Modern Japan in the context of its historical development is the object of teaching and research in Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, particular attention being given to language training. Japanese Studies deals with the issues, techniques, methods, and theories specific to the study of Japan, and with the history of the subject.

Japanese Studies is an interdisciplinary approach which not only applies theories from non-regional disciplines to the study of Japan, but also brings questions arising from the study of modern Japan into debates in other disciplines. Courses aim to teach students how to deal on a solid linguistic and methodological basis with themes related to Japan.

Japanese Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin offers two fields of specialization

Culture and History of Modern Japan

Professor: Prof. Dr. Urs Matthias Zachmann

Politics and Economics of Japan

Professor: Prof. Dr. Verena Blechinger-Talcott

Fields of Research

• Modern and Contemporary Literature

• Theory and History of Literature

• Cultural Studies

• Linguistics and Language Teaching

• Comparative Politics

• Political Economy

• Society

• Government-Business Relations

• Japanese History of the 19th and 20th Century