On Wednesday September 27 it is time for a new edition of Japan Open Café. This time it will take place at the Koorenhuis in The Hague. Two groups are responsible for organizing this bi-monthly Japan Open Café: the Alumni Kai from Leiden “Van hier tot Tokyo” (From here to Tokyo) and the Netherlands-Japan Association (NJV).
The September edition of Japan Open Café will center around the topic of the Japanese Imperial Family. Emperor Akihito’s plans to abdicate have resulted in a lot of discussion around the world. What kind of social, political, and economic consequences might this have? Two speakers will talk about the different perspectives of this topic.
Margarita Winkel
Margarita Winkel is a lecturer in the Leiden Institute of Area Studies (LIAS), focusing on Japan. She teaches cultural anthropology. Her main interest lies in the way popular media interact with changing lifestyles and how these media reflect novel ideas and conditions in contemporary society. We look forward to hearing her perspectives concerning the historical and social context of the abdication, and more.
Kenji Okano-Heijmans
Kenji Okano-Heijmans is a lawyer for Buren N.V. and is responsible for coordinating the legal services to Japanese companies on the European market. He studied at Waseda University in Tokyo, and also has law degrees from Erasmus University ánd Leiden University. He will talk about the legal and constitutional implications with regard to the emperor abdicating his throne.
For who is Japan Open Café?
Japan Open Café is open for everybody with an interest in Japan. The goal is to informally create a platform for people who are in business with Japan or interested in the country, in whatever form. The organization wants to provide connections, share knowledge and discuss ideas with people from different sectors and diverse backgrounds.
The Koorenhuis can be found at Prinsegracht 27, in the city center of The Hague. Japan Open Café starts at 18.30 and will stop around 20.30.
Source: Japan Open Café
