About WICCS

Director’s Message

The Waseda Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies (WICCS), based in Waseda University, is an interdisciplinary research organization that brings together experts in a variety of fields in order to undertake a multifaceted approach to the study of contemporary China. We aim to make high-quality and highly relevant academic contributions by providing a critical environment in which to promote the growing interest in China and to cultivate young researchers.

China has been rapidly expanding its global presence and influence in areas such as politics, foreign policy, security, and culture, while its rapid economic development has enabled it to catch up to the Unites States. Its history and current state of affairs are important issues that have the potential to impact the stability and security of not only Japan, but also of the Asia-Pacific region and the world. We encourage objective academic research on China amid its increased global presence, whilst aiming to strengthen our collaboration with partners involved in a wide array of sectors in China that go beyond academia, such as government or business, in order to provide knowledge to stakeholders possessing a broad understanding of WICCS.

WICCS strives to publish high-quality and pertinent studies on the political, economic, and social environment of contemporary China, engaging in an environment that facilitates the international cooperation between academics and experts. Our publications include Chotaikoku Chugoku no Yukue (The Future of Superpower China), published by the University of Tokyo Press, Japanese Studies of Contemporary China, published in China, and Decoding the Rise of China, the result of joint research with Taiwanese academics, published by Palgrave in 2018. Additionally, since 2017, the UK-based Routledge has been publishing Journal of Contemporary East Asia Studies, an open access English journal by WICCS. We will continue engaging in critical and objective interdisciplinary academic research and providing high-impact, relevant publications on contemporary China.

We welcome and appreciate the support towards our objective of promoting interest and expertise on China, and of cultivating those who are able to make active academic contributions globally. We strive for an institute that is always open to the world, keeping in mind the main principles of Waseda University, those of independence and practical application of scholarship.

                                                                              Sincerely,

                                                                              Rumi Aoyama, WICCS Director