We were honored to invite Professor Michael LUCKEN from the Department of Japanese Studies at the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in France to share his insights. This lecture led us through the lens of post-war intellectual history to re-analyze the historical context of "occupational lecture activities." During the session, Professor LUCKEN delved into the fundamental significance and the underlying ideological logic of the U.S. Occupation of Japan. He pointed out that the "Occupation" at that time was not merely a form of colonial expansion aimed at securing land resources or material interests. Instead, it carried a much grander ideology: the transformation of former adversaries into like-minded allies through institutional and intellectual reform. This vision of attempting to "turn the whole world into friends" serves as a critical dimension for understanding the reconstruction of post-war U.S.-Japan relations and the international order.
