Official Opening Remarks

Professor Chiharu NAKAMURA, Executive Vice President, Kobe University

Introduction; Kobe–Oxford Japanology Program

Professor, Junko NAGANO, Head of the Program, Kobe University

Key Note "On Recent Trends in Japanese Studies"

Professor Roger Goodman, Oxford University

Discussion Papers

On the Relation between Recent Japanese Studies and Japanese Popular Culture

Professor Kiyomitsu YUI, Kobe University, Head, Japan Sub-Culture Studies Office

Japanese Studies and European Manga Network

Dr. Jean-Marie Bouissou, Sciences Po., and the Head, European Manga Network

Manga Studies in Belgium and Visual Language

Dr. Pascal Lefèvre, specialist of visual languages and history of comics

Animation Studies in Europe and Sociology

Dr. Marco Pellitteri

Japanese Animation and Robot

Dr. Cosima Wagner, Frankfurt University

Comparative Study in Popular Cultures in Germany and Japan

Dr. Julia Siep, Dusseldorf University

Gender and Sub-Cultures: On Cases of Japan and Asia

Dr. Nanako HAYAMI, Kobe University