Projects for Research on COVID 19

The Institute for Comparative Research in Human and Social Sciences has initiated a series of new projects for conducting research on the COVID-19 new coronavirus and its impact on society.

ICR will announce new research initiatives along with research results through this page.

Project 1: Analysis of the COVID-19 Infodemic: Japanese Media COVID-19 Content Topic Modeling

Leader: Professor Muneo Kaigo PhD.

Project 1 lead by Muneo Kaigo will use quantitative methods for data analysis and machine learning techniques for content analysis of media related to COVID-19 in Japan.Social surveys and data extraction from social media and traditional media will be used. The aim of this project is to clarify the effects of information related to the virus and the impacts on society.

Project 2. Basic Research on Resilient Social Design in the Era of High Mobility: The Novel Coronavirus and Reduction of Global International Migration of People, Policy and Technological Interventions and Analysis

Leader: Professor Junichi Akashi PhD.

Tighter immigration controls, including border blockades accompanying the spread of the novel coronavirus has led to an increase in extreme restrictions on international movement and migration. This study identifies the processes and consequences of this process and, in addition, from a policy and technical perspective, negative aspects of the reduction of human cross-border
activities and a pathway to early recovery. Through this research, we will explore the resilience of society in an age of more transboundary mobility.

Project 3. The Role of the Constitution to Deal with COVID-19

Leader: Professor Hajime Akiyama PhD.

The Japanese government and prefectural governments are taking emergency measures, including business suspension request, to deal with the outbreak of the COVID-19. Business suspension request, derived from the concept of public health, may limit civil liberties, which are the fundamental values in the Japanese Constitution. Based on this background, this research reconsiders the constitutional value which should be prioritised to deal with COVID-19 with particular emphasis on public health and freedom of establishment. It also introduces a comparative constitutional perspective to clarify the challenges the Japanese Constitution faces to deal with COVID-19.

Project 4. Development of Online Japanese Language Support for Foreign Students

Leader: Professor Hiroko Sawada PhD.

The number of non-Japanese students who need Japanese language instruction in Japan has been increasing in recent years, and the number of students at elementary, middle and high schools has been increasing. We have been struggling to cope with the situation. In addition, in response to the spread of the new coronavirus, many educational sites have taken emergency measures such as school closures and remote learning As a result, the number of children who are not receiving adequate Japanese language instruction and who are significantly behind in their studies is increasing rapidly. In this study, we aim to establish an online Japanese language instruction support system for foreign students. Therefore, this study is concerned with the construction of an online Japanese language instruction support system for foreign students and the establishment of a Curriculum Development.