"Japan-USSR Relation in the 'Post-Cold War'Era"

1991 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 02045039
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: University-to-University Cooperative Research
• Research Institution: Institute of International Relations, Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: ROYAMA Michio Institute of International Relations, 国際関係研究所, 所長・教授 (50053517)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): レオンチェーウ゛ァ エレー 世界経済国際関係研究所, 上級研究員 ; クナーゼ ゲオルギー F 世界経済国際関係研究所, 政治課長 ; ザイツェフ ウ゛ァレリー 世界経済国際関係研究所, 日本経済課長 ; イワノフ ウラジュミール 世界経済国際関係研究所, 太平洋部長 ; NAYA Masatsugu Institute of International Relations, Sophia University, 外国語学部, 助教授 (50172581) ; WATANUKI Joji Institute of International Relations, Sophia University, 外国語学部, 教授 (80053560) ; MIWA Kimitada Institute of International Relations, Sophia University, 外国語学部, 教授 (40053532) ; KAWATA Tadashi Institute of International Relations, Sophia University, 外国語学部, 教授 (80053487) ; ZAITSEV Valery K. Institute of World Economy and International Relations The USSR Academy of Scien ; ROSIN Victor Y. Institute of World Economy and International Relations The USSR Academy of Scien ; LENOTIEVA Elena Institute of World Economy and International Relations The USSR Academy of Scien ; KOUNADZE Georgi F. Institute of World Economy and International Relations The USSR Academy of Scien ; IVANOV Vladimir I. Institute of World Economy and International Relations The USSR Academy of Scien
• Project Period (FY): 1990 – 1992
• Keywords: Japan-Soviet Relations / Gorbachev / Perestroika / The USSR Academy of Sciences / IMEMO / Sophia University IIR / Academic exchange agreement / Soviet Sociology

Research Abstract

This project was conceived as an academic exchange program between the Institute of International Relations, Sophia University, Tokyo, and the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), the USSR Academy of Sciences Moscow. An exchange agreement was concluded between the two institutions in the Spring of 1989 and a Monbusho research grant was also made in the next year. The project was promoted by the shared conviction between the leaders of the two institutions that then developing openness in the political and social atmosphere within the Soviet Union in general, and expanding academic freedom in particular, as a result of the advent of Per-estr-oika by Gorbachev, would make an academic exchange program like this, small though it may be, more effective in the effort to improve the relationship between Japan and Soviet Union which had been rather unfriendly.
The project was planned to exchange 5 persons each on both sides in three years, and to hold a small study conference towards the end of the project, to discuss the problems and issues of mutual concern and the ways to promote cooperation between the two nations.
The visitors from IMEMO for one-month stay in Japan were Dr. Valery K. Zaitsev and Victor Y. Rosin, both economist, and from Sophia IIR Professors Michio Royama and Jon Watanuki, specialists in international politics and political sociology, respectively, were sent for shorter visit to Moscow. Then came the abortive coup in August 1991 which brought about an unexpected dissolution of the Soviet Union in such a short span of time. IMEMO was transferred to the Russian Republic, but because of the acute financial difficulties of the Republic, it was unable to exhibit its capacity to continue to receive further visitors from Japan by the end of 1991, when IIR was to submit to Monbusho a budget for 1992 fiscal year. The project was abandoned, grudgingly and regretfully, with a hope that days would come when the project could be resumed.