The 3rd Joint Academic Forum with the Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics

On October 23, 2025, the 3rd Joint Academic Forum with the Institute of Japanese Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (IJS, CASS) and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) was held at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In attendance were Dean Shinji Yamashige (School of International and Public Policy), Yuko Minami (Director of the Asian Center in China) and faculty members from Hitotsubashi University.

 

CASS and Hitotsubashi University concluded an academic exchange agreement in 1999 and have continued to maintain a primarily academic collaboration, including joint symposiums and reciprocal visits by faculty and staff. SUFE and Hitotsubashi University concluded an academic exchange agreement in 1988 and a student exchange agreement in 2010. They have continued to develop comprehensive and wide-ranging exchanges in many areas, including faculty/staff exchange lectures.

 

To further strengthen the the longstanding exchanges among these three institutions, Hitotsubashi University, IJS, CASS, and SUFE issued a “Memorandum of Understanding on the Cooperation Framework for Holding International Academic Forums” in 2023 and have pledged to continue holding Joint Academic Forums.

 

The general theme of the 3rd Joint Academic Forum was “Development and Balance: Perspectives on Regions, Urban–Rural Areas, and Income Inequality.” Researchers from various institutions discussed income gaps in China and Japan and Japan’s postwar middle-class identity and future outlook. From Hitotsubashi University, Associate Professor Yuko Mori of the Graduate School of Economics, Associate Professor Tsubasa Doi of the Graduate School of Law, and Professor Tetsuya Yamada of the Graduate School of Social Sciences presented lectures and comments.

 

In parallel, Dean Yamashige, Researcher Kun Yan of the IJS CASS (former Secretary), and Professor Xiaochuan Liu of SUFE (former Executive Dean) held a Representative Meeting for further cooperation among the three institutions. The three representatives have agreed to hold the next joint forum at Hitotsubashi University in 2026.

 

Hitotsubashi University will continue to foster cooperation with the IJS CASS and SUFE, two of China’s leading think tanks and universities in the social sciences, by holding Joint Academic Forums with both institutions.