Seeds of Conflict: Japan and China

Why are Japan’s relations with its neighbors so complicated today? How did these conflicts take shape? Japan’s role in East Asia—from disputed territories to the legacy of wartime memory—remains a sensitive and deeply contested subject. But these tensions did not emerge overnight. They are rooted in a long and complex history that stretches back to a time before “Japan” existed as a unified nation. In this lecture, Dr. Erin Brightwell explores how Japan has represented and reimagined China across centuries, tracing how these early cultural and intellectual exchanges continue to shape political realities and regional tensions today. Free & open to the public. This event is presented by the UAF Department of History, the Japanese Studies Program, the UAF Asian Studies Program, and generously supported by the Northeast Asia Council of the Association for Asian Studies. Seeds of Conflict: Japan and China Public lecture with Dr. Erin L. Brightwell 

Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Time: 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Location: Gruening Building, Room 409
Zoom Option: https://alaska.zoom.us/j/86141641177