
Research
Japan as an island country in a transforming Asia offers a rich field for research into the increasingly globalising world and society. Building on the success of the academic-led, interdisciplinary UCD Japan Group (since June 2016), the Centre (established in April 2020) will continue offering an innovative cross-disciplinary research-driven model, supporting the research into a unique culture and society.
The following three overarching research themes will be the focus of JaSt in the coming years.
Spots

Centre Members
Staff Members of the Centre are:
- Director: Assoc. Prof. Naonori Kodate (Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice)
- Deputy Director: Assoc. Prof. Emma Sokell (Physics)
- Prof. Brian Caulfield (Director, the Insight Centre for Data Analytics / Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science)
- Assist. Prof. Declan Downey (History)
- Prof. Mary Gallagher (Languages, Cultures and Linguistics)
- Prof. Stephen Gordon (Veterinary Medicine)
- Nobuko Ijichi (Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice / Applied Language Centre)
- Assist. Prof. Pablo Lucas (Sociology)
- Assoc. Prof. Hasheem Mannan (Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems)
- Adjunct Prof. John Neary (Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice / former Ambassador of Ireland to Japan)
- Assist. Prof. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Mr Yusuke Suzuki (Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA))
- Prof. Iwao Osaka (Visiting Professor, Komazawa University Institute for Journalism and Policy Studies)
- Research Affiliate: Hayanon (Hayanon Science Manga Studio, Japan)
- Researcher: Yurie Maeda (School of Business, Technological University Dublin)
Advisory Board Members are:
- Prof. Niamh Brennan (School of Business / Director, UCD Centre for Corporate Governance)
- Prof. Hugh Campbell (School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy)
- Prof. Joe Carthy (College Principal, College Of Science)
- Prof. Niamh Hardiman (School of Politics and International Relations)
- Prof. Margaret Kelleher (School of English, Drama and Film)
- Prof. Suzie Jarvis (Director, UCD Innovation Academy)
- Prof. Eilish McAuliffe (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems / Director, UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems)
- Prof. Brian O’Connor (School of Philosophy)
- Dr Diarmuid O’Shea (St Vincent’s University Hospital)
External Academic Advisors are:
- Prof. Christina Davis (International Relations & Japanese Politics, Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at the Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University)
- Prof. Toshiko Ellis (Dean, School of World Liberal Arts, Nagoya University of Foreign Studies & Professor Emerita, The Univiersity of Tokyo)
- Prof. Benjamin Ng (Japanese Studies, Head of Japanese Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong)
- Prof. Aaron Moore (Director of Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh)
- Prof. Kiri Paramore (Director, Irish Institute of Japanese Studies, University College Cork, National University of Ireland)
- Prof. Yoshiro Azuma (Physics, Department of Materials and Life Science, Sophia University, Tokyo)