[KS] “Memory and Competitive Victimhood in Northeast Asia" (Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (NZDT)

[Changzoo Song]

Dear Friends,
You are warmly invited to a seminar in the Korean Studies Colloquium Series of the University of Auckland. The next one is “Memory and Competitive Victimhood in Northeast Asia" by Dr. Ria Shibata from the Toda Peace Institute.
Join us as Dr Ria Shibata examines how narratives of wartime trauma and victimhood shape Japan’s relations with its neighbours in Northeast Asia.
Event details

  *   Date & Time: Tuesday, 20 January 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (NZDT)
  *   Location: Arts Building 206 – Room 209, University of Auckland / Online via Zoom
  *   Online Participation: You can join directly via Zoom using this link (NO pre‑registration required): https://auckland.zoom.us/j/93339960852, or by scanning the QR code on the poster.
  *
Time zones: As the event will be in New Zealand, participants outside New Zealand are encouraged to check the time difference in advance using the Time Zone Converter – Time Difference Calculator: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html.

This event is part of the University of Auckland’s Strategic Research Hub in Korean Studies, generously supported by the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS).
About the talk
Conflicts that persist are often rooted in historical memories of violence. Acknowledging collective intergenerational responsibility for past injustices is essential in fostering reconciliation between perpetrators and victims. The collective memory of violent trauma is conveyed through narratives in official textbooks, mass media, rituals, commemorations, popular culture, and personal storytelling. Japan has frequently been criticized for downplaying its wartime atrocities, such as the Nanjing Massacre and the coercion of “comfort women,” in its official discourse. This lecture explores how current generations of Japanese citizens “remember” the war and how exposure to narratives emphasizing Japanese victimhood may influence their willingness to accept responsibility for the nation’s past wrongdoings. This, in turn, may hinder Japan’s efforts toward reconciliation with its neighbors in Northeast Asia, particularly China and South Korea.
Speaker bio
Dr Ria Shibata serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the New Zealand Centre for Global Studies and the Toda Peace Institute in Japan. She is also a Visiting Scholar at the Japanese Studies Centre at the University of Auckland. Shibata’s primary research interest is in the dynamics of reconciliation in Northeast Asia, with a particular focus on the complex aspects of national identity, historical memory and victimhood narratives.
We look forward to your participation.
Best regards,
Changzoo Song
Strategic Research Hub in Korean Studies
University of Auckland, New Zealand
Email: ch.song at auckland.ac.nz<mailto:ch.song at auckland.ac.nz>

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