Adjunct and Emeritus Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Victoria
The time spent in Japan was critical in understanding not only the host country, but much of Northeast Asia.
Professor Bedeski is a two-time recipient of the Japan Foundation fellowship, once in 1980-81, and again in 1993-94. Both times he conducted research in Tokyo.
In 1980-1981, I remained at National Defense Institute in Tokyo and learned much about Japanese foreign and defense policy. The fellowship gave me valuable government access to research materials and some language training. I conducted research on Japanese defense policy; wrote book on 1978 Peace and Friendship Treaty between Japan and China. What I learned became helpful to Canadian government relations with Japan in subsequent years.
During the 1993-1994 fellowship, I gained much knowledge about Japanese society and economy, and wrote papers on gender legislation.
Both fellowships were extremely valuable in teaching, research and consulting. I gained knowledge and contacts for expanding my research on Japanese relations with mainland Asia. This led to travel in and several books on Taiwan, China, Mongolia, and Korea. These led to travels in Siberia and visits to the Soviet Far East. After retirement from the University of Victoria in 2004, I continued to travel, research, teach and write. The time spent in Japan was critical in understanding not only the host country, but much of Northeast Asia. I am forever grateful for the Japan Foundation granting me the ability to explore and write about the region at a most critical time.
