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Japanese Studies: Japan specialists

Free Electronic resources for the Study of Japan

Experts & Scholars

AccessAsia Specialist Database 
Searchable database of experts on contemporary Asia. Includes contact information, areas of specialty, CV summary, languages of proficiency, and list of publications. In addition to the specialist database, the website features links to other research organizations, a discussion forum, and an electronic version of AccessAsia Review.

AsiaExperts Specialist Database 
AsiaSource collaborates with The National Bureau of Asian Research to maintain a free online resource of information on the world's leading Asia specialists. The AsiaExperts database provides access to information on specialists in Asian culture, arts, history, and society, while NBR's AccessAsia project (above) provides access to information on specialists on contemporary Asian affairs and policy-relevant issues.

Directory of Japanese Studies in the United States and Canada
Sponsored by the Japan Foundation and compiled by Patricia Steinhoff.  See also earlier print directories for information on retired specialists and early careers of current scholars: 2006, 1995, 1988

Kaken Database 科学研究費補助金データベース
Kaken (short for Kagaku kenkyū hihojokin detabesu) contains data on grants issued by the Japanese government for research in Japan. Searchable by keyword, name of researcher, research topic, research summary, etc. Its focus is on research conducted by Japanese people, supported by Japanese grants, and performed in Japan. The database built through the cooperation of the National Institute of Informatics (NII), the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan. The searchable database contains data on grants issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the JSPS, data results from research, and summaries of research. The primary aim is to collect and make widely accessible the most up-to-date information on research conducted in Japan.

On the Record: Re Japan 
Lists Japanese Studies specialists in the US and Japan who cover the spectrum of specializations and points of view and who can be interviewed by the US or Japanese media on various aspects of the bilateral relationship. Prepared by CULCON, US-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange.

Directories for Japanese Studies

Published by the Japan Foundation, these provide detailed information on faculty interests and backgrounds, as well as Japanese studies programs, library collections and institutes on campus.  Their deficits are that they rapidly become out-of-date and that they depend on faculty filling out questionnaires. While their response rate is excellent, they are not comprehensive.