Rethinking Japanese Society from a Central Asian Perspective: Food, Culture, and Regional Challenges

In this program, students from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan work together with Japanese students to examine Japanese society from a Central Asian perspective. In the first half of the program, participants deepen their understanding of each other’s societies and values through exchanges centered on culture, food, and language. In the second half, using Fukushima Prefecture as a field site, they explore themes that are also relevant in Central Asia, such as earthquakes, disaster prevention, and regional recovery. Through this fieldwork, students collaboratively study the challenges faced by local communities in Japan and propose possible solutions.