A shinsho that considers the Northern Territories dispute beyond the binary of all-four-island or two-island return. Referring to the Sino-Soviet border settlement, it explores realistic paths for Japan-Russia compromise.

It proposes a way of thinking about territorial negotiation that is neither four, zero, nor simply two.

A sociological study of a society that prizes abilities no longer measured only by schooling or standardized effort, analyzed as “hyper-meritocracy.” It discusses changing ideas of ability across education, work, and gender in Japan.

It asks how people are evaluated and sorted in a society where ability has become pluralized.