Japanese geographers and their studies on the Third World after the Second World War: A critical review

Abstract

This paper critically reviews Japanese geographers' contribution to Third World research in the postwar period. The author highlights the discrepancies between the geographers studying the Third World and geographical circles within Japan. In the pioneering period (pre mid-1960s) some active Japanese geographers independently commenced their work on the Third World without much institutional support. They established their own style of research mainly depending on participatory observation methods. In the following period (mid-1960s to 1970s), some large scale research projects were organized by major geographical departments in Japan. The University of Tsukuba's research project on Northeastern Brazil and Hiroshima University's research project on rural India are the two major ones. These research projects consisted of both physical and human geographers and adopted more extensive research methods. Since the 1980s, much more interdisciplinary research has been organized and an increasing number of younger geographers entered Third World studies. However, there has not yet been much interaction between these geographers studying the Third World and other mainstream geographers in order to innovate research methodology and epistemology of the discipline. It should be the crucial task for contemporary geographical research in Japan.