معرفی
Koichi Okamoto serves as Professor at Waseda University's School of International Liberal Studies within the Faculty of International Research and Education, specializing in modern Japanese historical analysis with transnational perspectives.
Education:
- Doctor of Philosophy (History), Columbia University
- Master of Philosophy (History), Columbia University
- Master of Arts, Waseda University
Research Focus: Professor Okamoto's scholarship critically examines Japanese colonialism through comparative frameworks with American imperial practices, particularly analyzing constitutional foundations of colonial administration in Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines. His work interrogates historical memory construction regarding wartime responsibility while exploring intellectual currents in modern East Asian history. Methodologically, he bridges diplomatic history with cultural studies to deconstruct national narratives of modernity.
Publication Trends: Recent articles demonstrate consistent engagement with constitutional dimensions of empire, revealing how legal frameworks enabled colonial governance while generating resistance. His comparative approach identifies parallels between Japanese and American colonial ideologies, particularly regarding 'benevolent assimilation' rhetoric. A distinctive thread connects intellectual history with material practices of governance across his work on territorial disputes, military integration, and cultural transformation.
Research Leadership: Principal investigator for major Japan Society for the Promotion of Science projects including:
- Studies of East Asian Community with Reference to the Legacy of Empires (2006-2009): Produced three-volume series Ajiagaku no susume and Japan-Korea historical recognition bulletins
- Comparative Study on Japanese and American Colonial Policies (2003-2006): Resulted in book manuscript analyzing constitutionalism in colonial bureaucracy
- Ongoing Philippines-focused projects examining National Guard formation during WWI as nexus of colonial autonomy movements
