Tag: Japan

In this first episode of Season 3 of Waseda’s English research podcast “Rigorous Research, Real Impact”, host and Waseda student Kanon Kurabayashi speaks with Professor Tomoo Kikuchi of the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies about the US dollar’s continued dominance of the global financial system and what it means for East Asian economies. They explore why the Renminbi has yet to challenge the dollar’s international role, how growing US-China trade tensions and economic competition are reshaping the global economic order, and how Japan can respond. Professor Kikuchi also discusses the advantages of studying global economic issues from Japan and at Waseda University, drawing on the University’s longstanding connections across Asia and its diverse international academic community.

 All podcast episodes are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Episode Release Schedule  

■Episode 2（Release date: 2026/9/24）： 

Professor Akihiko Kaneko (Faculty of Political Science and Economics)— 

“Japan’s Economic Future: Aging, AI, and Automation” 

■Episode 3（Release date: 2026/10/14）： 

Assistant Professor Shahida Pervin (Faculty of Political Science and Economics)— 

“Migration, Labor Shortages, and Japan’s Economic Future”  

■Episode 4（Release date: 2026/11/04）： 

Professor Shinji Hasegawa (Faculty of Social Sciences)—  

“Global Goals, Local Realities: Rethinking Sustainable Business”

In the final episode of season two of Waseda University’s English podcast “Rigorous Research, Real Impact”, PhD student host Peter speaks with Professor Yuhee Jung of the Faculty of Social Sciences to explore how new employees transition from organizational “outsiders” to trusted “insiders.” Drawing on her research in organizational behavior and human resource management, Professor Jung explains how institutionalized socialization practices—such as structured training, mentoring, and continuous support—help build trust, commitment, and long-term success for newcomers. The conversation weaves together theory, real-world implications for Japanese companies navigating changing employment norms, and Professor Jung’s own international career journey, and offers an insider’s perspective of the Transnational and Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Innovation (TAISI) program, one of six English-based undergraduate degree progams at Waseda.

“Rigorous Research, Real Impact” is available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. It’s a great choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating challenging themselves in graduate school, and researchers interested in Japan and potentially working for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches

The seventh episode of season two of Waseda University’s English podcast “Rigorous Research, Real Impact” features Professor Alex Coad (Faculty of Commerce), whose new study compares the motivations, cultures, and performance of entrepreneurs emerging from universities versus those from the corporate world. In conversation with host & PhD student Fabian Johannes (Graduate School of Economics), Professor Coad challenges the assumption that cutting-edge academic research naturally leads to high-performing startups, highlighting the cultural hurdles and identity shifts university-based founders often face. The episode also explores global entrepreneurial ecosystems, Japan’s evolving startup landscape, and how the Waseda Business School and Professor Coad’s seminar classes equip aspiring innovators with both theory and practical tools—offering listeners a compelling look into what it takes to turn ideas into real-world impact.

“Rigorous Research, Real Impact” is available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and

YouTube. It’s a great choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating challenging themselves in graduate school, and researchers interested in Japan and potentially working for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches

 

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

 

■Episode 8（Release date: 2026/1/13）：

  Professor Yuhee Jung (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Institutionalized Socialization: How Companies Help Newcomers Belong”

Professor Yuhee Jung (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Institutionalized Socialization: How Companies Help Newcomers Belong”

In this episode of Waseda University’s “Rigorous Research, Real Impact,” Graduate School of Political Science PhD student Peter sits down with Associate Professor Pau Pitarch from the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences to explore how early 20th-century authors and artists in Japan reimagined their identities. Prof. Pitarch unpacks why writers in the 1920s proudly identified with mental “abnormality” as a mark of creative genius, and how global currents in psychology, art, and modernity shaped this unique cultural moment. The conversation also delves into Professor Pitarch’s personal journey into Japanese literature, the value of studying culture within Japan using a global lens, and what makes Waseda’s English-based degree programs in the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences—JCulP and Global-J—such vibrant spaces for international learning and discovery.

“Rigorous Research, Real Impact” is available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and

YouTube. It’s a great choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating challenging themselves in graduate school, and researchers interested in Japan and potentially working for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

■Episode 7（Release date: 2025/12/16）:

 Professor Alex Coad (Faculty of Commerce)—

“University vs. Corporate Startups: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurial Paths”

■Episode 8（Release date: 2026/1/13）：  

Professor Yuhee Jung (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Institutionalized Socialization: How Companies Help Newcomers Belong”

   Professor Yuhee Jung (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Institutionalized Socialization: How Companies Help Newcomers Belong”

Waseda University released episode three, “Social Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia”, of season two of its English language podcast series “Rigorous Research, Real Impact” on October 21, 2025. All podcast episodes are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Episode 3: “Social Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia”

In the third episode of season two of Waseda University’s podcast series Rigorous Research, Real Impact, our PhD student host Peter interviews Professor Alexander Bukh about his award-winning research on territorial disputes in Northeast Asia. Professor Bukh explains how these disputes—like those over Dokdo/Takeshima and the Northern Territories—are not just political or historical conflicts but are socially constructed through national identity narratives shaped by non-state actors. He also shares insights into his own academic journey, the unique research environment at Waseda, and how his seminars at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies encourage students to critically engage with issues of nationalism and international relations in the region. 

About Season 2

Season two features eight knowledgeable Waseda researchers casually conversing with Waseda PhD students about their recent, rigorously conducted research in the humanities/social sciences, their thoughts on working in Japan at Waseda, and the merits of the English-based degree programs they are a part of. Short 15-minutes episodes will cover a range of themes that include translanguaging in the Japanese sociolinguistic context, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, and hybrid peacebuilding. It’s the perfect choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating further study in graduate school, and researchers looking to make the move to Japan and work for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Episode Release Schedule

 

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

■Episode 4（Release date: 2025/11/04）：

 Associate Professor Jack Seddon (Faculty of Political Science and Economics)—

“Market Makers: The Politics of Market Design”

 ■Episode 5（Release date: 2025/11/18）：

   Associate Professor Megumi Kagawa (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Hybrid Peacebuilding: Local Voices in Conflict Resolution

 ■Episode 6（Release date: 2025/12/2）：

   Associate Professor Pau Pitarch (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences)—

“Authors, Abnormality, and Identity in Modern Japan”

Waseda University released the fourth episode, “Market Makers: The Politics of Market Design”, of season two of its English language podcast series “Rigorous Research, Real Impact.” Episode 4 features an engaging conversation with Associate Professor Jack Seddon from the Faculty of Political Science and Economics. Hosted by Fabian, a PhD student at Waseda’s Graduate School of Economics, this episode uncovers “the hidden architecture of the global economy.” Prof. Seddon shares insights from his research on the London Metal Exchange, revealing how global markets are shaped not only by economic forces but also by deep political struggles and institutional design. The discussion also delves into Prof. Seddon’s personal journey from capital markets lawyer to academic researcher, his experience working in Japan, and what makes the Faculty of Political Science and Economics’ English-based degree programs a unique place to study international political economy.

All podcast episodes are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

 

Season two features eight knowledgeable Waseda researchers casually conversing with Waseda PhD students about their recent, rigorously conducted research in the humanities/social sciences, their thoughts on working in Japan at Waseda, and the merits of the English-based degree programs they are a part of. Short 15-minutes episodes will cover a range of themes that include translanguaging in the Japanese sociolinguistic context, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, and hybrid peacebuilding. It’s the perfect choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating further study in graduate school, and researchers looking to make the move to Japan and work for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Episode Release Schedule

 

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

 ■Episode 5（Release date: 2025/11/18）：

   Associate Professor Megumi Kagawa (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Hybrid Peacebuilding: Local Voices in Conflict Resolution”

 ■Episode 6（Release date: 2025/12/2）：

   Associate Professor Pau Pitarch (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences)—

“Authors, Abnormality, and Identity in Modern Japan”

■Episode 7（Release date: 2025/12/16）:

 Professor Alex Coad (Faculty of Commerce)—

“University vs. Corporate Startups: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurial Paths”

The fifth episode of season two of Waseda University’s English research podcast “Rigorous Research, Real Impact,” hosted once again by Graduate School of Economics PhD student Fabian, welcomes Associate Professor Megumi Kagawa from the Faculty of Social Sciences, whose research focuses on community-driven approaches to sustainable peace. Drawing on her extensive experience in the Bangsamoro peace process in the Southern Philippines, Professor Kagawa discusses the concept of hybrid peacebuilding, the challenges of translating national peace agreements into local realities, and Japan’s evolving role in fostering peace and social innovation in Asia. The conversation also explores Waseda’s Transnational and Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Innovation (TAISI) program, an English-based degree program where students from around the world engage in hands-on learning, dialogue, and fieldwork that bridge theory and practice in conflict resolution.

About Season 2

Season two features eight knowledgeable Waseda researchers casually conversing with Waseda PhD students about their recent, rigorously conducted research in the humanities/social sciences, their thoughts on working in Japan at Waseda, and the merits of the English-based degree programs they are a part of. Short 15-minutes episodes will cover a range of themes that include translanguaging in the Japanese sociolinguistic context, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima, and hybrid peacebuilding. It’s the perfect choice for international listeners considering attending university in Japan, current students contemplating further study in graduate school, and researchers looking to make the move to Japan and work for a university that stresses the importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Episode Release Schedule

 

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

■Episode 6（Release date: 2025/12/2）：

   Associate Professor Pau Pitarch (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences)—

“Authors, Abnormality, and Identity in Modern Japan”

■Episode 7（Release date: 2025/12/16）:

 Professor Alex Coad (Faculty of Commerce)—

“University vs. Corporate Startups: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurial Paths”

■Episode 8（Release date: 2026/1/13）：

   Professor Yuhee Jung (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Institutionalized Socialization: How Companies Help Newcomers Belong”

Waseda University released the second episode, “Hideo Kojima and the Art of Game Design”, of season two of its English language podcast series “Rigorous Research, Real Impact” on October 7, 2025. This latest episode features Assoc. Prof. Brian Hikari Hartzheim (Faculty of International Research and Education), a leading expert in new media and video game studies, and PhD student Fabian (Graduate School of Economics) discussing the cultural significance and creative innovation behind video games. Through an exploration of “progressive game design” and the influential work of renowned game designer Hideo Kojima, listeners gain fresh insights into how video games shape society, storytelling, and global cultural conversations. Assoc. Prof. Hartzheim also introduces some of the courses he teaches as part of the English-based degree programs in the School of International Liberal Studies (SILS) and Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies (GSICCS), which offer a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment for students and researchers

from around the world.

All podcast episodes are available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Season two will feature eight knowledgeable Waseda researchers casually conversing with

Waseda PhD students about their recent, rigorously conducted research in the humanities/social

sciences, their thoughts on working in Japan at Waseda, and the merits of the English-based

degree programs they are a part of. Short 15-minutes episodes will cover a range of themes that

include translanguaging in the Japanese sociolinguistic context, territorial disputes in Northeast

Asia, and hybrid peacebuilding. It’s the perfect choice for international listeners considering

attending university in Japan, current students contemplating further study in graduate school,

and researchers looking to make the move to Japan and work for a university that stresses the

importance of interdisciplinary approaches.

Episode Release Schedule

One episode released every two weeks.

*Please note the schedule is subject to change.

■Episode 3（Release date: 2025/10/21）：

Professor Alexander Bukh (Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies)—

“Social Construction of Territorial Disputes in Northeast Asia”

■Episode 4（Release date: 2025/11/04）：

Associate Professor Jack Seddon (Faculty of Political Science and Economics)—

“Market Makers: The Politics of Market Design”

■Episode 5（Release date: 2025/11/18）：

Associate Professor Megumi Kagawa (Faculty of Social Sciences)—

“Hybrid Peacebuilding: Local Voices in Conflict Resolution