New Japanese Journals on Modern China

NEW JAPANESE JOURNALS ON MODERN CHINA Sophia Lee Since the early 1980's a handful of new journals of modern Chinese studies have been published in Japan. Although these publications do not deal exclusively with the Republican period, they definitely deserve our attention. The following merely provides a brief introduction. If there is sufficient interest among readers of Republican China, perhaps either discussions or translation of pertinent pieces from these as well as other Japanese sources can become a regular feature of this journal.[!] Begun in 1981, Shingai kakumei kenkyu elf.~ JF rfii.bifJt> is an annual publication produced by Kubota Bunji ( J..... 1;[; 11/ :( :)( and other members in the Shingai kankumei kenkylikai.[2] The focus of this journal needs no e1aborat1on. In addition to discussions of events in China during the late-Qing--early-Republican period, each issue contains articles examining Japan's multi-faceted role during that period. Reports of current research activities and notes on primary sources are also featured. Roh akusei no sekai Chti oku minshiishi noto ( ..j_ R~1 "J t1t .ff' ~ Jf. A ~) -1, . . ) .is published by noted Taiping scholar Ko ·ima Sh nj i ( J 1' it, -if57; ) and his associates. Inaugurated in 1983, this annua~1ournal concentrate on the non-elite in late Qing. It also carries occasional translations of recent Chinese works and notes on relevant Japanese and Western primary sources. For specialists in Republican China, Chikaki ni arite, Kingendai Chtlgoku o meguru t'aron no hiroba. (Jr. ~ l :z. /i. ~ ( - if!_ t_{.1\ ~ J!J { ~ (' jf ~ "! !J. 1j l~" ) is without doubt the most useful of tne three Journals mentioned here. Supervised by the dean of modern Chinese studies in Japan. Nozawa Yutaka ( i.f).,K.-f ), this biannual publication provides enrichiAg and provocative gl~pses of current trends in Republican studies in Japan. Each issue offers a few short articles. In addition, it carries book reviews, discussions of research trends, reports of activities of individual scholars and groups (kenkyukai), and accounts of recently held symposia. Since its inaugural issue in August 1981, this journal has always maintained an international outlook; conferences and field work in the PRC and current Chinese scholarship are frequently noted; moreover, American and European scholarship has not been ignored either. The following is a partial listing of the articles in the four issues of Chikaki ni arite published in 1985 and 1986; an article on student opinions, lives, and movements in Shanghai during the civil war period; Himeta Mitsuyoshi' s ( -(If 11/ 7(. .Jx )account of research 83 trips taken by Japanese scholars to Nanjing and Taiwan, in 1984 and. 1985 respectively, to investigate the rape of Nanjing; summaries of papers presented at the symposium on Chinese modern economic history; a report on the papers and issues discussed at the fourth conference of the joint Tokyo-Kansai kenkyukai on investigations of rural customs in China; Linda Grove's report (to the above-mentioned kenkyukai) on the joint Sino-American examination of Huayangqiao (Jj- {!;; .{~) village in Songjiang article on recent trends in the study of the ~nti-Japanese war and comments; and an article on the study of modern Chinese history in South Korea. Subscribing to these Japanese journals from abroad is not an easy nor an inexpensive matter. Each issue costs about 1,200 yen. Probably the best way is to ask your institution to order them through Mr. Akio Takeuchi, Director of Sales Division, Japan Publications Trading Company, Sarugaku-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102. Several Japanese 'scholars and librarians have recently remarked that since research opportunities became available in the PRC in the late 1979s, fewer American scholars of modern China are going to Japan to conduct research. While we establish and nurture our ties with scholars in the PRC and Taiwan, we must not neglect the prodigious publications of Japanese scholars of Republican China nor their assessment of our works. Sophia Lee is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan. She is currently completing a dissertation on Beijing during the Japanese occupation. 84 NOTES 1. I am indebted to Professor Linda Grove for her comments and suggestions. 2. This publication and Chikaki ni arite, Kin-gendai Chugoku o meguru toron...