My research interest lies in the field of comparative education. I have primarily studied education in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. The research subjects I have so far been involved in are educational policies, systems and issues from secondary education to higher education, specifically ethnic education, problems faced by international students, international exchange, elite education and the education of ethnic minorities.
Since I am particularly interested in issues of ethnic education, I have also studied ethnic school systems in Japan. Meanwhile, I have investigated internationalization trends concerning higher education in Australia and Singapore as side work.
In 1999, I visited and conducted research activities in Thailand, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Malacca, Sabah, Sarawak), Singapore, Indonesia and Australia for about a year in an overseas research project designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. In 2008, I visited and studied Chinese schools in the Philippines, and in 2009, Fijian, Indian and Chinese schools in Fiji, where I examined problems and difficulties of ethnic minorities as well as internationalization trends in multiethnic societies. Furthermore, in the same year, I investigated Chinese ethnic schools in the Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo, Malaysia in the same perspective.
I have also conducted comparative research in the field of school management with reference to internationalisation, focusing especially on educational collaboration with overseas schools as well as curriculum development. In 2013, I conducted research in Shanghai and Beijing in China with Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Project, and in 2014 made a research visit to Australia.
Based on the studies mentioned above, in recent years, I have started investigating the international exchange of education. At the same time, I would like to consider the case studies of Australia and Malaysia (concerning international exchange of education, etc.) from the viewpoint of cooperation with not metropolitan, but regional schools, as well as ethnic schools. It is partly because international exchange in regional schools is an inevitable factor for internationalization in those areas, and partly because it could be a significant element for reducing the disparity between cities and regional areas. Especially, ethnic schools and ethnic education in multiethnic societies could play a crucial role to bridge the gap between various immigrants and the societies that accept ethnic minorities. Moreover, they could further enable those regional communities to start internationalization.
Through academic activities, I would like to make every effort to let Japanese students and ordinary citizens know about the societies, cultures and education in Southeast Asia as much as possible, while I would like those in Southeast Asia to understand the multiethic and multifaceted aspects of Japan.
Through social activities, I would like to contribute to education for improved international understanding as well as international educational exchange.
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