Globalization has facilitated the movement of goods, capital and labor across borders but it has also required rethinking of sovereignty and national identity. These challenges are shared by both V4 nations and Japan. Some examples of issues of common concern triggered by globalization in Central Europe and Japan are: redefinition of national identity necessitated by immigration; coordination of domestic political, economic and social policies due to regional integration; responding to nationalistic reactions to regional integration; and overcoming divided historical memories to forge a shared vision of an often troubled past.

The Josai University Educational Corporation requests the assistance of the academic and administrative staff of Masaryk University, Eötvös Loránd University, the Warsaw School of Economics and Comenius University to identify gifted graduate students whose research is related to the Student Conference theme with a view to extending an invitation to one graduate student participant from each university to deliver a paper and to take part in a panel discussion at the conference to be held in Tokyo on February 10, 2015. Panels will be held on economic as well as cultural/social issues. Each panel will be based on the research topics of one of the graduate student invitees.

The Josai University Educational Corporation with generous support from the International Visegrad Fund is able to provide a return economy air ticket, food and lodging for four nights, and a modest honorarium for each participant. The above four partner universities are kindly requested to contact Professor Nobuhiro Shiba, vice-director of the Josai Institute for Central European Studies (JICES) at shiban@blue.plala.or.jp with a copy to Andrew Horvat, JICES research associate at AndHorvat@gmail.com providing the name, research area, paper topic, and CV of potential participants in the Visegrad Plus Japan Student Conference. It would be appreciated if the above information could be provided by Wednesday, December 10, 2014. Inquiries prior to this date are welcome.

Date	10 February, 2015
Time	10:00-16:45
Venue	Josai University Educational Corporation Kioi-cho Campus, Annex 3 Bldg

• V4+Japan Student Conference 2015

We are very proud to announce that this Conference has been given financial support by the Small Grant Program of the International Visegrad Fund.

Czech Republic: Masaryk University

Hungary: Eötvös Loránd University

Poland: Warsaw School of Economics

Slovakia: Comenius University