Title of Proposed Project
- Research Category / New or Continued
- Principal Investigator / Position
- Research Abstract

Basic Research on Activities to Combine the Socialist and Communist Parties
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- KAWANISHI, Hidemichi / Professor

- Decriminalized after the Second World War, the Japanese Communist Party took note of the activities of popular democracy, the people’s front, and of moves to combine the Socialist and Communist parties in Eastern Europe, and plotted, in light of the divided state of the Social Democratic Party of Japan, to subsume members of that party between 1948 and 1949. This study elucidates the domestic development of such activities to combine the Socialist and Communist parties.

Descriptive Research on and Applications of Medical Communication Using 3D Cameras
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- TAKANAGA, Shigeru / Professor

- This study comparatively examines and analyses the images recorded on sensors (3D cameras) used by resident and experienced dentists in the clinical setting. The obtained research outcomes will contribute to the field of medical education.

A Comparative Study of the Relationship between the Reception of Novels for Young Women and Colonialism in Japan and Russia
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- MIZOBUCHI, Sonoko / Associate Professor

- This study undertakes a comparative literary analysis of the relationship between the various desires for the formation of the genre of young women’s novels in modern Japan and Russia and their respective historical and political contexts, from the perspectives of gender, culture of translation, and colonialism.

Constructing a Theory of “Peace”: An Ethical and Practical Approach Emphasizing the Concept of “Reconciliation”
- Scientific Research (B) / Continued
- OCHI, Mitsugu / Professor

- The purpose of this study is to present a general theoretical and practical model for achieving peace. To this end, we reinterpret peace as a practical issue of “reconciliation” in the course of our daily lives and analyze the processes and relationships in conflict and reconciliation to come closer to the actual reality  of “peace” as “reconciliation.”

Basic Research on the Use of Magic in Ancient Chinese Medicine
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ARIMA, Takuya / Professor

- This research examines the magic used in the field of medicine in ancient China. How did the medicine men (巫医) of those times investigate the causes of diseases based on the symptoms, and what methods were used to treat or prevent these diseases? We consider the case of Huai-nan-wan-bi-shu (淮南萬畢術) to gain some insight into this.

Comprehensive Research on the Image of Erchengzi二程子 as an Assessment of Early Modern East Asian Confucian Thought
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ICHIKI, Tsuyuhiko / Professor

- By increasing the depth of factual investigation on Cheng Yi程頤, Cheng Hao程顥, and their respective philosophies in the Northern Song dynasty, this research aims to objectify the image of Erchengzi二程子 used by Southern Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasty thinkers as an assessment of philosophy. Further, this work aims to construct an objective indicator of the connectivity of early modern East Asian Confucian thought from the perspective of their philosophical ideals.

Reconstruction of the Original of Dignāga's Theory of Apoha from the Perspective of Pāṇini's Grammar
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- OGAWA, Hideyo / Professor

- The objective of this research is to show that the theory of apoha advanced by Dignāga, which forms the core of the Buddhist theory of language, is constructed on the basis of the Pāṇinian grammatical tradition and thereby that Dignāga intends to theorize the Buddhist idea of prapañca, which may be equated with Bhartṛhari's idea of vivarta, by building up the apoha theory.

The Contemporary Significance of Steiner Education Seen Through International Research Focused on the Concept of Ability
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ETO, Yoshinori / Associate Professor

- The aim of this study is to clarify, from both theoretical and practical points of view, the contemporary significance of Steiner education, seen as ‘the Savior’ of school education smothered in a sense of helplessness, through international research conducted in Australia, the Philippines, China, and Japan, focusing on the concept of ability.

Fundamental Research on Both Versions of the Book of Rites as Documentation of the Formation of Li (Rites)
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- SUENAGA, Takayasu / Associate Professor

- The Liang Dai Ji (both versions of the Book of Rites) contains many chapters that provide an explanation of li or rites. However, to date, almost no ideological research has been performed. This study mainly aims to perform basic analyses of the organization and thought of these chapters, based on excavated texts discovered in recent years.

Comprehensive Research on Madhyamaka Thought and Literature in Tibet
- Young Scientists (B) / New
- NEMOTO, Hiroshi / Associate Professor

- This study analyzes poetry and religious songs after Tsong kha pa (1357−1419), the founder of the Dge lugs School of Tibetan Buddhism. It focuses on the fusion of Madhyamaka thought and literature, and touches upon the issue of the formation of denominational consciousness; thereby it aims to elucidate one aspect of the cultural history of Tibet.

Rethinking of the Thanh Hóa Group in Vietnam
- Scientific Research (B) / Continued
- YAO, Takao / Professor

- Based on the background of the loss of historical documents concerning the Lê dynasty in Vietnam, this study mainly involves an on-site investigation of historical documents in Thanh Hóa, the birthplace of the Lê dynasty. This work aims to contribute to the preservation of historical documents, which will facilitate the reconstruction of the ideological refinement and formation of the Thanh Hóa Group that contributed to the establishment of the Lê dynasty.

The State, Tax Policy, and Trade Organizations in Modern China
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- KANEKO, Hajime / Professor

- The objective of this study is to systematically depict the relationship between the urban commercial and industrial tax policies developed by successive governments in modern China and trade organizations (traditional guild halls and industrial and commercial trade associations). This study focuses on Shanghai, the city where many trade organizations were founded and developed after the opening of the port in the 19th century, during the period from the end of the Qing Dynasty at the start of the 20th century through to the rise of Socialism and the elimination of trade organizations in the 1950s.

A Study of Curse Tablets in the Ancient Greek and Roman Worlds
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- MAENO, Hiroshi / Professor

- This study has two main goals: The first is to clarify the meanings and origins of magical words and signs carved on curse tablets, and the second is to publish an introductory book in this field. This project will outline the relationships among multiple religions and demonstrate distinctions of religious practices between elites and ordinary people.

Frontiers and the Spatial Configuration of Resettlement in Eastern Spain, 1150–1350
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ADACHI, Takashi / Associate Professor

- This study aims to reveal the spatial configuration of resettlement generated in the process of the reconquest of eastern Spain, more concretely, the lower Aragón, which is recognized as the frontier of medieval Europe.

Michiyo NAGAYO (formerly OKADA), a Female Writer in Hiroshima: A Fundamental and Comprehensive Study of Her Works
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ARIMOTO, Nobuko / Professor

- Michiyo NAGAYO (formerly OKADA, 1885–1968), a female writer from Joge-cho, Hiroshima, is known as the inspiration of Futon, the novel by Katai TAYAMA. This research mainly aims to collect and publish basic information and a chronological list of her works, and then create a comprehensive assessment of Michiyo without bias from Futon.

A Study on Yuefu Poems of the Six Dynasties as a Language Experiment
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- OGAWA, Tsuneo / Professor

- This research on classical Chinese poetry illuminates the specific location of the mechanism that gave birth to new forms of linguistic expressions. This work will reconstruct Six Dynasty poems, especially yuefu, from the perspective of poetic expression.

A Study on the Cultural Sphere of Shogunate Retainers in the Middle and Late Tokugawa Periods, with a Focus on the Narushima Family
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- KUBOTA, Keiichi / Professor

- This research attempts to construct a three-dimensional and comprehensive history of the samurai literary activities from the perspective of shogunate retainers and daimyos who lived from the 18th century to the early 19th century. The focus is on Nobuyuki NARUSHIMA, who was at the center of the shogunate retainer cultural sphere during the time of TOKUGAWA Yoshimune, and the successive generations of Kazusada, Katsuo, Motonao, Yoshimatsu, and Ryuhoku, each of whom embodied the shogunate retainer culture in their respective generation.

Classical Japanese and Chinese Texts in Iwakuni City: Aspiring to Create a General Classification Catalog
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- SENO, Yoshinobu / Professor

- A large number of classical texts, including documents handed down by the Kikkawa clan, are currently stored in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The present study aims to investigate all classical texts stored in facilities such as Kikkawa Shiryokan, Iwakuni Chokokan, Iwakuni City Central Library, and Iwakuni Educational Museum Archive Collection in order to create a database of information concerning the texts, and also to create a general classification catalog.

A Study on the Semantics of Kunten Vocabulary: Creation of a Kunten Vocabulary Corpus in Context
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- MATSUMOTO, Mitsutaka / Professor

- The individual vocabulary used for kunten (guiding marks for rendering Chinese text into Japanese) can be confirmed in published works on kunten vocabulary. However, where the context is not provided, such works are difficult to use in semantic research. This study aims to prepare a corpus of kunten vocabulary in context; the corpus will be published online and may be used for semantic research.

Study on the Publishing and Reception of Chinese Popular Fiction, with a Focus on Bad Editions
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- KAWASHIMA, Yuko / Associate Professor

- The present study focuses on Bad Editions, which has largely been ignored to date, and examines the reception in Japan of Chinese popular fiction, as well as issues relating to the publication of Chinese popular novels.

TEI and the Building of the Digital Text Archive of the English Literature
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- IMAHAYASHI, Osamu / Professor

- We digitize definitive scholarly texts of the English Literature with the TEI Guidelines and philological scholarship for the purpose of building the huge Digital Text Archive of the English Literature.

The Literary Strategy for Peace in American Novels after World War II
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- NITTA, Reiko / Professor

- After World War II, some American writers were wary of the danger of inducing another war when writing about a war itself, even when criticizing it. This study analyzes the literary strategy for peace in their novels.

Rhetoric of Self-preservation and Self-actualization: the Friends and Enemies of Andrew Marvell
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- YOSHINAKA, Takashi / Professor

- The present study elucidates how adversarial relationships and friendships influenced the texts of Andrew Marvell, who lived during the political and religious upheaval of the 17th century, and how these texts influenced the formation of his human relationships.

Quantitative Research on the Use of the Present Perfect Tense in Modern Written German
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- IMAMICHI, Haruhiko / Associate Professor

- The present study utilized a corpus of modern written German to examine the use of the present perfect tense in this form of writing from a quantitative viewpoint. This was performed with the aim of obtaining educational findings to benefit the reading and writing skills of intermediate and advanced learners of German.

Formation Mechanism of the Spatial Economic Structure of Contemporary India
- Scientific Research (A) / Continued
- TOMOZAWA, Kazuo / Professor

- This research aims to clarify the spatial structure of major industries that led the rapid economic development in India in recent years. Simultaneously, this work discusses the socio-political structure and its changes in relation to the suburban area of large cities where large-scale development occurs. Development and the use of national spaces, including natural resource development and construction of infrastructure, will also be examined. The ultimate goal of this research is to present the structure and formation dynamics of the spatial economy of contemporary India.

An Archaeological Study on the Production and Distribution of Cast Iron Tools in the Yayoi Period in Japan
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- NOJIMA, Hisashi / Professor

- The principal aims of this research are as follows: to collect information on the remains of blacksmithing in the Yayoi Period; to perform of casting experiments and typify casting technique levels; to demonstrate the specific aspects involved in the combination and consolidation of iron casting with other handicrafts, such as jade and vermillion production; and to survey the aspects of the consolidation of handicrafts involved in the formation of an economic base intended for village chiefs.

An Investigation on Srivijayan Art History in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula
- Scientific Research (C) / Continued
- ITO, Naoko / Associate Professor

- Studies on the sphere of influence, controlled cities, and religious form of Srivijaya, which flourished from the 7th to the 12th centuries as a center of the East–West trade in the Strait of Malacca, remain limited. This research attempts to fill such a research gap on Malayu in Sumatra from the perspective of art history.

Tectonic Geomorphology in and around the Nansei Islands using the Extensive Area Map of Topographic Anaglyph Images Produced from the Digital Elevation Model
- Scientific Research (C) / New
- GOTO, Hideaki / Associate Professor

- The aim of this study is to produce an extensive area map of topographic anaglyph images processed from the detailed digital elevation model of inland, as well as seafloor around the Nansei Islands. We identified geomorphic features related to active faults by means of interpretation of anaglyph images and examined whether the large earthquakes occurred along the mega-thrusts of the Ryukyu subduction zone.