Talk at Todai

On 13 December I gave a talk at the Japanese History Group workshop run by the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Tokyo. The topic was one that I have been working on for a number of years now: a comparison of the Yasukuni Issue with the Hokkaido Gokoku Shrine issue. Gokoku Shrines basically mirror the functions of Yasukuni Shrine. I looked at how the local frame affects the nature of the controversies surrounding the commemoration of the military dead in Asahikawa (northern Hokkaido). After the talk I got lots of good hints on new avenues to explore from discussant Prof. Laura Hein and others. This paper is going to be part of the essay collection I am trying to put together on Local History and War Memories in Japan. I am hoping to have a manuscript for this book ready to send off to a publisher sometime in the middle of next year, other commitments permitting of course!