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School of Engineering
- Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
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- Common courses
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology
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- 工学院，物質理工学院，環境・社会理工学院共通科目
- Liberal arts and basic science courses
- First-Year Courses
- School of Science
- School of Engineering
- School of Materials and Chemical Technology
- School of Computing
- School of Life Science and Technology
-
School of Environment and Society
- Department of Architecture and Building Engineering
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Department of Social and Human Sciences
- Department of Innovation Science
- Graduate major in Technology and Innovation Management
- Common courses
- Liberal arts and basic science courses
- Academic unit or major
- Breadth courses
- Instructor(s)
- Saito Hirofumi Saijo Miki Yamamoto Hilofumi Bektas Yakup
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- Day/Period(Room No.)
- Intensive ()
- Group
- -
- Course number
- LAW.X420
- Credits
- 2
- Academic year
- 2019
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- 2019/11/25
- Lecture notes updated
- -
- Language used
- English
- Access Index
-
Course description and aims
This course is specially provided for the Tokyo Tech Winter Program participants. It focuses on Japan (Nippon) from five main aspects: disaster mamagement in Japan, Japanese domestic company, Japanese research institute, the modern history of Japanese science and technology, and Japanese religion.
This course is intended to be a gateway for program participants to gaining a basic understanding of Japan's culture, history, and science. It aims to enhance students' motivation to learn more about Japan on their own.
Student learning outcomes
The Disaster management class will help students understand how Japanese people have established the self-protection technologies and measures against natural disasters.
The classes on the history of science and technology will help students better understand the background of Japan's rapid development in science and technology after the 19th century.
Keywords
Japan, International exchange students, Japanese culture, History of Japanese science and technology, Japanese industry, Japanese research institutes, Japanese local religion
Competencies that will be developed
| Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Class flow
May vary by instructor.
Course schedule/Required learning
| Course schedule | Required learning | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Japanese protection technologies against natural disasters. | Understand how Japanese people have established the self-protection technologies and measures against natural disasters including earthquakes. What learnt at the class can be utilized by anyone regardless of the nationality in case of disasters. |
| Class 2 | Japanese religion. Visit to the local temple. | Understand typical ritual of Japanses buddism. |
| Class 3 | History of Tokyo Tech. | Understand contribution of Tokyo Tech to the development of Japanese science and technology based on the history of Tokyo Tech. |
| Class 4 | History of Japanese science and technology Part 1 History of Water Management in Tokyo. | Explain water management problems in Tokyo. |
| Class 5 | Domestic industry visit History of Japanese science and technology Part 2 Meiji Modernization and Industrialization. | Understand Morris-Suzuki's 'The Technological Transformation of Japan, 1-142 (esp.71-104). |
| Class 6 | Domestic industry visit JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Negishi Refinery part 1. | Exchange opinions with Tokyo Tech alumni who work in the JXTG and submit report papers. |
| Class 7 | Domestic industry visit JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Negishi Refinery part 2. | Same as above. |
| Class 8 | Domestic research institute visit Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute part 1. | Submit report papers. |
| Class 9 | Domestic research institute visit Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute part 2. | Same as above. |
| Class 10 | Presentation for assessment part 1. | Students will present individual/group oral reports on what they learned in the course. |
| Class 11 | Presentation for assessment part 2. | Same as above. |
Textbook(s)
Handouts will be given in each class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
For history of Japanese science and techonology: Noel Perrin, Giving up the Gun: Japan's Reversion to the Sword, 1543-1879, (1988), Tessa Morris-Suzuki, The Technological Transformation of Japan (CUP, 1994); Fukuzawa Yukichi, An Outline of a Theory of Civilization (1875) (Sophia, 1973); James R. Bartholomew, The Formation of Science in Japan (Yale, 1993); Masayuki Tanimoto, ed., The Role of Tradition in Japan's Industrialization (OUP, 2006).
Assessment criteria and methods
Students will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis based on attendance, written reports, and a final presentation. To pass the course, students are required to join in the following activities: JXTG visit (Class 6, 7), Fukushima Renewable Energy Institute visit (Class 8, 9) and final presentation (Class 10, 11).
Related courses
- LAW.X422 ： Japan Studies II
Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)
Only participants of Tokyo Tech Winter Program can take this course.
