SDGs-related Research Grant Program 2019 Selected Topics
Development of water quality measurement technology for healthy living
Researcher: Shinji Huang
Water is one of the most important resources for human life, and using good quality water directly leads to an improvement in the quality of human life. In this research, we will develop a residual chlorine sensor necessary for managing the concentration of chlorine-based chemicals used for water disinfection and sterilization. We aim to realize a small, inexpensive residual chlorine sensor based on graphene transistors that enables continuous, quantitative, and highly sensitive measurement of residual chlorine concentration, which was not possible with conventional residual chlorine concentration measurement methods.
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Report on Results
In this study, we aim to fabricate a sensor based on a field-effect transistor (GFET) with a graphene channel and apply it to the measurement of the free chlorine concentration used for disinfecting tap water. We have previously succeeded in highly sensitive measurement of free chlorine by using graphene as the gate electrode of the GFET (poster presentation at the 80th Autumn Meeting of the Japan Society of Applied Physics in September 2019). However, conventional GFET chlorine sensors had the problem that the acquired data shifted with each measurement. We hypothesized that this was due to residual charges in the graphene channel and investigated how to solve this problem. In order to improve the stability of the output signal, we fabricated a chlorine sensor with an additional Ag/AgCl electrode as shown in Figure 1. In the case of a conventional chlorine sensor without Ag/AgCl, the current minimum point shifted with each measurement, as shown in Figure 2 (left). In the GFET chlorine sensor proposed in this study, the voltage value of this current minimum point is used to sense the residual chlorine concentration, so this shift impairs the reproducibility and reliability of the measurement value. On the other hand, when the Ag/AgCl electrode was electrically connected to the channel for each measurement in the new chlorine sensor, the surface charge of the channel was successfully initialized, and the shift in the current minimum point during repeated measurements was no longer observed (Fig. 2 (right)). As described above, by adding the Ag/AgCl electrode to the sensor configuration, the measurement accuracy of the GFET free chlorine sensor was successfully improved, and research was advanced toward the development of a practical sensor.
Developing a learning resource support method for project-based academic English paper writing: Cultivating students' cultural capital
Researcher: Kimie Yamamura
The guarantee of equal access to university education has led to an increase in the diversity of students. This has resulted in inequality in "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986) as cultural and educational experiences that reflect the economic circumstances of students' families. This study aims to alleviate the inequality in students' learning resources, known as "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986), and reduce the reproduction of social stratification through project-based academic English paper writing education. From an applied linguistics perspective, we devise a method for cultivating students' "cultural capital" for project-based academic English paper writing.
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Report on Results
The research topic was how students' "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986) is reflected in their project-based academic English paper writing, and the research was conducted from the perspective of applied linguistics.
In this study, project-based academic English paper writing refers to academic writing in English classes that incorporate active learning. It is assumed that students independently decide on the topic and content of their writing through group and individual activities, and then write in English. Furthermore, "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986) refers to the possession of cultural objects (books, comics, paintings, etc.) in students' homes, as well as their previous learning experiences, educational environment, and cultural experiences (travel, visits to art galleries and museums, etc.). While such "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986) is a learning resource that helps students build their academic abilities, it is also considered to reflect the economic circumstances of their homes in both tangible and intangible ways.
In recent years, the student population has become more diverse due to the guarantee of equal access to university education. The goal of this research is to alleviate the inequality in students' learning resources, known as "cultural capital" (Bourdieu, 1986), and to reduce the reproduction of social stratification through university education, such as project-based academic English paper writing. We also believe that these goals can be achieved through learning support facilities that support students' learning outside the classroom.
The research period for this project was from the end of December after the project was selected to March 2020. From February to early March, online questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 people who had taken a project-based academic English paper writing class. Survey questions included (a) the class content, writing content, and evaluation of academic English papers, (b) ownership of cultural objects, cultural experiences, and educational experiences, and (c) the relationship between English language learning experiences, cultural experiences, and educational experiences and the content of English paper writing. The following survey results were obtained.
1. Information about participants' (a) project-based academic English essay classes, writing content, and evaluation, and (b) cultural artifact ownership, cultural experiences, and educational experiences was collected in advance via an online questionnaire survey.
2. Based on the questionnaire survey, (c) we conducted semi-structured interview surveys focusing on the relationship between English language learning experiences, cultural experiences, and educational experiences and the content of English papers. Starting with project-based academic English paper writing in university English education, we obtained stories about the participants' English language learning trajectories from childhood to the present, their attitudes toward learning, the relationship between hobby activities and English paper writing, and evaluation and competition. In the future, we will conduct a multifaceted and careful analysis of the participants' stories, focusing on each individual.
3. In the case of project-based academic English paper writing for first-year university students, even when English classes included opportunities for group activities and discussions about the ideas for their writing, students seemed to get ideas for the content of their writing from their learning content and experiences in elementary, junior high, and high school or other schools, their personal reading experiences, their hobbies, and conversations with their families, rather than from the activities and discussions in the class.
4. The tendency for students' "cultural capital" to be reflected in the ideas for the content of their project-based English papers was seen in both science and humanities majors.
In addition, in late February, I presented the preliminary research that led me to plan this study at the Twelfth Symposium on Writing Centers in Asia, a writing center-related conference of which I am a member.
Based on the results of this study, we will continue our research and devise a method to support students' learning resources as cultural and educational experiences for writing project-based academic English papers, that is, a method to cultivate "cultural capital." In the future, we will introduce and verify this support method in learning support facilities, etc.
A study on the foundation of SDGs that contributes to the development of intercultural competence in the Aoyama 444 English Education Initiative
Researcher: Matsuo Kimura
As a result of analyzing more than 30 previous research books, we were able to obtain some reasonable results regarding the educational significance of SDGs education in a globalizing world, and the necessity of SDGs education to contribute to the development of intercultural competence. On the other hand, a "Survey on the Importance of 17 SDGs" conducted on humanities students (3rd year: 80 students) revealed that they were interested in areas related to human growth (Quadrant 1: Education), human survival (Quadrant 2: Health, Hygiene, and Sanitation), and social survival (Quadrant 3: Environment and Resources), but not particularly interested in areas related to social growth (Quadrant 4: Economic Development). Our future task is to conduct a survey of students from all faculties and each 444 term, and propose the form of "education for sustainability" that contributes to the development of intercultural competence.
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Report on Results
1. Confirming the educational significance of SDGs education
In concluding the final chapter of Education in the Era of SDGs: Quality Learning for All, Sato Manabu (2019) states the significance of SDGs education as follows: "Education for sustainability is embodied as education on direct issues to realize a sustainable society, such as maintaining the sustainability of the earth, protecting biodiversity, harmony with nature, developing renewable energy and establishing renewable lifestyles, multicultural coexistence, preventing war and conflict, eradicating poverty, violence, discrimination and exclusion, establishing human dignity and human rights, and resolving population issues." Furthermore, he concludes that "education for sustainability is deployed in its outer court as a practice that reconstructs all areas of education through the idea and philosophy of 'sustainability.' Education for sustainability is not just one area of education, but the ultimate goal of education in all areas. (Omitted)" and concludes that its educational practice is a mission and responsibility in the history of humanity that education in the 21st century must shoulder.
2. Confirmation of the necessity of SDGs education that contributes to the development of intercultural competence
"Intercultural competence (IC)" refers to the ability to build a common understanding while mediating between cultures with appropriate judgment and attitude when people with different cultures and identities interact with each other (Byram, 1997). Byram adds IC to linguistic, sociolinguistic, and discourse abilities, and advocates the development of intercultural communication abilities. The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), which supports the framework of the new curriculum guidelines (2017 and 2018), is a language policy based on plurilingualism, pluriculturism, and action-oriented principles, but it has tended to be used primarily to evaluate learners' language proficiency, and there is a reflection that the purpose of developing plurilingual abilities has been neglected. In order to correct this bias, return the CEFR to its original ideals, and develop learners' plurilingual and plurcultural abilities, the FREPA (Framework of Reference for Plurilingual Approaches to Languages and Cultures) was proposed by the Council of Europe in 2012 as a complement to the CEFR. Aoyama English Language Education Research Center started research incorporating the FREPA philosophy in 2017 and published the results, "The Importance of Developing Intercultural Competence in English Education: Implications from an Examination of Aoyama Intercultural Competence Index" (Takagi and Kimura) in 2019. The next step is to develop concrete social themes (issues) that contribute to developing learners' problem-solving abilities. In order to solve common issues for humanity, such as the environment, development, poverty, peace, and human rights, it is essential to have ideas and actions that grasp each issue interdisciplinary and solve it systematically and cooperatively, with language education at the core. We confirmed that the 17 items of the SDGs are the most suitable themes (issues) for the preceding intercultural competence index to function comprehensively and specifically. Setting themes for each term and university of 444 will be a future challenge.
3. Survey results on the importance of the 17 SDGs from students' perspective and future challenges
While there is no inherent hierarchy in the importance of the 17 SDGs, knowing learners' thoughts on the priorities of these issues as issues that society should address is considered effective and essential in concretely targeting the development of intercultural competence in the 444 Integrated English Education Initiative. As a tentative study, the 17 SDGs (Goals 1-17) were experimentally shown to university students, who were then asked to rearrange the 17 items in order of their perceived importance. The subjects were 80 third-year university students taking the "English Language Teaching Methods" course. The survey was conducted in early January 2020. The top six items ranked among the 17 were as follows: 1st place: Goal 16: "Peace and fair society" 15 people (19%), 2nd place: Goal 3: "Good health" 14 people (18%), 3rd place: Goal 2: "End hunger" 11 people (14%), 3rd place: Goal 6: "Clean water and sanitation" 11 people (14%), 5th place: Goal 17: "Work together for the goals" 10 people (13%), 6th place: Goal 10: "Reduced inequalities" 5 people (6%). Kitamura (2019) stated that in order to "achieve a sustainable society," it is important for humans and society to develop in a balanced manner in terms of both growth and survival, and constructed a diagram of the first to fourth quadrants with "the realization of a viable society" at the center. Quadrant 1: Area related to human growth (education field), quadrant 2: Area related to human survival (health, health, and sanitation field), quadrant 3: Area related to social survival (environment and resource fields), quadrant 4: Area related to social growth (economic development field). Applying the above results to this quadrant diagram, we get 1st place: Goal 16 (Quadrant 3), 2nd place: Goal 3 (Quadrant 2), 3rd place: Goal 2 (Quadrant 2), 3rd place: Goal 6 (Quadrant 2), 5th place: Goal 17 (Quadrant 1), 6th place: Goal 10 (Quadrant 1), which shows that there are no goals among the 1st to 6th places that fall into the 4th quadrant "area related to social growth (economic development field)." In order to develop practical educational research, it is necessary to clarify the basis of learners' interests and concerns (needs) in the theme and the reasons for them.
Using the above method, in addition to conducting surveys and analyses at each of the 444 periods (elementary, middle, and high school), surveys and analyses will be conducted for the entire university (humanities, social sciences, and sciences), and a qualitative analysis will be conducted to clarify the reasons for this. This will enable a structural understanding of the awareness of Aoyama students toward the SDGs, as seen from a coordinate axis consisting of vertical and horizontal systems, which can be said to be a task prior to developing the methodology. Furthermore, if an international comparative survey can be conducted using the same research method, it will be possible to face global issues that affect all regions of the world, regardless of whether they are developed or developing, and it is expected that this will contribute in a subtle way to the promotion of SDGs research that contributes to the development of intercultural abilities.
Case Study: ICJ Chagos Case: What is the normative value of UN General Assembly resolutions in determining customary international law?
Researcher: Tatsuya Abe
What normative value do UN General Assembly resolutions have in determining customary international law, and how is that normative value proven? Taking into account academic theory and the evaluation criteria presented by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), this paper examines these traditionally discussed issues, taking up the ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Chagos Islands case of February 25, 2019, and analyzes the ICJ's judgment concluding that UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 on the right to self-determination is a declaration of customary international law in light of the evaluation criteria.
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Report on Results
What is the normative value of UN General Assembly resolutions in the recognition of customary international law? This study examines what normative value the International Court of Justice (ICJ) finds in UN General Assembly resolutions (which are themselves merely recommendations and have no legally binding force) when recognizing the existence of customary international law, and what factors it uses to evaluate that normative value, taking into account the development of formulations in previous academic theories and precedents, and analyzing the ICJ's judgments by taking up the 2019 Chagos Islands advisory opinion as an example of a concrete application of the formula.
First, the development of formulations in conventional academic theory and precedents is examined in four stages: before the 1986 Nicaragua judgment, the 1986 Nicaragua judgment and subsequent developments, the 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Use of Nuclear Weapons and subsequent developments, and the work of the International Law Commission (ILC) in 2018. First, the normative value of UN General Assembly resolutions in determining the existence of customary international law is widely recognized in academic theory, and the majority view it as evidence of customary international law itself or opinio juris, one of the requirements for the establishment of customary international law. In this regard, the ICJ, in its Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Use of Nuclear Weapons, presented a general formulation that "General Assembly resolutions provide important evidence in certain circumstances to establish the existence of a rule or the existence of opinio juris." Second, academic understanding of the factors in evaluating the normative value of UN General Assembly resolutions has generally converged, with many commentators citing the wording of the resolution and the circumstances of its adoption. Regarding this point, the ICJ, in its advisory opinion on the legality of the use of nuclear weapons, clarified four elements: "the content of the resolution, the conditions for its adoption, the presence or absence of legal belief (opinio juris), and the series of resolutions." In its "Conclusions on the Identification of Customary International Law" adopted in 2018, the ILC expressed the view that the existence of general practice, another requirement for the establishment of customary international law, is necessary.
Next, we take up the Chagos Advisory Opinion and analyze the logical structure of the ICJ's conclusion that it recognized the normative value of UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 and declared it to be customary international law. What is interesting is that there was a difference of opinion on the customary legal nature of the resolution among the participants in the advisory opinion procedure - Mauritius and other countries (including the African Union) and the United Kingdom and the United States. There have been few cases in which the ICJ has recognized the existence of customary international law when the participants in the judicial procedure did not agree on the existence of customary international law. After reaffirming the general formula and evaluation elements regarding the normative value of UN General Assembly resolutions as shown in its own cases, the ICJ recognized that the right to self-determination included in UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 is customary international law in light of the content of the resolution and the conditions for its adoption, and also suggesting the existence of general practice. On the other hand, the ICJ concluded that the right to territorial integrity stipulated in paragraph 6 of the same resolution is customary international law based on an "inference" from the right to self-determination. The reliance on "inference" is likely due to the existence of counter-evidence that does not necessarily affirm the existence of general practice. Although the ICJ has previously relied on deductive approaches such as "inference," it has traditionally maintained the two-element theory as an inductive approach, and therefore the "inference" in its Chagos advisory opinion should be seen as an exception.
The findings of this research will be compiled into an English paper based on a report presented at the International Law Association (ILA) Braga Conference in September 2019, and preparations are currently underway for publication.
Paradoxes caused by recycling yields in circular supply chains
Researcher: Takamichi Hosoda
This paper mainly uses mathematical models to consider efficiency improvement methods in a circular supply chain that considers the process from collection of used products from the market to recycling. In recent years, paradoxes have been reported in which conventional measures have the opposite effect in a circular supply chain, and this paper shows the possibility of a paradox in the yield rate during recycling and measures to address it.
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Report on Results
Given the importance of building a sustainable recycling-based society, many companies and local governments are working to collect used products (such as PET bottles). However, the rate at which products are recycled after collection is extremely low, and many used products are landfilled or incinerated. The reason why recycling is not promoted even in the case of PET bottles, even with a high collection rate, is thought to be due to issues with recycling technology and recycling costs. Regarding recycling technology, the technology to recycle PET bottles and polyester fibers from only used PET bottles has been established and is gradually becoming more widespread. The biggest problem at present is probably the recycling cost.
This study assumes an ideal situation where the issues of recycling technology and recycling costs have been completely resolved. In other words, it assumes a situation where the recycling cost of manufacturing products from used products in a circular supply chain system consisting of manufacturers and recycling companies (see diagram above) is cheaper than the manufacturing cost of manufacturing products from (new petroleum-based) raw materials. In such an ideal situation, will utilizing and recycling as many collected used products as possible always minimize the costs of the entire system? This is the question asked in this study.
In many cases, people tend to expect that total costs will be lower if they increase recycling, which is cheaper, and reduce the same amount of production, which is more expensive. However, in our previous research, we found that total costs can be lower or higher depending on the degree of correlation between market demand and collection volume. We named this phenomenon of higher total costs the "recycling yield paradox." If total costs were to increase, companies that value economic efficiency would lose the incentive to collect and recycle used products, which is undesirable from the perspective of building a sustainable society.
In fiscal year 2019, we carried out the following with our collaborating researchers (UK). First, we began a mathematical analysis of when the recycling yield paradox occurs (the mechanism of its occurrence). Furthermore, we carried out a simple numerical study on how to motivate companies that prioritize economic efficiency to collect and recycle when the recycling yield paradox occurs. In fiscal year 2019, the period from the start of the subsidy system to the end of the fiscal year was short, so we were unable to produce concrete results, but we were able to carry out basic studies to continue our research into the next fiscal year.
Synthesis of chiral indoles via environmentally friendly reactions
Researcher: Ryo Takeuchi
Pharmaceuticals play an essential role in protecting our health. Pharmaceuticals are organic molecules created through chemical reactions. Organic molecules have three-dimensional shapes, and there exist enantiomers, where the real image and mirror image do not overlap. Many enantiomers have different pharmacological effects, and it is desirable for pharmaceuticals to be supplied as a single enantiomer. In this research, we aim to freely produce both enantiomers from indole, which is an important basic structure of pharmaceuticals, through an environmentally friendly catalytic reaction.
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Report on Results
Pharmaceuticals play an essential role in protecting our health and maintaining our quality of life. Most pharmaceuticals are organic molecules, and are synthesized through chemical reactions. Organic molecules have three-dimensional shapes, and there exist enantiomers whose real image and mirror image do not overlap (like a right hand and a left hand). Many enantiomers have different pharmacological effects, and it is desirable for pharmaceuticals to be supplied as chiral pharmaceuticals, or as single enantiomers. This is because one enantiomer can be a medicine and the other a poison, so one would end up taking both medicine and poison. The purpose of this study was to synthesize chiral indoles from indoles, which are important as the basic structure of pharmaceuticals. The purpose was to establish a synthetic reaction that satisfies the following conditions:
(1) It is a synthetic reaction that can freely produce both enantiomers (right-handed and left-handed molecules) by selecting the right catalyst.
(2) By-products do not have a negative impact on the environment.
By meeting these conditions, it becomes a sustainable manufacturing technology.
The synergistic action of an iridium catalyst, an optically active ligand, and an acid has enabled the synthesis of optically active indoles from indole and allylic alcohols in high yields and with high selectivity. By using the enantiomer of the optically active ligand, the other enantiomer of the product can be obtained with the same yield and selectivity. Molecular transformation starting from the terminal double bond of the side chain of the indole ring can lead to optically active indoles with more complex structures, making it possible to supply indoles useful for pharmaceutical synthesis. In addition, since the only by-product of this reaction is water, there is no environmental pollution due to by-products. This reaction can be applied to substrates with various substituents on the aromatic rings of alcohol and indole, and various optically active indoles can be obtained with almost the same yield and enantiomeric excess. These indole products can be provided as a compound library.
Innovation in Peacebuilding Research: Bridging SDGs 16 and Field Perspectives
Researcher: Yukako Tanaka (Sakabe)
SDG Goal 16 "Peace, Justice and Institutions" is a goal in itself, but it can also be considered a prerequisite and a means to achieve other goals. We will examine the relationship with other goals with the participation of experts in fields such as science and technology and urban planning, which have not been the focus of traditional peacebuilding research, and will extract new interdisciplinary discussions and concrete contribution measures.
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Report on Results
This project focused on Goal 16, "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions," as a means to achieve other goals, and aimed to examine how it is interconnected with other goals. In particular, we received reports from experts and practitioners in fields that have been poorly focused on in conventional peacebuilding research, such as science and technology, urban planning, environmental improvement, and corporate social responsibility. In addition, we included reports from experts specializing in elections and gender equality, who bring new perspectives to the field of peacebuilding. Through a total of three research meetings, workshops, and seminars, we aimed to extract interdisciplinary discussions and strategies for achieving each goal. The cases each presenter addressed spanned a wide range of regions, not only Japan, but also Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Based on these reports, we have prepared a report as the outcome of this project; please refer to that report for details.
Regarding how to achieve Goal 16, the 2018 publication "Paths to Peace," co-authored by the United Nations and the World Bank, discusses guidelines based on the findings of previous research, including conflict studies. The prevailing view is that, in light of the recent increase in general crime and political instability, not only armed conflict but also general crime, preventing conflict is essential to stopping diverse forms of violent conflict. Within this framework, recommendations include focusing on vulnerable social groups such as the rapidly growing youth population and socially marginalized women, addressing rapid urbanization, and effectively utilizing science and technology. Currently, we are at the stage of applying these general guidelines to individual cases and implementing them.
Through the reports from each speaker, it was confirmed that international organizations, bilateral aid agencies, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are required to prioritize the autonomy (ownership) of people on the ground, while also recognizing the importance of supporting free and fair elections in countries with weak governance [Report 1 within the report]. On the other hand, the role of corporations, which is often overlooked as an actor in peacebuilding, was also re-recognized. The idea proposed by the reporters to utilize corporate technologies (blockchain and information technology) in combination with development aid, corporate activities, and the activities of ordinary citizens to address environmental issues and fair economic activities in conflict-affected countries is also linked to Goal 17, "Partnerships for the Goals" [Reports 2, 3]. However, the negative impacts such as human rights violations caused by corporate activities themselves cannot be denied [Report 4]. Regarding the spontaneous activities of civil society and NGOs, even in cases where they contribute to conflict prevention in cooperation with the government and private sector, there is a reality on the ground where tensions are maintained and people continue to seek coexistence among multiple ethnic groups [Report 5]. Furthermore, even when women support women from their own perspective, conflicts have been reported due to differences in national policies and ideologies that clash with the behavioral norms of various social groups [Report 6]. The challenge of how to interpret the intent behind the SDGs has also emerged.
From a peacebuilding perspective, it is important to recognize the importance of incorporating inclusivity into solutions through innovative methods in order to eliminate inequality and exclusion. While the potential for cooperation among government, private sector, industry, and academia can be seen, it is necessary to be aware that new tensions and frictions may arise among the actors. Bridging academic research with on-the-ground and private sector experience will be desirable in the future to further consolidate knowledge from specific cases and generate new ideas.
? Innovation in Peacebuilding Research: Bridging SDG 16 with Field Perspectives - Report
Towards the sustainable development of agriculture in Asia
Researcher: Kei Kajisa
Many Asian countries have achieved economic growth through successful industrialization centered on labor-intensive light industry, but labor shortages in the agricultural sector have become an issue, and structural transformation to labor-saving, capital-intensive agriculture is urgently needed for sustainable development. We will discuss political and economic issues that cannot be solved by theoretical methodology alone with researchers at the forefront of agricultural research in Asia, and explore the direction of solutions.
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Report on Results
Many Asian countries have succeeded in labor-intensive industrialization centered on light industry and have achieved steady economic development. As a result, the working population in rural areas, especially young people, is rapidly moving to urban areas, and the aging of the rural population and agricultural labor shortages are becoming more serious. It is not difficult to provide a theoretical answer to this problem. It is a shift to a production structure that is in line with changes in factor endowments in the agricultural sector, that is, a structural shift to a labor-saving, capital-intensive technological system. In the case of agriculture, this specifically means the use of large-scale mechanization and the expansion of the scale of operations. The reason why the scale of operations needs to be larger is that a certain amount of operating area is required to increase the efficiency of large machinery.
On the other hand, in reality, it will be extremely difficult to smoothly achieve this kind of structural transformation of agriculture. This is because political and economic dynamics such as agricultural protection and protection of small-scale, micro-farmers are at work. How difficult it will be is clearly illustrated by the experience of Japan, where despite aiming for large-scale farming for many years, it has been difficult to achieve this goal.
In this project, we focused on China, where the above problems are rapidly becoming more serious, and attempted to clarify what policies are being implemented and how large-scale expansion is progressing (or not progressing) in comparison with Japan. As the core of our activities, we had planned to hold a symposium by Japanese and Chinese researchers in March, but unfortunately this was not possible due to the worsening of COVID-19 since January. The only research outcome will be an analysis of the current situation based on literature and data.
According to the summary, it was found that in China, a grassroots movement to convert land into stock has spread throughout the country, and farmland accumulation is progressing rapidly. In China, land is state-owned, but farmers have the right to use it. These rights are converted into stocks, and a certain amount of farmland is consolidated through village consensus and leased to companies or advanced farmers, and the farmers are distributed dividends from the stocks as rent. The right to use becomes an individual right through conversion into stocks, but the decision is made by the village that owns the land, and large tracts of land can be leased. It can be said that this is a brilliant institutional innovation that revitalizes the land rental market and realizes large-scale development under the Chinese ownership system. Under this system, the land liquidity rate rose from 12% in 2009 to 37% in 2017 (Yamada 2000).
Meanwhile in Japan, the 1970 revision of the Farmland Law aimed to shift from self-cultivation to land leases, making it legally easier to lease land, but in reality the liquidity of farmland did not improve. Because land leases are made at the discretion of the individual, if there are farmers who refuse to lease good plots of land, it becomes difficult for the entire district to accumulate large amounts of land and rent it out. This may be where we can see the difference with China, where village decisions have strong coercive power.
Under these circumstances, there is a possibility that Japan will be overtaken by China in terms of the expansion of scale and improvement of productivity in the future. We would like to hold the symposium that was canceled next year to discuss this issue and deepen our knowledge.
References
Nanae Yamada, Rural Development and Resource Management in Modern China: Collective Ownership and Management by Villages, University of Tokyo Press, 2000
SDGs Goal 16 and International Cooperation NGOs: Achievements and Challenges of Networking in Civil Society Space
Researcher: Ryosuke Takahashi
In recent years, issues surrounding SDGs Goal 16 "Peace, Justice and Institutions for All" have been raised again as an issue regarding civil society space. In this study, we will conduct joint research with a network-based NGO on the actual activities of international cooperation NGOs toward achieving Goal 16. In doing so, we will extract the results and challenges of building domestic and international collaborations regarding civil society space, and analyze the complementarity with Goal 17 "Partnerships for the Goals."
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Report on Results
The purpose of this research is to clarify the actual activities of international cooperation NGOs toward achieving SDG Goal 16, "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions," from the perspective of "Civic Space."
As for the research methodology, we collaborated with the Japan NGO Action Network for Civic Space (NANCiS), a network organization of international cooperation NGOs that have been working on issues surrounding civil society spaces in recent years, to hold a two-day research workshop (February 10-11, 2020, Sagamihara Aoyama Gakuin University Campus), in order to analyze the achievements and challenges of network formation surrounding civil society spaces.
On the first day of the workshop, we set Theme A, "What is the Crisis of Civil Society Space? - An Analysis of the Reality," and received problem statements and three reports from NANCiS members. These reports included the current state of the shrinking of civil society space worldwide, the problems that became apparent at the Aichi Triennale in the summer of 2019, various examples of hate speech and counter-movements concerning indigenous peoples in Hokkaido, and the results of a NANCiS survey of NGOs. In the exchange of opinions, it became clear that the shrinking of civil society space in Japanese society often takes the form of informal and non-institutional erosion, and that this reality is extremely difficult for anyone other than those directly involved to recognize.
Furthermore, during the morning session on the second day, with the cooperation of the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC), information was gathered through two reports on Theme B, "International Trends Surrounding Civil Society Spaces—Analysis of Challenges." The OECD-DAC is considering guidelines for collaboration between civil society and member states, and the foreign ministries of countries such as Canada are formulating policies that anticipate such developments. In contrast, the Japanese government is not necessarily sensitive to these trends, and it became clear that the connection between international networks of NGOs formed at the global and regional levels and domestic society remains limited.
Following this, on the afternoon of the second day, the theme C, "Achievements and Challenges of Network Formation for Achieving SDGs 16 & 17," was discussed. During this discussion, NANCiS shared its efforts in collaboration with the legal profession and in social outreach, and then discussed the achievements, challenges, and future strategies for network formation toward achieving SDGs 16 & 17. It was confirmed that achieving SDGs 16 and 17 are deeply interconnected. Details of the results of these research meetings will be compiled into a separate report, which will be published on the websites of Aoyama Gakuin University University Research Institute and NANCiS.
Relationship between company characteristics and SDGs initiatives
Researcher: Kenji Miyazoe
As a case study, we will use qualitative analysis methods to interview corporate personnel regarding efforts toward the SDGs to determine whether there are any "areas that should be addressed," "areas that are appropriate," or "areas that are easy to address" among the 17 areas when it comes to companies' efforts toward the SDGs, depending on management factors such as the characteristics of their respective industries and regions.
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Report on Results
1. Research Objective
In recent years, a management issue for companies has been which of the 17 areas they should start working on when addressing the SDGs. Are there areas that a company should work on, areas that are appropriate, or areas that are easy to work on, depending on the company's management factors, such as its industrial characteristics (product characteristics, supply chain characteristics, logistics characteristics, etc.) and the characteristics of the region in which it is located? In this study, we focus on companies' SDG activities and investigate the current state of their efforts from the following perspectives: 1) Industry: characteristics of the products handled, 2) Is it related to the main business process (raw material procurement, production, sales, PR, logistics, human resources), 3) Is it an effort as a new related business, and 4) Is it a donation or social contribution activity, and clarify the characteristics of companies' SDG efforts.
2. Research Methods
The companies I researched were, first, Patagonia (which has been developing its own environmental and social activities globally from an early stage: a new research subject), second, three fashion and apparel companies related to my classes (also considering value chain stages such as sewing and spinning: a new subject), and third, national companies (Kao, Asahi Breweries, Kuraray) and Shikoku companies (Shikoku Electric Power, JR Shikoku, and Iyo Bank) with business bases in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture, which are also research subjects and existing relationships in my regional revitalization research.I collected public information such as annual reports for these companies, conducted interview surveys, and conducted on-site business surveys (for about half a year from October 2019 to March 2020), and conducted case analysis to compile the results.
3. What was revealed in this study
3-1.About Patagonia
Patagonia is an American company that manufactures and sells mountaineering, surfing, and outdoor equipment and clothing, and has been operating in Japan since 1988 (with 22 stores nationwide). In addition to developing and selling environmentally friendly products, the company also engages in social community activities such as product recovery and recycling, subsidies for organizations working on environmental issues, environmental protection activities by employees (beach cleanups, etc.), and earthquake support (providing showers and supplies to disaster victims). It is also unique and active in communicating its activities, such as publishing an annual "Environmental and Social Initiatives" pamphlet, indexing the results of its efforts, introducing and disseminating information about its activities at its stores, and interacting with customers. Even before the UN's SDGs activities, the company has been highly conscious of global environmental issues, and its efforts can be recognized as more fundamental than the framework of the SDGs (since January, the company's community activities have been canceled one after another due to the COVID-19 problem, and the originally planned experiential research has not been carried out).
3-2. Fashion and Apparel
In the fashion and apparel sector, we selected companies with an awareness of the value chain from upstream to downstream and proceeded to inspect their factories. We noticed that in TOOT (men's underwear), Eminent Slacks (men's slacks), and Unitika (spinning), which are committed to "Made in Japan" design and sewing, they not only demonstrate "responsibility to manufacture" with their unique technologies, but also create "joy and economic growth" in the areas where their factories are located by employing many local women.
3-3. Companies operating in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture
First, there are many SDGs activities for children that are related to a company's main business (for example, Kao's hand-washing and cleaning classes for elementary school students, Kuraray's chemistry classes, and explanations of manufacturing processes and environmental conservation at Asahi Breweries' factories). These are effective for educating local children and help to improve the child-rearing environment, and have actually led to an increase in the number of people of child-rearing age moving to Saijo City.
Secondly, in the case of Kuraray, which has a long history of business development in the area, a change in the meaning of the policies can be seen. Initially, "direct SDGs" such as churches, Kindergarten Building, hospitals and folk art museums were opened as employee benefits, but over the years they were transferred to management outside the company and became local resources. However, when it comes to folk art, Saijo was only given a "vessel" by the company, and cultural activities that awaken local people to folk art and cultivate the "content" of the art, as in Morioka and Tottori, have not led to true regional revitalization. This case proves the initial hypothesis of this study that "indirect SDGs" that foster citizenship among local people are important.
Thirdly, in addition to supporting culture and the arts and contributing to tourism, Shikoku companies are highly capable of carefully collecting regional information from all over Shikoku, compiling it into regional value, and tailoring it to regional policies. It also became clear that wide-area companies have the unique insight and ability to coordinate regional resources from a bird's-eye view while being rooted in the region. It became clear that a future challenge for this region is for local governments and residents to have the citizenship to further draw out corporate resources for SDG activities.
4. Plans for presenting research findings to society and applying them to education at Aoyama Gakuin University
This research is developing from research into regional revitalization by companies, and a research presentation titled "SDGs and Regional Revitalization" is planned for the Japan Society of Commercial Sciences' 2020 Research Presentation Conference (June 2020: Takushoku University). In addition, based on the results and accumulation of this research, a new action learning class, "SDGs Community Marketing," will be offered at the Graduate Graduate School of International Management (Aoyama Business School（ABS)) from the 2020 academic year.
Figure 1 Relationship between company characteristics and activity classification (core business, related business, contribution activities) and SDGs
(Source) Created by Kenji Miyazoe (2020)
Photo 1 Patagonia "Environmental and Social Initiatives" (Japanese booklet)
Photo 2. Eminent Slacks Factory (Matsuura City, Nagasaki Prefecture)
SDG-oriented food waste reduction measures for supply chains through industry-academia-government collaboration
Researcher: Kinya Tamaki
Regarding post-harvest losses in the upstream food supply chain (around 30% of food is discarded as substandard before being shipped to market, etc.), this course will explore the causes of food loss in downstream and upstream processes in the restaurant industry supply chain through case studies focusing on food loss reduction activities, such as partnering with farms to develop recipes for reusing scraps that would otherwise be discarded, and present concrete countermeasures.
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Report on Results
1. Academic background, academic significance, and research objectives of this study
This research focuses on SDG Goal 12, "Sustainable Consumption and Production," specifically target 12.3, "Halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses in production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses." In particular, the objective of this research is to conduct case studies and surveys on the upstream and downstream processes of the food service supply chain (SCM), under a collaborative organizational structure involving industry, academia, and government.
2. Research method
2.1 Research study on measures to address post-harvest losses in upstream processes of food service supply chain management (SCM)
(1) Participate in the United Nations University-supported "Farmers Market" charity event at the end of December.
- We sought out and negotiated with organic farmers exhibiting at farmers' markets who were willing to provide surplus produce (Kashima Farm provided radishes and carrots free of charge).
- Ivy CS Co., Ltd., which is contracted to operate Aoyama Gakuin University 's cafeteria, prepares pickles using the above vegetables.
- Itaru Center, a social welfare corporation (an employment support organization for people with disabilities), will provide the prepared curry rice and arrange for a food truck.
The Tamaki Kinya Laboratory of School of Business and Aoyama Hicon Co., Ltd. are responsible for overall event planning and management, surveys/interviews, creation and distribution of public relations data for the food waste campaign, and staff dispatch.
On December 29, 2019, we exhibited at the "SDGs Food Waste Reduction Event [Employment Support Curry Rice + Surplus Vegetable Pickles]" and provided free food to 300 people. We conducted a survey/interview with some of the participants and solicited donations for the Itaru Center.
(2) "Aogaku Organic Soup Fair" at Aoyama Gakuin University cafeteria, November 18, 2019 (Monday)
- Ivy CS Co., Ltd., which is contracted to operate Aoyama Gakuin University 's cafeteria (soup recipe planning, cooking)
- Tamaki Kinya Laboratory, Faculty School of Business and Aoyama Hicon Co., Ltd.: Event planning and management, production and distribution of SDGs food education flyers, surveys/interviews,
- Ishizaka Farm, affiliated with JA J-MIND, offers various surplus vegetables at low prices.
- For Aogaku, the regular set meal menu will be served with "Aogaku Organic Soup" instead of "Miso Soup." - Representatives from Aogaku University and the Ministry of the Environment's GEOC will be invited and served the set meal.
(3) A fact-finding study on the creation of SDGs tourism centered on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.
The goal of the tourism project itself will incorporate the objectives and targets of the SDGs, and by learning together with local communities to solve regional issues such as the utilization and branding of local resources, job creation, and the protection of the natural environment, traditional culture, and landscape, we aim to increase the number of tourists from both within Japan and overseas by promoting sustainable regional development and tourism development, and by disseminating information to the world.
?Utilization of local agricultural, forestry, and fishery resources and development of food brands (utilization for tourism)
- Development of food products that meet domestic and international demand, measures to reduce food waste, and protection of traditional vegetables.
2.2 Measures to reduce food loss at the retail and consumer levels in the downstream processes of food service supply chain management (SCM)
A master's student belonging to this laboratory conducted collaborative research on the applicability of production management systems with a proven track record in the manufacturing industry, using one of the employee cafeterias managed by Shidax Co., Ltd., a company that provides school lunches, as the research subject, and compiled the findings into a master's thesis.
Linguistic and philosophical studies of gender and gender expression
Researcher: Elin McCready
The gender situation will be examined from a linguistic perspective, examining linguistic forms related to which pronouns are chosen for various genders, and from a philosophical perspective on the aspects of gender and feminism, enhancing understanding of cognitive and social injustices against women from a theoretical standpoint.
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Report on Results
This research considers the status of gender from the perspectives of linguistics and philosophy. The main goals are twofold:
i) to examine the linguistic reflexes associated with various genders and pronoun choice from a formal perspective, using the tools of logic, probability theory, and game theory
ii) to carry out a philosophical investigation of aspects of gender and feminism, including the nature of transgender experience, epistemological strategies for minimizing trauma and consequent difficulties associated with them, and moral issues resulting from charitable interpretation
Both of these aspects of the project, though theoretical in nature, will help in carrying out SDG5, the strengthening of women's position in society, in this case via the increased understanding of the epistemic and social injustices women are subject to and consequent practical improvements in personal relationships and social policies.
The results of the research at this point have been the following.
1.Invited talk delivered at the University of Gothenburg. Additional talks were planned for the University of Edinburgh, the Ecole Normale Superiore (Paris) and ZAS/Humboldt University (Berlin), but had to be canceled because of coronavirus.
2.Submitted talk at Amsterdam Colloquium, ILLC (Holland)
3.Papers in preparation on slurs, epistemic injustice, gender, silencing and normativity.
The grant monies have been used on (a) materials including books and journals relating to gender, gender studies, and issues around gender, and (b) on travel expenses for travel to Europe in March 2020, where I planned to give five invited talks ; four of these unfortunately had to be canceled due to border closures and cancellations due to coronavirus.