COMMUNICATIONS

The International Research Center for Japanese Studies was founded in 1987. The founding director was Professor Umehara Takeshi. He is no longer with us, but this year is, in fact, the 100^th anniversary of his birth.

I personally am greatly in his debt. I think he was concerned for my welfare. In truth, I must have caused him no end of trouble.

I have just begun to reflect on Professor Umehara’s scholarship. I would like to turn those reflections into a book, if at all possible. It is my intention to mark his 100^th anniversary in my own way.

However, I have so much else on that my work is not proceeding as I had hoped. I am pretty sure I won’t get the book out this year. So, the book that was prompted by the 100^th anniversary will have to be pulled together later. Schedule-wise, that is the way things are heading. There is also, of course, the possibility that the book might just fizzle out at the idea stage.   

No, that won’t do. Whatever happens, I want to do this book. I have written these few words to fire myself up, and to forestall any efforts to back out.