Japan Lecture Café Series 2026 on the occasion of 160 Years of Friendship between Belgium and Japan.
(20-01-2026) Organized in collaboration with Ghent University’s Institute for Japanese Studies, Department of Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy.
In 2026, Japan and Belgium will celebrate 160 Years of Friendship. Moreover, the city of Ghent will commemorate 55 years of partnership with its twin city Kanazawa. Consequently, the East Asia Platform will contribute to the festivities by organizing this year’s Lecture Café Series focusing on Japan.
This lecture series is organized in collaboration with Ghent University’s Institute for Japanese Studies, Department of Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy.
In the framework of the “Japan Lecture Café Series 2026”, the East Asia Platform will organize 5 lectures at lunch time in the Sint-Baafshuis (Kapel) in the city center of Ghent.
Venue
Kapittelstraat – 9000 Ghent
Time: 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Programme
- 1 hour lecture (in Kapel) followed by 1 hour networking reception (in Foyer)
- 40 minutes: lecture
- 20 minutes: Q&A
- 1 hour Networking reception
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Lecture by Dr. Nanae Baldauff, Senior Associate Fellow, NATO Defense College, Ghent Institute for International and European Studies, Ghent University
“Japan-Europe relations in a shifting world order: defense, technology, and industry”
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Lectures by Prof. Anna Andreeva and Prof. Andreas Niehaus Institute of Japanese Studies, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University
“Japanese-Belgium/ Ghent relations”
“Japanese art objects in Belgium”
Tuesday 24 March 2026
Lecture by Dr. Hera Van Sande, Archipel
"The power of spatial poetics in Japan and Flanders"
Tuesday 21 April 2026
Lecture by Prof. Dr. Luk Van Haute, Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University
“Watching Japanese Cinema in Belgium: Some Personal Reflections Through the Ages”
Tuesday 5 May 2026
Lecture by:
- Mr. Johan Bil, senior business developer, science park team, TechTransfer Ghent University
- Mr. Laurent Van Thornout, Deputy General Manager EMEA Development Center at Daikin Europe
- Dr. Jasper Van Hoorick, CEO and co-founder Bio INX
“Tech Lane Ghent Science Park: ambitions and collaboration with Japan”
We look forward to welcoming you all!
