INTRODUCTION

Myth, History and Contemporary Politics in Japan
Jocelyn CELERO

SPECIAL ARTICLE

The Continuing Japanese Myth on "Benguet Migrants" in the Philippines: Colonial Baguio City, Migrants, WWII, and a Hidden Dispute
Shinzo HAYASE

ARTICLES

Security Pursuits of a Small Power: The Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership
Mico GALANG
Liberty and Domesticity: The Portrayal of Japanese Housewives in the 1948 Issues of Pacific Stars and Stripes during the Allied Occupation
Angela Louise ROSARIO
Gambling in History: The Intergenerational Search for Zainichi Identity in Min Jin Lee's Pachinko
Nicole TABLIZO

ESSAYS

Art in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Japanese Artistic Style Painting Transfer through Neural Networks
Paolo VALDEZ
Towards Gender Diversity: Opportunities for Change in Japan in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mary Ysabelle Samantha CHIKIAMCO

REVIEWS

Tanabata's Wife  directed by Choy Pangilinan, Charlson Ong, and Lito Casaje
Reviewed by J. Neil GARCIA
Coral and Concrete: Remembering Kwajalein Atoll between Japan, America, and the Marshall Islands by Greg Dvorak
Reviewed by Maria Cynthia B. BARRIGA

TRAVEL NARRATIVES

The Invisible Red Thread: Constructed Symbols of Unity
Faith Madeleine ONG
Chabashira
Christel SOBREDO
An Unexpected Journey to Japan: A Personal Log
Julius MAÑALAC
Japan: Impressions from a Six-Day Visit
Domar BALMES

IMAGE CREDITS

  • Front cover: "Kimono Woman Umbrella Parasol Japanese Woman" by Sasin Tipchai via Pixabay. Available here
  • Background: "Blossom Cherry Cherry Blossom Spring Pink" by Gerald Friedrich  via Pixabay. Available here.
  • Cover design by Danae Pantano

Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia is an open-access, peer-reviewed academic journal published since 1963 by the Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman. Promoting original and penetrating research, it offers novel and alternative interpretations of Asian experiences, helps deepen the understanding of the region, and enlivens debates on issues affecting Asian peoples and societies. One of the pioneering journals of its kind in Asia, Asian Studies offers a critical, multidisciplinary platform where scholars, practitioners, and activists can publish research that draws on the theories and perspectives from the social sciences, humanities, or cultural studies. Published twice a year, the journal welcomes full-length research articles; commentaries and documents; reviews (films, books, novels, exhibits, plays, websites, etc.); poetry and short fiction; and travel narratives.