West Visayas State University hosted a Lecture Forum and Information Session on Japanese Studies in the Philippines on Jan. 13, bringing together students, faculty members and partner institutions to deepen discussions on history, diplomacy and contemporary issues linking Japan and the Philippines.
Held at the Research and Extension Building, the forum engaged the WVSU academic community alongside participants from PHINMA University of Iloilo, the University of San Agustin, the University of the Philippines Diliman and the University of the Philippines Visayas. The activity highlighted WVSU’s continuing role as a venue for academic exchange and interdisciplinary learning in Western Visayas.
The forum featured lectures and information sessions led by experts from the University of the Philippines Asian Center and the Japan Foundation Manila. It was organized in partnership with the WVSU College of Arts and Sciences, the Social Science Department and the Political Science Students’ Organization.
Japan Foundation Manila program coordinator Jasmine Latina opened the program with an overview of Japanese Studies initiatives and global partnership opportunities, providing students and faculty with information on academic pathways, research support and international collaboration. An open forum followed, allowing participants to engage directly with the speakers.
UP Asian Center Assistant Professor Karl Ian Cheng Chua led the academic discussions with a lecture on peace literature and wartime memory, examining how narratives of victimhood influence public understanding of the Japanese Occupation in the Philippines.
The program also included a lecture by UP Asian Center Assistant Professor Alexander Michael Palma, who discussed Japan-assisted flood control projects in the Philippines and shared lessons drawn from ex-post audits, linking historical cooperation with present-day development concerns.
In the afternoon session, education research assistant Michelle Deloria presented academic and research opportunities available at the UP Asian Center, particularly for students and faculty interested in Japanese and Asian studies.
The forum concluded with a lecture by UP Asian Center Associate Professor Ariel Lopez, who revisited Philippine diplomatic history through Jawi letters from Mindanao, Sulu and the wider Malay world, challenging long-held assumptions about the origins of Filipino diplomacy.
The activity aimed to strengthen academic engagement, promote Japanese Studies and expand historical and cultural understanding among WVSU students, faculty and staff, reinforcing the university’s commitment to relevant, globally connected scholarship.
