NEWS
2026.07.14
- Study Group
- Research Organization
event
9/25 (Fri) Musashi University The 15th Meeting of the East-West Cultural Fusion History Research Society: 'War and Peace in East and West' will be held.
[Date & Time] September 25, 2026 (Fri) 16:00~18:00
[Format] In-person format, combined with online participation (no technical support for Zoom participation).
Location: Musashi University Professor's Research Building Room 02C
We will notify you of your Zoom ID and other details by email as the event date approaches.
[Online Registration Deadline]
Thursday, September 24, 2026 *Advance registration required
No registration is required for on-site participation. Please come directly to the venue.
Overview
The unified theme of this meeting is "War and Peace in East and West." Using Takeo Hirose, a naval officer who died in the Russo-Japanese War (1904~05) and became Japan's first 'God of War,' as a clue, the film delves into the true nature of the human network built between Japan and Russia on the eve of the war. From 1897 (Meiji 30), Hirose stayed in Saint Petersburg for about five years as a military attaché stationed in Russia, learning Russian while deeply interacting with the local military and aristocratic society. During his stay, he was also known to have interactions with Russian women, showing that he had built a close personal relationship that went beyond mere military reconnaissance. In this report, we carefully interpret primary historical sources, including Hirose's own handwritten materials, to examine what kind of personal exchanges a Japanese soldier made in Russia during a time of major upheaval in the international order at the turn of the century, and how these connections were related to the process of his later deification as a 'war god.' The fact that personal interaction and friendship existed even in an era heading toward war provides important clues when considering the complex relationship between seemingly opposing concepts of "war" and "peace." We will ask commentator Chiharu Inaba, based on his research on naval intelligence activities during the Russo-Japanese War, to share his thoughts on the significance of Hirose's human network. This is a research group widely open to the general public, so please feel free to participate.
Program ※Titles omitted
| 16時00分 |
Opening remarks by Professor Tomoji Odori representative of the research group (Musashi University)
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|---|---|
| 16時05分～16時55分 |
Report: Reona Sasamoto (Musashi University Part-time Lecturer) "People-to-People Exchange Between Japan and Russia and Takeo Hirose: International Networks at the Turn of the Century" |
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break
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| 17時10分～17時30分 |
Comment: Chiharu Inaba (Professor Emeritus, Meijo University)
"From the Perspective of Russo-Japanese War Studies"
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Q&A
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| 18時00分 |
Closing remarks Information on the next regular meeting
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[Recent research by presenters and commentators]
Ms. Reona Sasamoto
"A Gaze on Takeo Hirose: The True Image of the 'God of War' Seen in Handwritten Materials" Seibunsha, 2025
'Picture Postcard from Takeo Hirose' Takeo Hirose 150th Anniversary Festival Project Executive Committee, 2018
Chiharu Inaba
Rethinking the Russo-Japanese War: From the Perspective of Military and Diplomacy (Editor), Seibunsha, 2025
"Capturing the Baltic Fleet: The Russo-Japanese War of the Naval Intelligence Department," Seibunsha, 2016
Applications and inquiries
Research group members and university affiliates do not need to apply in advance. Those from outside the university who wish to participate online must apply in advance. Please fill out the form below and press the "Submit" button.
Application deadline: Thursday, September 24
[Responsible person] Shino Kobayashi (Research Assistant, Institute for Comprehensive Research, University of Tokyo)
[Secretariat] Research Support Division Management Department Musashi University
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