The Chair of the Centre says:
It is my pleasure to welcome you to a new academic year in 2020-21. In particular I would like to extend a special welcome to both new and returning students joining us across SOAS, to our JRC Visiting Scholars and to all our JRC members.
Throughout 2020, the JRC and SOAS have – along with many other higher education institutions around the world – needed to adapt and respond to the global coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, several events scheduled near the end of the 2019-20 academic year had to be postponed or cancelled, and as we move into 2020-21 we will host a series of virtual events while we await a full opening of our campus. Do sign up for our regular e-bulletins and keep an eye on our forthcoming events.
I am proud of how JRC colleagues and supporters have adapted to these challenging circumstances. I am particularly grateful for the support of the JRC Steering Committee and to all those who generously support our activities, including the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, the Meiji Jingu Intercultural Research Institute, the Japan Foundation London, the Toshiba International Foundation and the British Association for Japanese Studies.
We continue to encourage financial support for our activities through our JRC Fuwaku Fund initiative, and remain grateful to all those who support our Fuwaku Fund. All our events are open to SOAS students, staff and members of the public, and I look forward to seeing you at JRC events this year (both virtually and on campus) and hope they will contribute to your study and research in the various fields of Japanese Studies here at SOAS and beyond.
