Department of Japanese

    The Japanese language and literature discipline of Wuhan University, boasting a long history, can be traced back to the “Eastern Language” category added by the Ziqiang Institute in 1898. The Department was restored in New China on the eve of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in 1972. It is one of the earliest high-level Japanese talent training bases in China. In 1986 and 2014, it successively obtained the right to grant master and doctoral degrees. Professional teaching and scientific research covers three main areas: Japanese literature, Japanese linguistics and Japanese culture, forming a complete discipline system. After decades of incessant efforts, remarkable achievements have been made in cultivating faculties, teaching, research and talent.

    There are 12 full-time teachers in the Japanese Department, including 1 Professor, 6 associate professors and 5 lecturers. The age range of the faculty is reasonable and their research dimensions are well-balanced. In addition, 1-2 Japanese foreign teachers are specially hired each year, and well-known experts at home and abroad are regularly invited to give lectures. In recent years, the Department has published more than 20 academic books, translation works and textbooks, and more than 100 academic papers. The faculty has been approved for the National Social Science Fund Youth Project; the National Social Science Fund’s neglected “lost knowledge” and National History Research Special Project; the National Social Science Fund Chinese Academic Works Translation Project; and “Japanese Studies in Asian Countries” project sponsored by Japan’s Sumitomo Foundation. Together with various provincial and university level research projects, there are more than 30 projects in total.

    The Japanese Department is committed to cultivating high-quality and inter-disciplinary talents with solid knowledge, strong application ability, international vision, innovative consciousness and a spirit of self-improvement. Over the years, the pass rates for TJM-4, TJM-8 and JLPT-N1 have far exceeded the national average. Japanese students have repeatedly won awards in various competitions such as the “Sasakawa Cup” National University Japanese knowledge competition.

    In order to meet the development of the times and social needs, the Japanese Department has always attached importance to international exchange and broadening the channels for talent training. Every year, undergraduate and graduate students are sent to more than ten famous universities such as Kyoto University, Waseda University, Osaka University, Kyushu University, Hokkaido University, Kobe University, Hiroshima University, Doshisha University, Sophia University, University of Tokushima and Ritsumeikan University, providing students with many opportunities for international exchanges. In addition, the Japanese Department and Kobe University launched a joint training program (undergraduate, master) for dual degrees in Japanese Language & Literature and Economics, further expanding the education mode.

    The Japanese Department has set up various platforms in collaboration with the China Service Center for Friendship and Cooperation with Foreign Countries; AEON (Hubei); Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Wuhan Office; Mizuho Bank Wuhan Office; and Wuhan Dong Hon Logistics Co. Ltd. to provide guidance for students’ internship and employment. In recent years, the Department has cultivated a large number of high-quality professionals who are active in government agencies at all levels, universities and scientific research institutions, as well as major companies at home and abroad, and have made positive contributions to Sino-Japan cooperation and exchanges in their respective fields.

Department Head: Zeng Dan

Deputy Department Head: Zhang Jian, Xia Jing