Updated on 2025/10/02

写真a

 
SAWAI ISAMI
 
Organization
Institute for Liberal Arts Associate Professor
Title
Associate Professor
Contact information
メールアドレス
Profile

Curriculum Vitae (4 August, 2024)
https://researchmap.jp/multidatabases/multidatabase_contents/download/271954/00051241e277db306c36565e7e4f072c/37017?col_no=2&frame_id=549398

Isami Sawai is an Associate Professor at the Institute for Liberal Arts, Tokyo Institute of Technology, and a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo. His research focuses on the political and diplomatic history of Japan and the international history of East Asia during the early modern, modern, and contemporary periods. He particularly sheds new light on late 19th-century Japanese and East Asian foreign policy-making. His work emphasizes the importance of geographical conditions and the understanding of international law during these times.


He holds a PhD in International History from the London School of Economics, as well as a Master of Philosophy in Political Science (Valedictorian) and a Bachelor of Laws (Valedictorian) from the University of Tokyo. He has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities at Seikei University, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and as a Project Lecturer and Research Associate at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate Schools for Law and Politics.

His PhD dissertation, titled "East Asia before 'Diplomacy': The Transformation of China and Japan’s Foreign Policy-Making, 1858-1881" (2022), was awarded the Yoshino Sakuzo Research Award in 2023. He is currently working on a new project, "The Comparative History of Jioshe, Kōsai, and Gyorin: Revisiting the Foreign Relations of China, Japan, and Korea before Modern 'Diplomacy' (1860s-1880s)," funded by the Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (2021-2026).

External link

Degree

  • Doctor of Philosophy in International History ( 2022.2   London School of Economics and Political Science )

  • Master of Philosophy in Political Science ( 2015.3   The University of Tokyo )

  • Bachelor of Laws ( 2013.3   The University of Tokyo )

Research Areas

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / International relations  / International History

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / Politics  / Political and diplomatic history of Japan

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / International law  / International Law and Politics

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / Politics  / History of Japanese Political Studies

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / History of Asia and Africa  / Modern East Asian History

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / Japanese history  / History of Early Modern Japan

  • Humanities & Social Sciences / Japanese history  / History of Modern Japan

▼display all

Education

  • London School of Economics and Political Science   STICERD   Affiliated PhD Student

    2018.1 - 2021.5

      More details

  • London School of Economics and Political Science   Department of International History   MPhil/ PhD Programme

    2016.9 - 2021.5

      More details

  • Academia Sinica (Taiwan)   Institute of Modern History   Visiting Research Student

    2018.1 - 2018.6

      More details

  • Peking University   Department of History   Visiting Research Student

    2017.9 - 2017.12

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Graduate Schools for Law and Politics

    2013.4 - 2015.3

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Faculty of Law   Course III

    2011.4 - 2013.3

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   College of Arts and Sciences   Humanities and Social Sciences 1

    2009.4 - 2011.3

      More details

▼display all

Research History

  • Institute of Science Tokyo   Academy for Leadership   Associate Professor

    2025.4 - 2025.9

      More details

  • Institute of Science Tokyo   Institute for Liberal Arts / Department of Social and Human Sciences, School of Environment and Society   Associate Professor

    2024.10

      More details

  • National Taiwan University   Department of History   Visiting Scholar

    2024.8 - 2024.9

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology   Visiting Senior Research Fellow

    2024.5

      More details

  • Tokyo Institute of Technology   Institute for Liberal Arts / Department of Social and Human Sciences, School of Environment and Society   Associate Professor

    2024.4 - 2024.9

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology   Visiting Research Fellow

    2023.11 - 2024.5

      More details

  • Seikei University   Faculty of Humanities, Department of Contemporary Societies   Assistant Professor

    2023.4 - 2024.3

      More details

  • Harvard University   Weatherhead Center for International Affairs   Visiting Scholar

    2023.4 - 2023.7

      More details

  • Harvard University   Weatherhead Institute for International Affairs   Postdoctoral Fellow

    2022.4 - 2023.3

      More details

  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science   Cross-border Postdoctoral Fellow

    2021.10 - 2023.3

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Graduate Schools for Law and Politics Institute of Business Law and Comparative Law & Politics   Project Lecturer

    2021.4 - 2021.9

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Graduate Schools for Law and Politics   Research Associate/ Assistant Professor

    2019.7 - 2021.3

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology   Visiting Research Fellow

    2016.7 - 2017.3

      More details

  • The University of Tokyo   Graduate Schools for Law and Politics   Research Associate

    2015.4 - 2016.6

      More details

▼display all

Papers

▼display all

Books

  • Oka Yoshisato and Political Science in Postwar Japan: From Behaviorism, Symbolism to Performance

    Academics and Imaginations in Postwar Japan

    Yoshida Shoten  2022.4 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Book type:Scholarly book

    researchmap

MISC

  • 異分野 Cross Talk(2: 東アジアの外交史を紐解く 社会のリアルを写す鏡こそが歴史) Invited

    吉田育英会 会報誌 環   ( 8 )   2025.7

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (other)  

    researchmap

  • (Book Review)"Oshima Akiko, 'Gaisei to Kōgi'" Invited

    Isami Sawai

    Historical Journal (Rekishi Hyōron)   ( 900 )   2025.4

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Book review, literature introduction, etc.  

    researchmap

  • 目の前の現状を相対化し、個々人が思考できる力をつける 。知的好奇心として学ぶ歴史のおもしろさ Invited

    東京科学大学リベラルアーツ研究教育院 教員インタビュー   2024.11

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (other)  

    researchmap

  • 再発防止 同性婚合法化を 澤井勇海・学術振興会特別研究員 Invited

    毎日新聞(東京夕刊)   2022.5

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (trade magazine, newspaper, online media)  

    researchmap

  • コロナ禍で浮き彫り 同性カップルの苦境にどう向き合うべきか Invited

    https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220512/k00/00m/040/215000c

    毎日新聞(オンライン)   2022.5

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (trade magazine, newspaper, online media)  

    researchmap

  • 新型コロナ オミクロン株拡大、外国人の入国禁止 脆弱な検疫、外国人にしわ寄せ 澤井勇海・学術振興会特別研究員 Invited

    https://mainichi.jp/articles/20211227/dde/041/040/029000c

    毎日新聞(東京夕刊)   2021.12

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (trade magazine, newspaper, online media)  

    researchmap

  • Japan's strict border measures against foreigners may go beyond scope of law: scholar Invited

    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20211218/p2a/00m/0na/019000c

    The Mainichi Shimbun (Online)   2021.12

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (trade magazine, newspaper, online media)  

    researchmap

  • The Meiji Restoration sesquicentennial from the viewpoint of a young Japanese historian Invited International journal

    Isami Sawai

    Ming Pao Monthly   53 ( 8 )   2018.8

     More details

    Language:Chinese   Publishing type:Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (trade magazine, newspaper, online media)  

    File: 澤井勇海《明報月刊》.pdf

    researchmap

  • [Book Review] Shogo Suzuki, Civilization and Empire: China and Japan’s Encounter with European International Society Invited

    Isami Sawai

    Journal of the Association of Political and Social Sciences   129 ( 9-10 )   2016

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Publishing type:Book review, literature introduction, etc.  

    researchmap

▼display all

Presentations

  • International Politics for International JudgesーPostwar Japan, ROC, and Elections of the International Court of Justice, 1954-1960

    Isami Sawai

    The Japan Association of International Relations 2023 Annual Convention  2023.11 

     More details

    Event date: 2023.11

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Japan’s Entry Restrictions in the Coronavirus Pandemic: The Case of Non-Japanese Spouses/Partners of Japanese Nationals

    Isami Sawai

    Japan Association for Migration Policy Studies 2021 Winter Conference Program  2021.12 

     More details

    Event date: 2021.12

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    File: 移民政策学会 2021 年度冬季大会自由報告 抄録原稿.pdf

    researchmap

  • The 'Establishment' of the 'Standard of Civilization': China, Japan and the Western International Lawyers, 1873-1881

    Isami Sawai

    2021 Annual Conference of the Japanese Political Science Association  2021.9 

     More details

    Event date: 2021.9

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • (Discussant) "South Korea’s Navigation of Authoritarianism in a Democratic World" International conference

    27th Asian Studies Conference Japan  2025.7 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • "Lecture 3: Political History, The Meiji Restoration" Invited International conference

    Isami Sawai

    Understanding the Japanese Development Experience Program for JICA scholars, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)  2025.2 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    researchmap

  • (Discussant) "Rethinking the Charter of the United Nations from the perspective of 'modernity' and Japan's unfinished task" Invited

    The 59th United Nations History Colloquium  2025.2 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • "The Collected Works of Oka Yoshisato and The Collected Works of Nagai Yonosuke on International Politics"

    Modern Japan Research Group (Book Review Event on The Collected Works of Oka Yoshisato))  2025.1 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • 明治日本の国際法「学習」再考ーーイーライ・T・シェパードに注目して Invited International conference

    澤井勇海

    第5回日中若手研究者フォーラム  2024.10 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • From Kosai交際 to Gaiko外交: Revisiting Japan's foreign relations in the Meiji Restoration International conference

    Isami Sawai

    24th Annual Japan Studies Association Conference  2018.1 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Between ‘Jiaoshe交渉’ (Negotiation) and ’Kosai交際’ (Intercourse): Rethinking China and Japan's Foreign Relations from their own Frameworks Invited International conference

    Isami Sawai

    Cluster of Excellence 'Asia and Europe in a Global Context' Heidelberg University Research Seminar  2019.6 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (invited, special)  

    researchmap

  • Revisiting the East Asian Foreign Relations before 'Diplomacy': China's 'Jiaoshe' and Japan's 'Kosho', 1858-1873 Invited

    Isami Sawai

    Hokkaido University Political Science Workshop  2021.10 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (invited, special)  

    researchmap

  • Oka Yoshisato and Political Science in Post-war Japan Invited International conference

    Isami Sawai

    UTokyo Center for Contemporary Japanese Studies Early-Career Scholar Forum  2021.11 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • ‘Jiaoshe交渉’ and ‘Kosai交際’: Reconsidering China and Japan’s Transformation of Foreign Relations 1868-1873 International conference

    Isami Sawai

    AAS-in-Asia 2018  2018.7 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Gaikoku-kosai in Nagasaki and Sawa Nobuyoshi 1868-69: with a focus on his diaries Invited

    Isami Sawai

    Research seminar of the Society of the History of the Meiji Restoration  2018.7 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • What is ‘Diplomacy’?: The Struggle for Modern Foreign Relations in the Early Meiji Era International conference

    Isami Sawai

    British Association for Japanese Studies Conference 2018  2018.9 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • ‘Jiaoshe交渉’, ’Kosai交際’, and Diplomacy: Revisiting the Transformation of China and Japan’s Foreign Relations 1868-1873 International conference

    Isami Sawai

    The 4th Congress of the Asian Association of World Historians 4th Congress  2019.1 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • The ‘Establishment’ of the ‘Standard of Civilization’: Japan, China, and Western International Lawyers 1873-1881 International conference

    Isami Sawai

    King’s College London World History Student Conference  2017.5 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Western International Lawyers and China and Japan’s Informal Diplomacy: the Mutual Formulation of the ‘Standard of Civilization’ International conference

    Isami Sawai

    Asian Society of International Law 6th Biennial Conference Junior Scholars’ Workshop  2017.8 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Reconsidering the ‘Standard of Civilization’: The Communications and Negotiations between Western International Lawyers and East Asian Practitioners International conference

    Isami Sawai

    European University Institute Summer School: Comparative and Transnational History  2017.9 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    researchmap

  • Becoming an International Legal Adviser in GaimushōーThe Life of Eli T. Sheppard in China and Japan

    Isami Sawai

    Japanese Association of Modern East Asian History Monthly Research Seminar  2023.9 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • "Diversity and Inclusion” in International Legal Order? :East Asia, Cold War, and the Elections of the International Court of Justice, 1954-1966 International conference

    Isami Sawai

    Harvard University Weatherhead Center for International Affairs Weatherhead Scholars Program Research Seminar  2023.5 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • "Jiaoshe交渉", "Kōsai交際", and "Gyorin交隣": The Transitional Styles of East Asian Foreign Policy-making, the 1860s-70s Invited International conference

    Isami Sawai

    5th conference of the network for New Diplomatic History  2023.5 

     More details

    Language:English   Presentation type:Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

    researchmap

  • 幕末維新期に関する近年の研究動向ーー「公議」「公法」とその周辺 Invited International conference

    澤井勇海

    復旦大学日本研究センター「日本研究の理論と方法」連続講座 第5講  2024.10 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    researchmap

  • 戦後国際社会と東アジアの代表性をめぐる角逐ーー国際司法裁判所選挙と日本・中華民国・米国、 1954-1966 International conference

    澤井勇海

    東アジア日本研究者協議会 第8回国際学術大会  2024.11 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    researchmap

  • Reading Shinzō Abe's Memoir ーRegarding Coronavirus Pandemic and International Responses Invited

    Isami Sawai

    Seiji Yose (Komaba Research Campus Open House 2023)  2023.6 

     More details

    Language:Japanese   Presentation type:Symposium, workshop panel (nominated)  

    researchmap

▼display all

Awards

  • Yoshino Sakuzo Research Award

    2023.2   Yoshino Sakuzo Memorial Museum  

    East Asia before ‘Diplomacy’: The Transformation of China and Japan’s Foreign Policy-making, 1858-1881

     More details

    Award type:Award from publisher, newspaper, foundation, etc. 

    researchmap

  • Scholarship for Graduate Students with Extremely Excellent Records

    2015.3   Japan Student Services Organization  

    Isami Sawai

     More details

  • Valedictorian

    2015.3   Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo  

    Isami Sawai

     More details

  • Valedictorian (Course III)

    2013.3   Faculty of Law, the University of Tokyo  

    Isami Sawai

     More details

  • summa cum laude

    2013.3   Faculty of Law, The University of Tokyo  

    Isami Sawai

     More details

Research Projects

  • Scholarship for Studying Abroad

    2022.4 - 2023.3

    Suenobu Foundation 

      More details

  • The Comparative History of 'Jiaoshe', 'Kosai' and 'Gyorin'--Revisiting the Foreign Relations of China, Japan and Korea before 'Diplomacy'

    2021.10 - 2026.3

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows 

      More details

  • East Asian Foreign Relations before 'Diplomacy'--'Jiaoshe', 'Kosai' and 'Gyorin' in China, Japan and Korea, 1858-1881

    2019.10 - 2021.9

    Matsushita Konosuke Foundation  Research Grants 

      More details

    Authorship:Principal investigator 

    researchmap

  • Partnership PhD Mobility Bursaries

    2017.9 - 2017.12

    London School of Economics and Political Science 

    Isami Sawai

      More details

    Authorship:Principal investigator 

    researchmap

  • LSE PhD Studentship

    2016.9 - 2021.5

    London School of Economics and Political Science 

    Isami Sawai

      More details

    Authorship:Principal investigator  Grant type:Competitive

    researchmap

  • From 'Kosai' to 'Diplomacy': Gaikoku-kosai in the Early Meiji Era 1868-1877

    2015.4 - 2017.3

    Nomura Foundation  Social Sciences Grants 

    Isami Sawai

      More details

    Authorship:Principal investigator  Grant type:Competitive

    researchmap

▼display all

Other

  • LSE Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education / Associate Fellow of The Higher Education Academy

    2019.7

     More details

    https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/Teaching-and-Learning-Centre/PGCertHE-and-Fellowships

    researchmap

  • Summer School in Global and Transnational History, The Department of History and Civilization (HEC) at the European University Institute (EUI)

    2017.9

     More details

    https://www.eui.eu/DepartmentsAndCentres/HistoryAndCivilization/SummerSchool

    researchmap

Teaching Experience

  • History C

    2024.10 - 2024.11 Institution:Institute of Science Tokyo

     More details

  • Cross-Boundary Liberal Arts Course (Doctoral Program)

    2024.6 - 2024.7 Institution:Tokyo Institute of Technology

     More details

  • History A

    2024.6 - 2024.7 Institution:Tokyo Institute of Technology

     More details

  • History B

    2024.4 - 2024.5 Institution:Tokyo Institute of Technology

     More details

  • Tokyo Tech Visionary Project

    2024.4 - 2024.5 Institution:Tokyo Institute of Technology

     More details

  • Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences14:History (Master Program)

    2024.4 - 2024.5 Institution:Tokyo Institute of Technology

     More details

  • Fundamental Academic Skills II

    2023.9 - 2024.1 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Contemporary Japanese History, 1945-present

    2023.9 - 2024.1 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Modern Japanese History, 1917-1945

    2023.9 - 2024.1 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Fundamental Academic Skills I

    2023.4 - 2023.7 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Modern Japanese History, 1853-1917

    2023.4 - 2023.7 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Politics and Foreign Relations in the 19th-century Japan and East Asia

    2023.4 - 2023.7 Institution:Faculty of Humanities, Seikei University

     More details

  • Japanese Studies in English-speaking Academia

    2021.4 - 2021.7 Institution:Faculty of Law, The University of Tokyo

     More details

  • Modernity and the State in East Asia: China, Japan and Korea since 1840 (GTA)

    2018.9 - 2019.6 Institution:Department of International History, London School of Economics and Political Science

     More details

  • Political and Diplomatic History of Modern Japan (TA)

    2013.4 - 2014.3 Institution:Faculty of Law, The University of Tokyo

     More details

▼display all

Media Coverage

  • 異分野 Cross Talk(2: 東アジアの外交史を紐解く 社会のリアルを写す鏡こそが歴史) Promotional material

    吉田育英会 会報誌 環 Vol.8  2025.7

     More details

  • 再発防止 同性婚合法化を 澤井勇海・学術振興会特別研究員 Newspaper, magazine

    毎日新聞(東京夕刊)  2022.5

     More details

  • コロナ禍で浮き彫り 同姓カップルの苦境にどう向き合うべきか Newspaper, magazine

    毎日新聞(オンライン)  2022.5

     More details

  • 新型コロナ オミクロン株拡大、外国人の入国禁止 脆弱な検疫、外国人にしわ寄せ 澤井勇海・学術振興会特別研究員 Newspaper, magazine

    毎日新聞(東京夕刊)  2021.12

     More details

  • Japan's strict border measures against foreigners may go beyond scope of law: scholar Newspaper, magazine

    The Mainichi Shimbun (Online)  2021.12

     More details