Dialogue to the Future: Interviews with a New Generation of Researchers in the AJI
The 10th Interview
Interview with Dr. Midori KIRIHARA
―― Dr. Kirihara, thank you today for taking the time to have this interview. First, could you tell me what led you to decide on a career as a researcher?
Kirihara: The first thing that inspired me to pursue a research career was a book about Afghanistan that I read as a child in elementary school. In the book, Afghanistan was described as a disastrous country where the foundations of people’s survival were shattered due to the collapse of the regime and the effects of prolonged conflict. I was both shocked and deeply interested in working towards peace in Afghanistan. This interest continued to grow, and I became highly invested in understanding the conflict and the lives of people in Afghanistan and other developing countries, particularly Muslim countries.
And as an undergraduate, I studied historical and Islamic literature through lectures and seminars focusing on Southeast Asian history, which fueled my interest in Islam. My bachelor thesis delved into the history of interactions between Afghanistan and Japan. Additionally, I have been actively involved in academic research aimed at stabilizing and resolving conflicts and issues in various countries.
I currently focus on “food,” which is fundamental for people’s lives. I am conducting research from the perspective of “food (Islamic food/halal food)” to build a foundation for the survival of Muslims (Muslims) in the Muslim world.
――Thank you. Based on your childhood reading experience, you have consistently deepened your interest in Islamic countries during your undergraduate years. As you pointed out, you specialize in the halal food industry as part of the Islamic world theories. What brought you to choose this research topic?
Dr. Kirihara: Well, I enrolled in the Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies. I researched the global expansion and development of the halal industry in Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Dubai in the Gulf, and Turkey in Western Asia. Some people think that the Halal food industry is limited to diet, but that is not true. “Halal” is Arabic for “lawful,” which means “proper” in the Islamic precepts. Field research in Malaysia offers insights into the relationship between the halal industry and Muslims’ real lives and societies. Since Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country, there are many fascinating examples of multicultural coexistence and how Islam is rooted in this society. In addition, I have researched the current state of the global halal industry by visiting Halal Expos (exhibitions) convened worldwide and listening to the strategies of companies in each region to enter the halal industry.
――I see. I used to think that “halal” only applied to food, so what you said is very interesting. It seems that halal is fundamental to the Islamic way of life. Also, you have conducted a lot of field research, in which you use both Arabic and Malay. Could you outline some characteristics of these languages?
Dr. Kirihara: Arabic is the language spoken in some parts of the Middle East, and Malay is spoken in Southeast Asia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Arabic uses Arabic letters, but Malay uses the Roman alphabet. Although Arabic and Malay may look like very different languages, there are some correlations between them.
——That’s interesting. What kind of correlations are they?
Dr. Kirihara: For example, a word in modern Malay has the same pronunciation and meaning as in Arabic. The word “dictionary” is pronounced Qamus in Arabic and Kamus in Malay. As far back as the 15th century, trade between the Arabian Peninsula and the area around present-day Malacca in Malaysia was active. This trade relationship seems to have influenced the similarity in vocabulary.
——I see, the connection between the two languages has been created through trade activities in history between the regions. Let us move on to the next question. You have done a lot of fieldwork in Malaysia in Southeast Asia, Dubai in the Gulf Arab region, and even London. Do you have any memories or memorable events from the field?
Dr. Kirihara: I certainly have. In connection with the languages I mentioned, I have been immersed a lot in Malay, partly because a lot of my field research is in Malaysia. I find it very interesting that there are regional differences in Malay phrases and dialects, and I always think it is a beautiful custom to ask, “Sudah makan? (Have you eaten?)” as soon as people meet each other.
——Really? We hear “How are you? (Genki?; 元気?)” as a greeting, but “Have you eaten” is more direct and sounds lovely! And what is the best part of field research for you?
Dr.Kirihara: Well, I have many encounters and memories of field research in Dubai, London, and Malaysia. When I travel for my research, I use various modes of transportation, such as planes, trains, and buses, which are often long rides, and sometimes I have opportunities to talk to the person sitting next to me. Also, during my field research in Malaysia, I had the opportunity to meet local researchers and their families, who often welcomed me into their families. I am thrilled to receive accurate advice regarding the actual situation in Malaysia and my field research and research. As I share my life with the locals, I feel the concrete situations, atmosphere, and values that Malaysian people enjoy.
――You can get valuable knowledge different from observing from outside through many interactions with local people. What research topics are you working on these days?
Dr. Kirihara: In addition to focusing on trends in the “Halal Economy” that Malaysia has been promoting in recent years, I am researching how Japan’s food culture and products can relate to it. “Japanese food” is a topic that has received much attention worldwide. However, I feel that there are few references to the relationship between Japanese food and the Islamic world from the perspective of researchers. Establishing Japan’s position is quite essential at a time when various news stories are circulating around the world. In such a situation, I need to reexamine our relationship with the world based on the theme of food, which everyone always needs.
――You are studying not only Halal in the Islamic world, but also exchanges between Japan and the Islamic world through food. That is a fascinating subject. How active is the cultural exchange between Japan and the Islamic world?
Dr. Kirihara: For example, the Anime Expo was held in Saudi Arabia in 2019. It was also interesting to see how Japanese entertainment had been accepted in the Islamic world in recent years and also to learn about the halal/haram debate regarding Japanese entertainment.
―Does it mean that anime content is accepted from the viewpoint of halal in the Islamic world?
Dr. Kirihara: Exactly. Japanese anime, manga, and characters have attracted attention in the Islamic world. However, recent trends imply that Japan’s focus on entertainment in the Islamic world has changed and is switching to a new perspective. As a researcher in the halal industry, I would like to examine how not only food, but also Japanese culture is spreading throughout the Muslim world.
――That is very interesting. I am also interested in how religious and cultural differences affect how Japanese cultural content is received. And this is the next question: What kind of experience did you have while your completing graduate studies and pursuing your career as a professional researcher?
Dr. Kirihara: Five years of experience in graduate school considerably changed my sense of research from that during my previous undergraduate years. As an undergraduate, I had an image of researchers who stick thoroughly to research. A researcher is a person who works silently in solitude. However, when I entered the academic world of research, I realized that researchers require various technical skills for the job. Of course, the aspect of “sticking with research” is a necessary element when reading literature or researching materials. It is crucial to effectively communicate my research in an understandable way to people of all ages and backgrounds. Additionally, having strong communication skills and a curious mindset is essential for field research, along with the ability to organize and lead research groups, national and international conferences, workshops, and other events to facilitate research exchange. In the current era of globalization, I believe it is crucial to have the ability and strength to respond to new momentums in the role of researchers.
Since completing graduate school, I have been working as a postdoctoral fellow of JSPS, and in my current position as a senior researcher. In these positions, I invite researchers from overseas and help organize international symposiums in Japan. When I was in graduate school, I had never experienced the careful work necessary for inviting researchers. In the first place, I had difficulty communicating with researchers from overseas because of my lack of experience. However, from this work I have gained a variety of skills that enable me to utilize the past experiences formed during my five years in graduate school.
――Thank you for sharing your experiences. A researcher’s a work requires multi-faceted skills such as organizing research networks, scheduling field research, and disseminating research results. I often hear that these are the challenges that researchers confront in their early careers after graduate school. This is the last question. What plans do you have for the future?
Dr. Kirihara: Thank you for asking. First, I want to continue research focusing on the halal industry. In particular, I would like to explore topics that I have yet to pay attention to, such as the halal industry in Japan and food in Japan. As I mentioned, although there is a lot of global interest and attention on Japanese food, in-depth discussions and research have yet to be done. In Japan, while research on the food industry tends to focus on topics such as nutrition and health, I would like to focus on it from a regional and cultural perspective.
—— I am also very interested in the diversity of food culture. Thank you very much for this interview today. We look forward to further developments in your future research.