The CJS Mission
The Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) puts into practice Portland State University's (PSU) motto "Let Knowledge Serve the City" by offering public programs addressing the complexity of Japan and the Japanese American experience. As part of an academic institution, we have a special duty to address all aspects of Japan and the Japanese American experience, and we guard our independence in selecting programs. These programs, which are designed to be accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike, are open not only to students, staff, and faculty, but also to the greater Portland community. By fostering cross-cultural understanding, the CJS is committed to nurturing the next generation to become leaders in business, the public sector, and the arts. Many students take advantage of PSU’s renowned Japanese language program to become proficient in Japanese. The CJS provides a forum for academic activities and the free exchange of ideas, and is a source of expertise for all in the area.
Word from The Director
I am often asked what makes Japanese Studies at PSU unique. In some ways, we are not unique, and in fact model ourselves after older programs in Japanese Studies at institutions such as Columbia University and Harvard University. But there are also some ways that our program is distinct. First, there is no other university in the United States with a profile similar to PSU (e.g., many of our students are the first in their families to attend college) that has such a strong program in Japanese Studies. Higher education already can be transformative, but add to the equation study abroad in a country like Japan, and one has a truly life transforming formula. Second, we have a particularly strong and popular Japanese language program, so much so that we are a rare university in the continental United States where Japanese is one of the most highly enrolled languages! Third, interest among PSU students in Japanese Studies, already unusually high, is remaining steady and even growing. Finally, in a way that distinguished guests such as Carol Gluck find admirable and unparalleled, the CJS profoundly links Japanese Studies at PSU with individuals and organizations in the broader Portland community who share an interest in Japan in a manner that produces wonderful synergy.