Distinguished Visitor Lectures
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Left to right: Peter Katzenstein (2006), Carol Gluck (2009), Yoichi Funabashi (2011)
Since 1987, the Program has annually hosted a leading commentator on U.S.-Japan relations or other relevant topics to give a major address. At Harvard for several days, the Distinguished Visitor also lectures in classes and meets with Associates and students. The individuals so recognized in recent years, and the titles of their speeches, are listed below.
2025–2026
David E. Weinstein
Carl S. Shoup Professor of the Japanese Economy, Columbia University; Director of the Center of Japanese Economy and Business, Columbia Business School
Lecture Title: "Evaluating the Impact of the Trump Tariffs"
Discussant: Elhanan Helpman, Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade, Harvard University
2024–2025
Laura Hein
The Harold H. and Virginia Anderson Professor of History, Northwestern University
Lecture Title: "The Wild Ride: The Subject of Japan"
Discussant: Andrew Gordon, Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History, Harvard University
2023–2024
Haruhiko Kuroda
Former Governor of the Bank of Japan; Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Lecture Title: "Fragmentation of the World Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for G20"
Discussant: Larry Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor; President Emeritus, Harvard University
This event was part of the Special Series on Japanese Economic Statecraft.
2022–2023
Glen S. Fukushima
Vice Chair, Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC); Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress.
Lecture Title: "Are the United States and Japan Really 'Like-Minded' Countries?"
Discussant: David Howell, Robert K. and Dale J. Weary Professor of Japanese History, Harvard University
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation.
2021–2022
Izumi Nakamitsu
Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations
Lecture Title: "UN's Role in the Global Disarmament Agenda"
This seminar was part of the Special Series on Policy Innovations in Crises, supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2020–2021
Takashi Shiraishi
Chancellor, Prefectural University of Kumamoto; Professor Emeritus, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan
Lecture Title: "Technology, Industry, and Japan's National Security"
This symposium was part of the Special Series on Japanese Economic Statecraft.
2019–2020
Roger Goodman
Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies and Warden of St Antony's College, Oxford University
Lecture Title: "Investigating Youth Problems in Japan"
Discussant: Mary Brinton, Reischauer Institute Professor of Sociology; Director, Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, Harvard University
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2018–2019
Junko Kato
Professor of Political Science, University of Tokyo
Lecture Title: “The Future of Japanese Democracy: A Comparative Research Agenda”
Discussant: Andrew Gordon, Lee and Juliet Folger Fund Professor of History and Acting Director (2018-2019), Harvard-Yenching Institute, Harvard University
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2017–2018
Louise Young
Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lecture title: "Rethinking Imperialism in the 20th Century: Japan in East Asia”
Discussant: Carter Eckert, Yoon Se Young Professor of Korean History, Harvard University
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2016–2017
Frances Rosenbluth
Damon Wells Professor of Political Science, Yale University
Lecture title: "The Future of Women: Why Time is Money and Power”
Discussant: Peter Hall, Krupp Foundation Professor of European Studies, Harvard University
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2015–2016
Akio Takahara
Professor, Faculty of Law and Graduate School of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo
Lecture title: "China's External Policies under Xi Jinping: Implications for Japan"
Discussant: Victor Cha, D.S. Song-KF Endowed Chair in Government and International Affairs, Georgetown University, and Senior Advisor and Korea Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
This event was supported by a grant from the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP).
2014–2015
Ellis Krauss
Professor of Japanese Politics and Policy-making, University of California, San Diego
Lecture title: "The Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party"
Discussant: J. Mark Ramseyer, Mitsubishi Professor of Japanese Legal Studies, Harvard Law School
2013–2014
Sheila Smith
Senior Fellow for Japan Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Lecture title: "Intimate Rivals: Japanese Domestic Politics and a Rising China"
Discussant: Elizabeth Perry, Henry Rosovsky Professor of Government; Director, Harvard-Yenching Institute
2012–2013
Michael J. Green
Senior Vice President for Asia and Japan Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Associate Professor of International Relations, Georgetown University
Lecture title: "Can Japan Be a ‘Tier One Nation’ in the 21st Century?"
Discussant: Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
2011–2012
Yoichi Funabashi
Chairman, Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation, and Editor-in-Chief, Asahi Shimbun (2007-10)
Lecture title: "The Rise of China from a Japanese Perspective"
Discussant: David Gergen, Professor of Public Service and Director, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School
2010–2011
T.J. Pempel
Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley
Lecture title: "Japanese Politics: Between Pork and Productivity"
Discussant: Hirotaka Takeuchi, Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School
2009–2010
Sheldon Garon
Dodge Professor of History and East Asian Studies, Princeton University
Lecture title: "'Keep on Saving': How Other Nations Forged Cultures of Thrift When America Didn't"
Discussant: Lizabeth Cohen, Howard Mumford Jones Professor of American Studies, and Chair, Department of History, Harvard University
2008–2009
Carol Gluck
George Sansom Professor of History, Columbia University
Lecture title: "Past Obsessions: World War II in History and Memory"
Discussant: David Blackbourn, Coolidge Professor of History and Director, Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University
2007–2008
Jeffrey Sachs
Director, The Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development and Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; and Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Lecture title: "Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet"
Discussant: Michael Reich, Taro Takemi Professor of International Health Policy, Harvard School of Public Health
2006–2007
Takatoshi Ito
Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University and Member, Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy, Japanese Government
Lecture title: "Economic Integration in Asia"
Discussant: Dale Jorgenson, Samuel W. Morrison University Professor, Harvard University
2005–2006
Peter J. Katzenstein
Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies, Cornell University
Lecture title: "Anti-Americanisms in World Politics"
Discussant: Stephen P. Rosen, Beton Michael Kaneb Professor of National Security and Military Affairs, Harvard University
2004–2005
William W. Kelly
Professor of Anthropology and Sumitomo Professor of Japanese Studies, Yale University
Lecture title: "Sport, Culture, and Society: The Case of Japanese Baseball"
Discussant: James L. Watson, Fairbank Professor of Chinese Society and Professor of Anthropology, Harvard University
2003–2004
Joseph Nye, Jr.
Dean and Don K. Price Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Lecture title: "Reflections on Soft Power"
Discussant: Richard Samuels, Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for International Studies, MIT
2002–2003
Gerald Curtis
Professor of Political Science, Columbia University
Lecture title: "Turmoil and Change in Japanese Politics"
Discussant: Roderick MacFarquhar, Leroy B. Williams Research Professor of History and Political Science, Department of Government, Harvard University
2001–2002
Sadako Ogata
Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institute; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (1991-2001), President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (2003-2012)
Lecture title: "Global Humanitarian Crises and Japan"
2000–2001
Bruce Cumings
Professor of History, University of Chicago
Lecture title: "U.S. Relations with East Asia in a New Century and a New Administration"
Discussant: Akira Iriye, Professor of History, Harvard University
1999–2000
Ryutaro Hashimoto
Former Prime Minister (1996-98), and Representative, Japanese Diet
Lecture title: "Making Sense of Japan in the 1990s"
1998–1999
Takie Sugiyama Lebra
Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Hawaii
Lecture title: "Making a Career in the World of Men: Women's Strategies in Japan"
1997–1998
Takashi Inoguchi
President, University of Niigata Prefecture; Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo
Lecture title: "Looking Forward by Looking Backward: Lessons for the 21st Century from Westphalia, Philadelphia, and Tokugawa"
Discussant: Akira Iriye, Professor of History, Harvard University
1996–1997
Ronald Dore
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
Lecture title: "Can Japanese Capitalism Remain Japanese?"
Discussant: Richard Cooper, Professor of International Economics, Harvard University
1995–1996
Donald Keene
University Professor and Shincho Professor of Japanese Literature, Emeritus, Columbia University
Lecture title: "Mishima and Japanese Aesthetics"
Discussant: Philip J. Fisher, Felice Crowl Reid Professor of English and American Literature, Harvard University
1994–1995
Robert E. Cole
Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley
Lecture title: "Learning Japan Quality Practices in American Industry: Hares, Tortoises, Donkeys, Ostriches, Parrots, Chameleons, and Owls"
Discussant: Daniel Bell, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1993–1994
John W. Dower
Henry R. Luce Professor of International Cooperation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lecture title: "Coming Out of War: Japan After World War I"
Discussant: Nagayo Homma, Professor of American Studies, Tokyo Women's Christian University
1992–1993
Arthur Stockwin
Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies, Institute for Japanese Studies, St. Antony's College, Oxford
Lecture title: "Japan's First Woman Party Leader: The Rise and Fall of Takako Doi"
Discussant: Shirley Williams, Professor, Kennedy School of Government, and Member, House of Peers, United Kingdom
1991–1992
Yukio Matsuyama
Honorary Chair and former Chair of the Editorial Board, Asahi Shinbun
Lecture title: "After Kaifu: Japan's Leadership Challenge"
Discussant: Stanley H. Hoffmann, Professor of Government, Harvard University
1990–1991
Yotaro Kobayashi
President, Fuji Xerox Company
Lecture title: "The Race for Technological Superiority: Japan and the United States in the 1990s"
Discussant: Charles H. Ferguson, Postdoctoral Associate, Center for Technology, Policy, and Industrial Development, MIT
1989–1990
Seizaburo Sato
Professor of Social Sciences, University of Tokyo
Lecture title: "U.S.-Japan Relations in the Post-Cold War Era"
Discussant: Samuel P. Huntington, Professor of Government, Harvard University
1988–1989
Hisashi Owada
Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan (Retired)
Lecture title: "Soviet-Japanese Relations in the Light of Recent Developments"
1987–1988
Ezra F. Vogel
Henry Ford II Professor of Social Sciences, Harvard University
Lecture title: "Economic Reforms in Guangdong Province"