Dear Friends:
In the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS), you are cordially invited to join us in our year-long festivities to become a part of CJS's efforts to promote the further development of Japanese Studies at UC Berkeley.
Founded in 1868, the same year that the Meiji Restoration signaled Japan's emergence as a modern nation, UC Berkeley has always understood its mission to be linked to the study of the Pacific Rim. As Japan grew in global prominence, the university developed from a regional learning outpost into one of the finest public universities in the world.
In the 1950s, shifting cultural and geo-political realities made clear the need for the study of Japan across the social science and humanities disciplines. This led to the birth of the Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) in 1958. Berkeley's historical and ongoing dedication to the study of Japan, along with its encouragement of broadly interdisciplinary research, have made CJS an ideal place through which to study Japan's social, cultural, and economic impact on the global stage.
2008 marks a critical moment for CJS as we celebrate our accomplishments over the past fifty years and plan to ensure the continued development of Japanese Studies at UC Berkeley throughout the twenty-first century. In addition to the May 17th Cal Japan Day events, other anniversary events will include the awarding of the first Berkeley Japan Prize this October to internationally-acclaimed novelist Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Kakfa on the Shore), a symposium featuring Sadako Ogata (class of '63), former UN High Commissioner for Refugees and President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and a talk featuring internationally acclaimed architect Toyo Ito, who is designing the new BAM/PFA visual arts center.
We will bring these and other Japanese public intellectuals and artists to UC Berkeley over the coming year. Together, we want to celebrate this important anniversary and demonstrate the continued significance of Japan as East Asia rises further in prominence over the course of this century. CJS asks that you help us build our endowment in order to maintain our mission as a premier site of Japanese Studies, to develop our strengths, and to ensure that Japanese Studies continues to be accorded the full attention that it merits.
There are many ways to participate, and all levels of contribution are welcome. A few examples of how you can support this important institute and ensure its longevity include: Donations to the Center's Endowment; Gifts for Endowed Chairs and Professorships; and Naming Opportunities for Student Fellowships. Please feel free to contact CJS if you wish to make a donation. I look forward to seeing you at some of the many events we will host over the coming year and beyond.
Duncan Ryuken Williams
Chair