, search for solutions for ongoing frictions, accurate understanding of both countries and develop a future-oriented relationship.

Motohiro Kondo is the former Editor in Chief of Chuo Koron; President of Japanese Society for Global Social and Cultural Studies, Lecturer at Nihon University’s Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Trustee of the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management. He studied history at the University of Tokyo and was the first Toyota visiting Professor at the University of Michigan.

If you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation to attend this event, please reach out to bkinzer@umich.edu at least 2 weeks in advance of this event. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.