The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with the Malaysian Association of Japanese Studies (MAJAS), and co-organization with the Japan Studies Program, Department of East Asia Studies, University of Malaya, are proud to present a public lecture on Japanese Studies on the following topic, ?An Aspect of Soft Power: Comparing the China and Japan Models for Malaysia?. The lecture will be delivered by Professor Dr. Lee Poh Ping, a specialist and a Senior Research Fellow of Institute China Studies, University of Malaya.

The Topic

Joseph Nye, the Harvard scholar who developed the concept of soft power, says that an important source of soft power is the ability of a nation to act as a model. Japan was a model for Malaysia and some of the older members of ASEAN for three decades or more, primarily because it achieved high economic growth while retaining social equity and cultural identity. With Malaysia looking for a new model, can China fit the bill?

Jointly Organized by
The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Association of Japanese Studies (MAJAS)
Japan Studies Program, Department of East Asia Studies, University of Malaya

About the Speaker

Professor Dr. Lee Poh Ping graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Malaya in 1967, and received his Ph. D in Government from Cornell University, United States of America in 1974. He was a Professor in the Department of Public Administration, University of Malaya from 1992 to 1997, and continued as a Principal Fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) from 1999 to 2009.

He was a Member of the International House of Japan, and an International Associate Member of F.A.I.R (Foundation of Advanced Information and Research) at the Institute of Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Ministry of Finance, Tokyo, Japan. Professor Dr. Lee is currently the President of the Malaysian Association of Japanese Studies (MAJAS), and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute China Studies, University of Malaya (UM). With his broad knowledge of international relations between Japan and China, he has published and edited a number of books and journals such as:

? ?The Japanese Model and Southeast Asia with particular reference to Malaysia?, Kajian Malaysia (Malaysia) June 1988
? ?The Look East Policy, The Japanese Model and Malaysia? in Bridget Welsh, ed. Reflections, The Mahathir Years(Johns Hopkins University) 2004
? ?Japan-China relations: A Malaysian perspective? In Lam Peng Er, ed. Japan?s Relations with China (Routledge) 2006
? Japanese Studies in Malaysia: in Journal published by Japan Foundation 2007
? Editor and contributor with Nasrudin Md. Akhir, Japanese Relations with ASEAN since the Fukuda Doctrine (Dept of East Asian Studies, UM) 2009

For his dedication and contribution to create further understanding towards Japanese politics, economy, culture and social affairs, as one of his efforts to develop Japanese studies in Malaysia, Professor Dr. Lee Poh Ping was awarded The Order of the Rising Sun, by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan in 2010.