ritsumeikan university phd

Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (Doctoral) | APU Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

• Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies (Doctoral)
• Graduate Academics

DOCTORAL PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The developing world is in great need of internationally-minded individuals possessing specialized knowledge and skills. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly common for international aid organizations to enlist the professional guidance of doctoral graduates. The doctoral program aims to produce independent individuals capable of conducting high-level research. This involves gaining expertise in theoretical and empirical approaches for investigation, acquiring in-depth knowledge of the Asia Pacific region, collecting and analyzing data, and drawing practical solutions for complicated issues in a comprehensive and integrative manner. Alumni of this program become distinguished leaders and take on prominent roles in advanced institutions for research and higher education around the world.

Asia Pacific Studies

*Accelerated completion in 2 years may be possible upon further examination after enrollment. The total tuition for the program will not change even if you complete your degree before the standard period of completion

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

*Current as of the 2022 academic year.

FACULTY AND THEIR RESEARCH FIELDS

BUI Thanh Huong

Human Geography, Social Psychology, Tourism Management and Development, Sustainability and Resilience

GHOTBI Nader

Public Health and Epidemiology, Health Economics, Environmental Economics, Ethics and Philosophy, Bioethics

Urban Ecology, Material Metabolism, Low-carbon City/Transport, Livable City, Circular Economy, Ecosystem Services, GIS and Remote Sensing

IGUCHI Yufu

Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, Southeast Asian Studies (Malaysian Studies), Intellectual History

JONES Thomas Edward

Environmental Policy, Nature-Based Tourism, Protected Areas, Regional Development

KASEDA Yoshinori

Politics, International Relations

KIKKAWA Takuro

Politics, Area Studies, International Relations

Theoretical Economics, Econometrics, Applied Economics, Economic Policy

KIMURA Rikio

Social Welfare and Social Work Studies, Area Studies, Sociology of Education, Education

Environmental Policy, City Planning, Regional Planning, Traffic Engineering, Social System Engineering

MANTELLO Peter A.

Artificial Intelligence, Chatbots, Human-Machine Relations, Emotional AI, Malicious AI, Surveillance Systems, Predictive Policing, Videogame Theory, Conflict Media

MEIRMANOV Serik

General Life Science, Social Psychology, Human Genetics, Human Pathology, Public Hygiene Studies/Health Science

NATSUDA Kaoru

International Development Studies, International Political Economy, Economic Policy, Industrial Development, Rural and Community Development, Automotive Industry, Apparel Industry

OTSUKA Kozo

Applied Economics

PISHVA Davar

Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs), Simulation and Modeling (SaM), Decision Science (DS)

SATO Yoichiro

SUZUKI Yasushi

Doctoral supervision available only for students that have completed their master's thesis under the professor's supervision

TODOROKI Hiroshi

Geography, Area Studies, Human Geography

VAFADARI M. Kazem

Cultural Heritage Management, Ecotourism, Agriculture Heritage Tourism, Community Based Tourism and Rural Tourism

YAMAGATA Tatsufumi

Development Economics, Textile Industry, Bangladeshi Economy, Health and Development, Disability and Development

YAMASHITA Hiromi

Environmental Sociology, Environmental Communication, Public Participation in Decision Making, Coastal Wetlands Restoration Projects, Ramsar Convention and Local Implementation

YOSHIDA Kaori

Media Studies (Representation Politics: Gender, Ethnicity, Nation), Cultural Studies, Popular Culture, Comparative Culture Studies

YOSHIMATSU Hidetaka

International Relations, International Political Economy, Regional Studies (East Asia)

YOTSUMOTO Yukio

Sociology, Tourism

LE Hoang Anh Thu

Cultural Anthropology, Folklore Studies

ROTHMAN Steven B.

International Relations Theory, International Policy Making, International Environmental Policy, Subject Pedagogy

Information Network, Web Informatics, Service Informatics, Management, Commerce

Area Studies (East Asia), Area Studies (European Union), Politics, International Relations, Political Economy

YAMAURA Koichi

Food and Agricultural Economics, Environmental Economics

YOUN Seung Ho

Tourism Studies, Social Psychology

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

Completion of the doctoral program requires fulfillment of doctoral coursework in addition to submission and approval of a final dissertation. The dissertation should integrate the results of in-depth investigation into Asia Pacific issues and incorporate individual findings that outline strategic, policy-oriented, and practical solutions to issues arising from current developments in the region. APU provides support for doctoral students conducting field research for their dissertations. Research supervision can be provided in areas such as diversity and integration, environment and development, international political economy, and tourism development.

PH.D. CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

Dr. Cindy Lyn Banyai (USA, Graduated in 2010)

US Congressional Candidate, Founder and Principal of Banyai Evaluation & Consulting, LLC, and Adjunct Faculty, Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Florida Gulf Coast University, USA

“Getting my doctorate at APU allowed me to conduct field work both within Japan and throughout Southeast Asia. This research that culminated in my dissertation also lead to additional peer-reviewed publications and my own book. I was fortunate to also work with my supervisor on JICA international development projects, which gave me practical skills in training, evaluation, and program design needed for my career. This experience helped me learn about emergent leadership and gain the global perspective necessary to start my own evaluation and organization development consultancy and contribute to the global community as the representative to the UN for the International Association for Community Development.”

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Ritsumeikan University

Graduate school of international relations.

Annual Enrollment:

total 206 students (MA & PhD), including 48 students entering in April 2024

% International:

Employment sectors:

International corporate enterprises, media companies, think tanks, international authority agencies, national government institutions

Degrees offered:

MA (Master of Arts in International Relations), Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Info here  

Fostering Global Citizenship from Kyoto

The Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) at Ritsumeikan University was established in 1992, and now has a history reaching back quarter of a century. GSIR is proud of being the only full member of APSIA (Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) in Japan, and challenges to establish an international academic forum where international students gather and exchange view and idea for global networking.

The past 30 years have seen many major global changes since the Cold War has ended, liberalized, market-based economies have progressed, and technological innovation led by ICT has had a profound impact on our economy and the daily lives of people in both developed and developing countries. This liberalized and globalized society has amplified the effects of pressing issues like income disparity and poverty, financial crises, environmental degradation, terrorism and conflict, immigration and refugees; these issues which remain challenges yet to be tackled by the international community.

At the UN Summit in 2015, the global community agreed the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The international community thereby committed itself to building a sustainable society. Any solution to these global issues requires a multifaceted approach beyond the individual academic disciplines of International Politics, Economics, Law, Culture and Sociology. This interdisciplinary approach is embodied in the study of International Relations, which is the most relevant field of study to the needs of today’s society. Our mission at GSIR is to educate self-reliant human beings who will tackle global issues based on a sound foundation of professional knowledge.

We provide thoughtful, personalized guidance and in-depth education through a diverse set of program options with pursuing a Dual Master Degree Program (DMDP) with related overseas graduate schools, and internship programs and field study. Thus we promise to respond to individual students’ learning objectives and to do our utmost to satisfy them. GSIR looks forward to receiving applications from enthusiastic students, and to having an opportunity of sharing our enthusiasm, knowledge and experience.

To receive information directly from the Admissions Department,  click here .

Technology’s Impact on International Relations

Dean Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto Japan 

How is the role of technology in geopolitics and international affairs changing?  

Looking back in history, the steam engine developed by James Watt in 1769 not only revolutionized the power of machines but also revolutionized locomotion when applied to steamships and steam locomotives. The invention of textile machinery, such as the flying shuttle invented by John Kay in 1940, revolutionized production. These inventions brought about a dramatic change in the international position of Britain. Technological innovations in chemistry, electricity, petroleum, and iron and steel since the 1870s have greatly contributed to the development of the United States and Germany and subsequent changes in international relations. Nuclear development was crucial to relations between the two great powers during the Cold War. 

Even today, semiconductor technology has decisive significance in the security and economic relations between the United States and China and is the focus of the United States’ decoupling/derisking policy. 

At the Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR), guidance is provided so that students can consider the meaning of these technologies in international relations while comprehensively clarifying international relations from political, economic, and cultural perspectives. This includes, for example, the implications of things such as the development of dual-use technology for U.S. security policy, agricultural technology development in sub-Saharan Africa on food security, and nuclear development in North Korea on relations with the United States. 

How does GSIR best prepare a student to be adaptable in a fast-changing global environment?  

Our curriculum offers four clusters of programs in global international relations. These clusters are global governance, sustainable development, culture, society, and media, and global Japanese studies. They are aimed at students with diverse backgrounds and interests from over thirty-two countries, some of whom are working policymakers from overseas, sponsored by their governments, or on scholarship programs from the Japanese government. The courses are provided by scholars and practitioners, including experienced external lecturers such as diplomats, economists, journalists, managers of nongovernmental organizations, and entrepreneurs from the private sector.  

Our curriculum gives students opportunities to promote their understanding of what is happening in the real world and encourages them to find clues to address global issues. We also offer more practical courses, such as professional training that provides hands-on experience in international development in Asia and beyond, from practitioners who have experience working for national, regional, and international organizations. The global Japanese studies cluster encourages students to learn from the experiences of Japan and other Asian countries, developing alternative and critical insights into global affairs beyond Western paradigms. Furthermore, GSIR has been strengthening the double master’s degree program, which offers qualified students an opportunity to study at overseas partner universities and research institutes in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Asian and European nations. Through this program, students can earn two master’s degrees in as short as two years. This program prepares them to work in a rapidly changing world. We continue to update our program to maintain relevance to the changing needs of professional schools in international relations. 

Navigating Risk in Historical Turning Point

Associate Dean, the Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto Japan

What skills are needed to help students prepare to manage crises and global risk over time?

My short answer: to establish theoretical foundation with reference to the history. We are witnessing historical events in times of uncertainty. The unpredictable outbreak of the pandemic has had significant implications to the global economy and the expansionary fiscal/monetary policies in 2020 and beyond to address rapidly shrinking economic activities. While economists were ringing the alarm prior to the subsequent and “unprecedented” inflation, financial authorities appeared to be too optimistic about the abatement. The risk of inflation was, in other words, predictable—and would have been manageable, as it is a matter of probability.

We are also seeing the development of a new issue of economic security. Disruptions to global value chains due to the pandemic have reinforced calls for higher level of self-sufficiency and reshoring of production. In Asia, the risk of concentration of high-tech production in a single country has emerged as a security issue in association with the ongoing war in Ukraine and the confrontation between groups of countries.

There are diverse, often contradicting, discourses to explain these situations. To avoid misinterpretation of events and to make correct decisions, I believe it is beneficial for students to build a solid academic framework of reference.

What does GSIR offer to students seeking skills in times of historical changes?

Our new curriculum, launched in 2021, offers four clusters of programs in global international relations—global governance, sustainable development, culture, society, and media, and global Japanese studies—for students with diverse backgrounds and interests from over thirty-two countries, some of whom are working policymakers from overseas, sponsored by their own governments or by scholarship programs from the Japanese government.

The courses are provided by a range of scholars and practitioners, including experienced external lecturers, such as diplomats, economists, journalists, managers of nongovernmental organizations, and entrepreneurs from private sectors. This gives students opportunities to promote their understanding of what is really happening in the real world as well as encourages them to find clues to address global issues. We also offer more practical courses, such as professional training that provides hands-on training in international development in Asia and beyond, from practitioners who have experience working for national, regional, and international organizations. The global Japanese studies cluster encourages students to learn from the experiences of Japan and other Asian countries, developing alternative and critical insights into global affairs beyond the Western paradigms.

Furthermore, GSIR has been strengthening the dual master’s degree program, which offers qualified students an opportunity to study at overseas partner universities and research institutes in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Asian and European nations. Through this program, students are able to earn two master’s degrees in as short as two years. This program improves students’ ability to respond to different situations and prepares them to work around the rapidly changing world. We continue to update our program to maintain relevance to the changing needs for professional school in international relations.

Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders From the Ancient Capital Kyoto

The Graduate School of International Relations at Ritsumeikan University (GSIR) is located in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Kyoto not only has a considerable number of world-class historical sites but is also home to more than thirty higher educational institutions. Students have the advantage to pursue their own study and research in a unique environment where tradition and innovation co-exist in harmony. 

How are you preparing students to adapt to a rapidly changing world? 

In 2020, only a handful of our students from abroad could enter Japan due to the pandemic. To cope with the ever-changing situation, GSIR delivered classes combining online conference, on-demand, and in-person classes. The pandemic has cast questions over the existing framework of university and research institutions, urging us to reconsider the significance and our role. This led us to launch a new curriculum that we had been working on for several years, which has a strong focus on classes conducted in English. 

Within the English-based program, GSIR offers four newly established clusters: ‘Global Governance’, ‘Sustainable Development’, ‘Culture, Society and Media’ and ‘Global Japanese Studies’. These clusters cover broad academic disciplines, such as politics, economics, sociology, and cultural studies. Our highly qualified academic team with extensive experience in their fields of expertise conduct the various cutting-edge courses. As our graduate school has been admitting more students not only from Asia but also from Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America year by year, students can immerse themselves in a culturally and ethnically diverse environment, where they learn from each other on a daily basis. 

What does GSIR offer to students who are seeking advantages for their careers? 

In addition to providing ways for upgrading academic knowledge and skills through the programs, GSIR invites experienced external lecturers, such as diplomats, economists, journalists, managers of nongovernmental organizations, and entrepreneurs from private sectors. This gives students opportunities to promote their understanding of what is really happening in Japan and in the world as well as encourages them to find clues to address global issues. Moreover, we are preparing various off-campus academic and practical training opportunities in Japan, which will also help students realize how the Japanese political and economic system are operating in both public and private sectors.  

Furthermore, GSIR has been in the process of strengthening the dual master’s degree program, which offers qualified students an opportunity to study at overseas partner universities and research institutes in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and in various Asian and European nations. Through this program, students are able to earn two master’s degrees in as short as two years. 

Our alumni are engaged in professions in the fields of international organizations, public and private sectors, civil society groups, and research and educational institutions. GSIR is ready to offer committed students every opportunity to acquire high level of knowledge and skills for their future careers. 

Temple University, Japan Campus Unveils Key Appointments for New Kyoto Location

Image of TUJ Kyoto’s Diamond Hall which will open in January 2025.

The Japan campus of Temple University (TUJ) has unveiled key appointments for its new Kyoto location set to open in January 2025. These appointments reflect TUJ’s strong commitment to addressing student needs across Japan and solidifying its position as a leading international academic institution beyond Tokyo. To elevate the student experience, the university has selected two experienced leaders with deep academic backgrounds and strong ties to Kyoto and the Kansai region in western Japan.

Katsumi Kishida, Executive Director of TUJ Kyoto

Kishida has over 15 years of experience in international education, providing strategic vision, leadership, and crisis management. She is an expert in international student mobility and has held multiple leadership positions with NAFSA : Association of International Educators. Prior to TUJ, she was the director of international student services at Seton Hall University in New Jersey (U.S.A.), managing a team and overseeing international student programs including education abroad institutional partnerships. She also served as the associate director of international programs at Kean University and held roles at Rutgers University as the assistant director of programming and international student adviser. Kishida holds a master of arts in international education development with a concentration in international education policy from Columbia University and a bachelor of arts in international relations, international cooperation, and development from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto.

Yoneyuki Sugita, Executive Director of Strategic Relationships

Sugita is a seasoned scholar with extensive academic experience in English, Japanese studies, and U.S.-Japan relations. He has previously served as a senior trade policy adviser at the British Embassy in Japan. He was a professor at Osaka University and Osaka University of Foreign Studies and also taught courses at other Japanese universities, including Doshisha University, Ritsumeikan University, Kansai University, Kobe University and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. Sugita holds a doctoral degree in U.S. history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in diplomatic history from Hitotsubashi University.

Building on these appointments, Assistant Dean William Swinton will oversee a new Master of Science degree in Communication Management in Kyoto, starting in August 2025. This hybrid master’s degree, tailored for entry and mid-level professionals, can be completed in one year. TUJ will blend Temple University’s prestigious Klein College of Media and Communication with the vibrant culture of Japan in Kyoto to offer this unique program.

TUJ Kyoto will enable new undergraduate students to commence their university studies in the Kansai region. It will also welcome all TUJ undergraduate students from the Tokyo campus and visiting students from abroad who wish to study in Kyoto for a semester or two. In close collaboration with TUJ in Tokyo and Temple’s main campus in Philadelphia, TUJ Kyoto will help fulfill Temple’s truly international mission of equipping students to thrive in an interconnected world through innovative teaching, exceptional care, and rewarding opportunities in a multicultural setting. It will also strengthen Temple University’s presence in the Kansai region by cultivating new partnerships with educational institutions, businesses, local governments and other key stakeholders. For over 40 years, TUJ has excelled in building bridges between cultures and advancing the globalization of higher education in Japan. TUJ is the largest and longest-running branch campus of a foreign university in Japan and currently hosts students from 70 different countries. The Japan campus is the flagship Asian operation of Temple University in Pennsylvania, a leading public university with more than 360,000 living alumni worldwide. At TUJ, undergraduate enrollment reached a record high of nearly 2,250 students in the spring 2024 semester. In addition to the undergraduate and graduate school programs, the university also offers non-degree programs such as Continuing Education, Corporate Education and the Academic English Program to nearly 2,000 learners on an annual basis to serve a wide range of local community needs. TUJ was recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and was officially designated as a Foreign University Branch in 2005.

Other related stories

• Temple University Japan Names Dr. May-yi Shaw as Chief of Staff to Drive Global Education Initiatives (April 26, 2024)
• Temple University, Japan Campus Makes History with Expansion into Kyoto (February 26, 2024)
• Temple University Japan Boosts Number of Full-Time Faculty Members by Over 75% Since 2022 (February 8, 2024)

State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR

The State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR , also known as the Vector Institute , is a highly sophisticated biological research center in Koltsovo, Novosibirsk Oblast, Russia. It is roughly analogous to both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command. It has research facilities and capabilities for all levels of Biological Hazard, CDC Levels 1-4. It is one of two official repositories for the now-eradicated smallpox virus, and is part of the system of laboratories known as the Biopreparat.

Recently the facility has been upgraded and secured using the most modern cameras, motion sensors, fences, and biohazard containment systems. Its relative seclusion make security an easier task. Since its inception there has been an elite army regiment guarding the facility.

The facility has, at least until Soviet times, been a nexus for biological warfare research, though the nature of any ongoing research in this area is uncertain. Many of the researchers at the institution are courted by other research institutions around the globe.

External links

• Globalsecurity.org
• CDC Website
• State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR homepage (English & Russian)

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• Research institutes in Russia

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Curriculum (Master's Program)

We are living in a connected world which faces a growing number of global issues; these are issues that no single state can cope with alone. The global pandemic, climate change, refugees and migration, terrorism, and natural disaster are all global issues that require dialogue and close cooperation between various national and international actors. Our Master of International Relations degree is designed to train future leaders, who are equipped with the skills and expertise to address pressing global challenges which cut across politics, economic development, culture, and society.

Courses offered in Japanese / Courses offered in English

GSIR offers Japanese-based and English-based programs.

* Admitted students are affiliated only with their program and not with any particular cluster. * Students may take courses from any cluster. * Not all courses are offered every year. Please confirm the exact information at the orientation after enrollment.

• International Relations Program (Japanese-Based Program)
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Sustainable Development Cluster

Culture, society and media cluster.

• Global International Relations Program (English-Based Program)

Global Governance Cluster

Global japanese studies cluster.

Designed to give students the opportunity to learn a variety of theoretical and practical approaches to understanding international politics, comparative politics, international laws, and peace and security studies. Students will learn about international policymaking and will be expected to develop their own policy visions aimed at promoting global peace and prosperity.

Designed to assist students in gaining a well-rounded academic knowledge which draws from disciplines such as international cooperation, economic theories, and economics. Students also develop practical skills in policy development and evaluation, which will assist them in contributing to sustainable development and prosperity in the developed and developing parts of the world.

Designed to provide students with a theoretical understanding of cultural and social studies and key concepts in media and cultural studies. Students gain a well-balanced and systematic knowledge of a wide range of global cultural and social issues concerning ethnicity, race, migration, as well as popular culture and media and cultural industries, and public diplomacy.

Designed to allow students with a particular interest in Japan to take courses which will not only strengthen their knowledge of Japan and its international relations but also expand their horizons by offering a variety of perspectives including Global Governance, Economics and Sustainable Development, and Culture, Society and Media. This cluster will both provide foundational and advanced knowledge of Japan's international outlook, and how the rest of the world has viewed Japan.

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We have an unique curriculum that allows students to take courses offered in the other program too.

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About this research

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Video gaming improves mental well-being, landmark study finds

Innovative research from japan challenges negative perceptions, revealing the psychological benefits of video gaming.

A pioneering study titled “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” published in Nature Human Behaviour, has conducted the most comprehensive investigation to date on the causal relationship between video gaming and mental well-being. This research, the first to demonstrate this relationship using real-life data, challenges commonly held views about the effects of gaming.

Key Findings:

• Analysis of 97,602 survey responses from Japanese residents aged 10 to 69 during the COVID-19 period
• Game console ownership, along with increased gameplay, significantly improved mental well-being
• Machine learning analysis revealed that different consoles had varying impacts: PlayStation 5 showed smaller benefits for adolescents and females, while Nintendo Switch demonstrated larger benefits for adolescents

The study found substantial improvements in mental well-being: owning a Nintendo Switch improved mental health by 0.60 standard deviations, while owning a PlayStation 5 improved it by 0.12 standard deviations. Additionally, PlayStation 5 ownership increased life satisfaction by 0.23 standard deviations.

The research team, comprising experts from Osaka University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Takasaki City University of Economics, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, and Nihon University, utilized a unique natural experimental design. By analyzing data from game console lotteries during COVID-19 supply shortages, they established a causal link between gaming and improved mental health.

Statements from the Research Team:

“Our findings challenge common stereotypes about gaming being harmful or merely providing temporary euphoria,” said lead author Hiroyuki Egami, PhD., Assistant Professor at Nihon University. “We’ve shown that gaming can improve mental health and life satisfaction across a broad spectrum of individuals.”

Egami further explained, “Many earlier studies drew conclusions from correlational analysis with observational data, which can’t distinguish between cause and effect. Our natural experimental design allows us to confidently say that gaming actually leads to improved well-being, rather than just being associated with it.”

Md. Shafiur Rahman, PhD., Senior Assistant Professor at Hamamatsu University School of Medicine and second author of the study added: “As an epidemiologist, I’ve often seen concerns about gaming’s negative impacts. However, this study’s robust methodology challenges those preconceptions. It highlights the need for a more nuanced approach in studying digital media’s effects on health.”

Notably, the study found that while the PlayStation 5 offered relatively smaller psychological benefits for children, the Nintendo Switch provided larger psychological benefits. These findings question the stereotype that games are universally harmful to children and emphasize the importance of considering the multifaceted nature of gaming, including platforms, genres, and playing styles, in research and policymaking.

While the data for this study was collected during the COVID-19 period, the authors note the importance of future research to verify these results in different contexts. Nonetheless, the study’s robust methodology provides compelling evidence for the causal relationship between video gaming and improved mental well-being.

This impactful research provides crucial evidence for policymakers and international organizations like WHO and UNICEF to develop more nuanced approaches to digital media consumption. It also paves the way for future research into personalized gaming experiences that could enhance well-being.

The full paper can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01948-y

Contact information:

For more information, please contact:

Hiroyuki Egami, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Research Institute of Economic Science, Nihon University. Email: [email protected]

Md. Shafiur Rahman, Ph.D. Senior Assistant Professor, Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine. United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui. Email: [email protected]

Takahisa Wakabayashi, Associate Professor, Faculty of Regional Policy, Takasaki City University of Economics. Email: [email protected]

Publishing Journal:

Nature Human Behaviour

Paper Title:

Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022

Hiroyuki Egami 1 , 2* ; Md. Shafiur Rahman 3 , 4 ; Tsuyoshi Yamamoto 5 ; Chihiro Egami; Takahisa Wakabayashi 6

1 Research Institute of Economic Science, Nihon University

2 Ritsumeikan Center for Game Studies, Ritsumeikan University 3 Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine

4 United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University, and University of Fukui 5 Department of Policy Studies, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies 6 Faculty of Regional Policy, Takasaki City University of Economics

Video Gaming—A Path to Improved Mental Well-Being. Study reveals gaming improves mental well-being across diverse demographics. Credit: Hiroaki Kanemitsu, Hiroyuki Egami

Study Design: Nintendo Switch Lottery Flow ( n =1,773). This flowchart illustrates how the lottery system for Nintendo Switch created natural experimental conditions, allowing for causal inference. Credit: Yu Yoshinari, Hiroyuki Egami

The article, “Causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan 2020-2022,” was published in Nature Human Behaviour at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01948-y.

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KAKUMOTO Kazumasa Associate Professor

Public Policy Cluster

Research / educational interests

My three main research interests are as follows:

• Conducting research on the model of the private law theory and private law system in advanced information societies
• Conducting research on the model of coordination of interests between individuals, communities, markets, and nations
• Conducting comparative research between East and West (China and the U.S. in particular)

I will continue with the above research and use the results for education. (Regarding the details of research, click/tap the link below.)

The legal systems of the global community and respective countries have been undergoing a major transformation due to the development of information and communication technology (ICT).

For example, social networking service (SNS) and virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) have changed the way people communicate and behave. The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized the methodologies of community building and environmental conservation. The sharing economy and digital ledger technology (a core technology of digital assets) have overturned the foundations of ownership, financial systems, and organizational models. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics may undermine the significance of humankind.

Legal policy planning and recommendations that can meet such social change are themes that should be researched by the Graduate School of Policy Science, leveraging interdisciplinary knowledge and methodologies from various viewpoints.

Civil law, information law, American law, Chinese law, Asian law, digital assets, artificial intelligence, privacy

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