The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) Library is pleased to announce the upcoming Book Break event.

FCCJ Book Break “Citizen Power: Postwar Reconciliation” by Yasuko Claremont

Speaker: Yasuko Claremont, Ph.D. (Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney)

Monday, December 18, 2017, 18:15 - 20:30
(The talk will be in English)

Admission (including a set dinner):
3,500yen (non-members) / 2,100yen (FCCJ members)
Please sign up by email (front@fccj.or.jp) and pay in advance by Wednesday, December 13.

Venue:
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan
Yurakucho Denki North Building 20F
Yurakucho 1-7-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006

The atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army in occupied countries over 70 years ago are still live issues in Japan today, the basic cause being the inability of successive Japanese governments to reach settlement and reconciliation, chiefly with China and Korea. Against this political background of denial, Citizen Power focuses on the emergence of grassroots movements in Japan working successfully in various ways to achieve reconciliation and friendship with peoples from other countries who were once enemies. Written in English and Japanese, Citizen Power (or 『市民の力と戦後和解』in Japanese) presents a variety of actions taken by the grassroots groups, including arranging a host of individual meetings that achieved goodwill.

The book has received various commendations with Professor Tessa Morris Suzuki, Australian National University, saying “At a time of rising nationalism and xenophobia, this wonderful book highlights the extraordinary achievements of citizen-powered reconciliation between Japan and its former colonies and wartime enemies. The case studies presented in its pages provide inspiring models for others to follow.” And Professor Luke Nottage, Law School, the University of Sydney, said, “This book offers a graphic illustration of the diversity and persistence of civil society groups in Japan pursuing postwar reconciliation… by bringing this work together in an eye-catching and cohesive manner, Dr. Claremont and her rich array of contributors have provided a major service to Japan and the Asia-Pacific community.”

Yasuko Claremont is an honorary senior lecturer in the Department of Japanese Studies at the University of Sydney, where she had taught Japanese literature since 1984 until her retirement in 2016. Her major publications include The Novels of Ôe Kenzaburô (Routledge, 2000). Her interests in social movements brought her to translate into English Yamazaki Funio’s 『病院で死ぬということ』(Dying in a Japanese hospital) (The Japan Times, 1996) and the Hiroshima TV text 『いしぶみ』(Ishibumi: a memorial to the atomic annihilation of 321 students of Hiroshima Middle School) (Poplar Publishing, 2017).

The library committee is offering a cocktail party – "Meet the Author" – starting at 6:15 pm, followed by dinner at 6:45 pm (Menu: TBD). Drinks can be ordered on a cash basis from the bar in the room. Book Break charges are 2,100yen / 3,500yen (members / non-members) per person. The member price is applicable to members’ guests.

To FCCJ members: Sign up now at the reception desk (03-3211-3161) or on the FCCJ website. To help us plan proper seating and food preparation, please reserve in advance, preferably by noon of the day of the event. Those without reservations will be turned away once available seats are filled. Reservations cancelled less than 24 hours in advance will be charged in full.

To non-members: Sign up now at the reception desk by email (front@fccj.or.jp). Please reserve and pay in advance by Wednesday, December 13. Those without reservations will be turned away once available seats are filled. No refund is available unless the event is cancelled for the reasons on our part.

FCCJ Book Breaks:
http://www.fccj.or.jp/events-calendar/book-breaks