Dr Christopher Hood

Reader in Japanese Studies

: HoodCP@cardiff.ac.uk
: +44 29208 74515
: 66a Park Place, Room 2.07, Cathays, Cardiff, CF10 3AS

: Media commentator
: Available for postgraduate supervision

My research revolves around a number of issues. The one thing that connects them all, to date, is Japan.

The second aspect that features in much of my research is memorialisation, symbolism and identity. This was a part of my research on the education reforms embarked on by Prime Minister Nakasone. After that, it has been a feature of my research on the shinkansen and also about the flight JL123 crash.

Consequently, the third feature of much of my research has been about public transportation in Japan.

For further details please see the following page Christopher P. Hood (wordpress.com)

2024

Hood, C. 2024. Japan says ‘Western Pop’?:No thanks, don’t do it. Presented at: 24th BATJ Conference, 09-10 September 2024, Vol. 24. The British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language pp. 41-51.

2014

Hood, C. P. 2014. Japan: the basics. London: Routledge.
Hood, C. P. 2014. Osutaka: a chronicle of loss in the world's largest single plane crash. Lulu.
Hood, C. P. 2014. Reporting the world's biggest single plane crash. In: Rausch, A. ed. Japanese Journalism and the Japanese Newspaper. Teneo Press, pp. 131-152.

2013

Hood, C. P. 2013. Visualization of death in Japan: the case of the flight JL123 crash. In: Aaron, M. ed. Envisaging death: visual culture and dying. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 120-139.
Hood, C. P. 2013. Disaster and death in Japan: responses to the Flight JL123 crash. In: Suzuki, H. ed. Death and Dying in Contemporary Japan. Japan Anthropology Workshop Series Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 202-225.

2011

Hood, C. P. 2011. Dealing with disaster in Japan: Responses to the Flight JL123 crash. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Hood, C. P. 2011. Contrasting experiences of growth and decline in regional Japan. In: Matanle, P. and Rausch, A. eds. Japan's Shrinking Regions in the 21st Century. Cambria Press, pp. 131-154.

2010

Hood, C. P. 2010. The Shinkansen's local impact. Social Science Japan Journal 13(2), pp. 211-225. (10.1093/ssjj/jyq004)

2009

Hood, C. P. 2009. Narratives on the world's worst plane crash: Flight JL123 in print and on screen. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff Crimes Narrative Network, Cardiff University. Available at: http://cardiff.academia.edu/ChristopherHood/Papers/95510/Narratives_on_the_Worlds_Worst_Plane_Crash_Flight_JL123_in_Print_and_on_Screen

2008

Hood, C. P. 2008. Introduction: elections: reflecting Japan or the politicians?. In: Hood, C. P. ed. The Politics of modern Japan., Vol. 4. Critical issues in modern politics Abingdon: Taylor & Francis/Routledge, pp. 1-4.
Hood, C. P. 2008. Introduction: Pragmatic and cooperative, but sometimes alone. In: Hood, C. P. ed. The politics of modern Japan., Vol. 3. Critical issues in modern politics Abingdon: Taylor & Francis/Routledge, pp. 1-3.
Hood, C. P. 2008. Introduction: responding to change and making change. In: Hood, C. P. ed. The Politics of modern Japan., Vol. 2. Critical Issues in modern politics Abingdon: Taylor & Francis/Routledge, pp. 1-4.
Hood, C. P. 2008. Introduction: the importance of Japanese politics. In: Hood, C. P. ed. The Politics of modern Japan., Vol. 1. Critical issues in modern politics Abingdon: Taylor & Franci/Routledge, pp. 178-197.
Hood, C. P. 2008. From polling station to political station? Politics and the Shinkansen. In: Hood, C. P. ed. The Politics of Modern Japan., Vol. 1. Critical issues in modern politics Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 178-197.
Hood, C. P. ed. 2008. The politics of modern Japan. 4 vols.. Critical Issues in Modern Politics. Abingdon: Routledge.
Hood, C. P. 2008. Researching Japan's worst plane crash. JAWS (Japan Anthropology Workshop) Newsletter 42, pp. 38-40.
Hood, C. P. 2008. War on the Tokaido. Bullet-In 65(11)

2007

Hood, C. P. 2007. Photographing the Shinkansen: Fuji. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 62, pp. 14-17.
Hood, C. P. 2007. Bullets and trains: Exporting Japan’s Shinkansen to China and Taiwan. Japan Focus, pp. n/a.
Hood, C. P. 2007. The Shinkansen: Japan's iconic railways. Japan Visitor
Hood, C. P. 2007. Flight JL123: SOS. Documentation. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: http://www.hood-online.co.uk/publications/JL123-SOS.pdf

2006

Hood, C. P. 2006. Photographing the Shinkansen: Okayama. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 61
Hood, C. P. 2006. Photographing the Shinkansen: Tohoku Shinknsen in Kant?. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 60, pp. 17-20.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Shinkansen: pioneering high speed railway. The Slough & Windsor Triangle 70, pp. 12-13.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Photographing the Shinkansen (part two): Fukuyama and Tokuyama. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 58, pp. 27-28.
Hood, C. P. 2006. High-speed trains in Japan. Railway Strategies 37, pp. 111-113.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Japan: All change. The World Today 62(8/9), pp. 28-29.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Miyazaki, Manabu (2005) Toppamono: Outlaw, Radical, Suspect – My Life in Japan's Underworld, Tokyo: Kotan Publishing, hardback, 460 pages ISBN: 0970171625. [Book Review]. Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies 6(1), article number: Book Review 4.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Shinkansen: from bullet train to low-flying plane. Routledge Contemporary Japan Series. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Japan; Iran. In: Lowe, R. and Spencer, C. eds. Iran, its Neighbours and the Regional Crises: A Middle East Programme Report. London: Chatham House, pp. 49.
Hood, C. P. 2006. From polling station to political station? Politics and the shinkansen. Japan Forum 18(1), pp. 45-53. (10.1080/09555800500498228)
Hood, C. P. 2006. Igirisu-ga hitsuy-to suru mono – sore-wa shinkansen, kokyo kotsu no nichiei hikaku [What Britain needs is the Shinkansen]. Comparative Law and Culture: The bulletin of the Surugadai University Institute of Comparative Law(14), pp. 55-69.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Photographing the Shinkansen: Kakegawa. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In(57), pp. 14-16.
Hood, C. P. 2006. Photographing the Shinkansen: Lake Hamana. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 59, pp. 20-24.

2005

Hood, C. P. 2005. EXPO 2005. Bullet-In July(55), pp. 29-30.
Hood, C. P. 2005. Sleeper train to Sapporo. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 54(14)
Hood, C. P. 2005. It's snow joke for the Shinkansen. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In(53), pp. 33-34.
Hood, C. P. 2005. Tokaido Shinkansen 40th anniversary. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In 53, pp. 11-12.
Hood, C. P. 2005. Hon no Jodan desuyo?. In: Kondo, K. ed. Yuganda Kagami-ni Utsutta Nihon – Japan Reflected in a Cracked Mirror. GNAC, pp. 113-120.
Hood, C. P. 2005. Mad in Japan: only joking?. In: Kondo, K. ed. Yuganda Kagami-ni Utsutta Nihon – Japan Reflected in a Cracked Mirror. Tokyo, Japan: GNAC, pp. 250-258.

2004

Hood, C. P. 2004. 'Governance for a New Century: Japanese Challenges, American Experience', Thomas E. Mann and Sasaki Takeshi (eds). The Brookings Institution, 2002, 133 pp., £16.75. ISBN: 4889070613 [Book Review]. Public Administration 82(2), pp. 538-539. (10.1111/j.0033-3298.2004.00405.x)
Hood, C. P. 2004. Japanese capitalism and modernity in a global era: Re-fabricating lifetime employment relations, P. C. D. Matanle, Routledge Curzon, London (2003) ISBN 0-415-30574-8 [Book Review]. Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics 16(1), pp. 118-119.

2003

Bownas, G., Hood, C. P. and Powers, D. 2003. Doing business with the Japanese: a one-stop guide to Japanese business practice. London: Direct Image.
Hood, C. P. 2003. Getting about in Japan. In: Hood, C. P., Powers, D. and Bownas, G. eds. Doing Business with the Japanese: A One-stop Guide to Japanese Business Practice. London: Direct Image, pp. 130-141.
Hood, C. P. 2003. The third great reform of the Japanese education system: success in the 1980s onwards. In: Goodman, R. and Phillips, D. eds. Can the Japanese Change Their Education System?. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education Vol. 12(1). Wallingford: Symposium Books, pp. 73-85.
Hood, C. P. 2003. Review of 'Japan and Greater China: political economy and military power in the Asian Century', G. Austin and S. Harris, Hurst & Company, London (2001) ISBN 1-85065-473-5 [Book Review]. The Japan Society Proceedings 140, pp. 91-92.

2002

Hood, C. P. 2002. Review of 'Asian Nationalism in an Age of Globalization', R Starrs (ed), Japan Library, London (2001) ISBN 1-903350-03-4 [Book Review]. Bulletin of the European Association for Japanese Studies 61, pp. 19-20.
Hood, C. P. 2002. Review of 'Asian Media Productions', B Moeran (ed), Curzon Press, London (2001) ISBN 0-7007-1334-4 [Book Review]. Bulletin of the European Association for Japanese Studies 60, pp. 26-27.
Hood, C. P. 2002. The real bullet train. Japanese Railway Society Bullet-In, pp. 37-38.
Hood, C. 2002. Getting on track: High speed railways in Japan and the UK. Anglo-Japanese Academy Proceedings, pp. 517-530.
Hood, C. P. 2002. Review of 'Japan at Play: The Ludic and the Logic of Power', J Hendry and M Raveri (ed), Routledge, London (2002) ISBN 0-415-21501-3 [Book Review]. Bulletin of the European Association for Japanese Studies 61, pp. 18-19.

My research revolves around a number of issues. The one thing that connects them all, to date, is Japan.

Consequently, the third feature of much of my research has been about public transportation in Japan.

Recently I have continued to do research about the JL123 crash, looking specifically at why one of the memorials was modified 30 years after the crash and how this may fit with a model, that I developed, to explain modifications to public transportation accidents. I have also been studying the nature of Japanese disaster narratives (particularly movies), how the JL123 ones fit with the typical style and comparing these also to Hollywood disaster narratives.

Another aspect of my research has been looking at the symbolic side of the ‘wrapping’ of the shinkansen and planes in Japan. This is something that I discussed in my book on the shinkansen, but developed further in Japan: The Basics and then a chapter in a book about ‘contents tourism’ in Japan (also see my posts about Contents Tourism, by clicking here).

To discover more about my research, please search through my site to look at the various pages I have written and also the posts. The posts can be easily found by checking the Research-Related posts category or searching for particular tags or keywords. For example, you can find posts about my research on JL123 here, and about the shinkansen here, those on symbolism here, and those on identity here.

For additional information see Details about my Research – Christopher P. Hood (wordpress.com)

You can also find a list of my publications here and a list of my presentations here.

I believe in both research-led teaching and teaching-led research, and aim to improve students' understanding of Japan and to develop key skills such as presentation skills and inter-cultural communication.

The modules I particularly contribute to are

Japanese Culture and Society
Memory and Symbols in Japan
Dissertation (Japanese Studies)
Intermediate Japanese

I also contribute to some of the MA course on Culture, Creativity and Globalization.

I am an academic and author based at Cardiff University. My research interests primarily relate to Japan and fall into two areas. First, I am particularly interested in themes relating to memorialisation, identity and symbolism. Second, I am interested in issues relating to the railways and aviation in Japan.

Having become interested in Japan while I was at Concord College, I went on to study Japanese Studies and Business Studies at the School of East Asian Studies (University of Sheffield). Then, after a year on the JET Programme, I returned to Sheffield to do a PhD. Since 2000 I have been at Cardiff University, where I am a Reader in Japanese Studies. From 1999 to 2009 I was also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House. I am a member of the British Association for Japanese Studies, and served as its President for six years.

I am the author of five academic books; Education Reform in Japan: Nakasone’s Legacy, Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, Dealing With Disaster in Japan: Responses to the Flight JL123 Crash, Osutaka: A Chronicle of Loss in the World’s Largest Single Plane Crash, and Japan: The Basics. I have edited two other titles; Doing Business with the Japanese (co-editor with Prof G. Bownas and D. Powers) and the 4 volume The Politics of Modern Japan. I have also written three novels, Hijacking Japan, Tokyo 20/20 Vision and FOUR.

Click here for more information about my research, here for details about selected research publications, here for a list of publications, here for a list of presentations that I have given, and here for information about photographs in my research.

Honours and awards

In 2016 I received a Certificate of Commendation from the Ambassador of Japan in the UK in recognition of distinguished service to contributing to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and UK.

Professional memberships

British Association for Japanese Studies (BAJS)
European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS)
Japan Anthropology Workshop (JAWS)
The Japan Society
JET Alumni Association
UK-Japan 21st Century Group

I am available for supervising PhD students, covering a range of topics related to Japan in particular. I am currently co-supervising two PhD students - one looking at the digitalization of witness testimonies at memorial museums in Japan, the other looking at fan-subbers in Saudi Arabia.

Current supervision

Bandar Altalidi

Research student

Tamayo Hussey

Research student

Emily Bush

Research student

Dr Christopher Hood

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