Academic and Professional Background

More details about my academic and professional background and publications are available at the ICU Researchers Information System.

Stephen R. Nagy Download

What brought me to Japan

My fascination with Japan began at a young age when I watched Shogun, which opened the door to a different culture, language, and way of thinking. As a young man, arriving in Japan for the first time in 1991 just after the release of Blade Runner, I was struck by the country’s coexistence of modernity and tradition.

Shogun is a great example of Japan-US collaborative power. It’s a symbol of the depth and friendship of the US-Japan alliance.

During my time in Tokyo and my ski experiences in Akita and Tazawako, I was struck by the contrast between the vast nature and ancient traditions of the countryside and the bustling, ultra-modern Tokyo with its bullet trains and skyscrapers. It’s just how I fell in love with Japan.

During my undergraduate studies, I took a course on contemporary Chinese politics and economics, which included a three-month stint in China, with a stopover in Japan. This experience in the early 1990s made me realize the growing importance of the Indo-Pacific region, especially the influence of Japan, China, Korea, and Southeast Asian economies on global politics and diplomacy. This realization drove me to immerse myself in the region – studying, learning the languages, earning a degree, and working there to understand the cultural, political, and economic dynamics.

Interestingly, while there are many experts on China and Japan, there aren’t many who specialize in both. My appreciation for these two Asian superpowers, which are geographically close yet very different, grew through my experiences in both countries.

Japan, after emerging from the Edo period’s seclusion, modernized rapidly by adopting Western technologies, leading to its imperial period, which included the invasion of China and the Asia-Pacific War. This period ended tragically with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as the Tokyo firebombings. Yet, Japan managed to resurrect and reinvent itself, hosting the Summer Olympics in 1964 – a truly remarkable story.

China’s transformation is equally fascinating. When I first visited in 1992 or 1993, there were no private vehicles, few buildings taller than three or four stories, and food was still rationed with coupons. Today, China is a completely different place, with bullet trains and mega first-tier cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing, and Guangzhou that rival Osaka, Tokyo, or Seoul in modernity.

The development and transformation of these East Asian countries into modern societies are stories of resilience and innovation. Although they have become modern in distinct ways, their histories are deeply intertwined through war, cooperation, and now rivalry. It’s a story that I want to be part of.