Methodological Adaptations in Japanese Studies. An International and Domestic Perspective

Abstract

When designing and implementing research in Japanese Studies, it may be necessary to adopt changes in methodology to be used, to adapt the research tools to the particularities of Japanese society, politics and legal system. This article uses the case study of the postdoctoral research project carried out by the author under the Japanese Studies Japan Foundation Fellow 2016/2017 titled “Communication, Democracy and Policy-Making in Japan”.  The research aimed to identify, describe and analyze the methodological adaptations that may be necessary when approaching an investigation on the society, politics and legal system of Japan. It sought to identify and quantify the existing correlations between information consumption in Japan, Japanese public opinion regarding various issues, and social support for government action both internationally and domestically, with special focus on the reform proposal of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. This case study made it possible to apply these methodological adaptations to fieldwork. For this reason, this article describes the theoretical framework used, the obstacles that can be found when executing the research and the methodological adaptations carried out. This will immensely help future research in Japanese studies by pre-empting the challenges and making the necessary adaptations.