Hungary and Japan: Historical, Cultural and Scientific Relations

This scientific and educational event aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution of historical, cultural, and scientific relations between Hungary and Japan, with special attention to shared traditions and personal life stories. It also seeks to promote future cooperation between the two countries.
Key topics include the origins and development of Hungarian–Japanese relations, economic and diplomatic cooperation, the presentation of individual life paths, and the shared cultural heritage of the two nations.
Keywords related to the lectures will not only reflect the main themes of the program but will also be featured in an interactive game that supports experiential engagement for the audience.

Programme:
1. Hungarians in Japan – Life Stories that Bridge Continents
Speaker: Sándor Kiss – Japan researcher and retired commercial diplomat, awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by Emperor Akihito in 2014 for his work in fostering Hungarian–Japanese relations. His book Hungarians in Japan is the result of 25 years of research, presenting the development of relations between the two countries and the stories of Hungarian businessmen who lived in Japan.
2. Hungary and Japan – Unexpected Historical and Cultural Parallels
Speaker: Dr. László Gábor Lovászy, PhD – Associate Professor at the National University of Public Service, former UN human rights expert and senior advisor at the Prime Minister’s Office. He is the author of the book Japan: Society 5.0 – From Historical Past to a Super-smart Future – Through the Lens of Hungarian History, which explores Japan’s democratic and technological development while drawing parallels with Hungarian history and highlighting cultural points of connection between the two nations.
3. Visualization of Hungarian–Japanese Historical Data and Artificial Intelligence
Speaker: Zoltán Szatucsek – Director of the Innovation and IT Directorate of the National Archives of Hungary. He is a recognized expert in the archival application of artificial intelligence and is the professional lead of the presented data visualizations.
4. Archives and Shared History – A New Research Initiative
Speaker: Dr. habil Csaba Szabó – Director General of Hungary’s oldest national public collection. He is committed to ensuring that the National Archives of Hungary operates as a modern public archive in the 21st century, preserving the nation’s written heritage, strengthening identity, and contributing through active international relations to global historical dialogue and the safeguarding of cultural heritage.