Research Projects

Understanding Intercultural Development (2019〜2023) 

This MEXT-supported project (2019–2023) investigated how English-language majors developed intercultural knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours throughout their university studies, including during study-abroad experiences. It examined how students responded to cultural difference, negotiated intercultural encounters, and reflected on changes in their identities, confidence, and communication practices. Particular attention was given to the relationship between classroom-based intercultural learning and students’ experiences before, during, and after studying abroad. The project generated publications on intercultural course design, task design, study-abroad management, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on study-abroad programmes and participation. This work resulted in two journal special issues and two edited collections to be published in 2026. The findings have informed the development of study-abroad preparation, reflective activities, intercultural learning tasks, and intercultural communication curricula.

Sociopragmatic Accounts of Small Hospitality Establishments in Japan (2024~)

In this collaborative project, researchers are investigating the pragmatic and sociolinguistic dimensions of small hospitality establishments (SHEs), including izakayas, neighbourhood bars, yatai, and small pubs in Japan. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, surveys, and video-recorded interaction at several establishments, the project examines how owners, staff, regular customers, and newcomers collaboratively create welcoming and socially meaningful spaces. The research has identified practices through which participants facilitate newcomer involvement, provide care and support, mediate cultural knowledge, negotiate identities, and foster community and belonging. Findings have been presented at international conferences and published in academic journals, while the project’s growing multimodal dataset continues to support new research. The main findings are also being developed into a research monograph on communication, community, and culture in small hospitality establishments in Japan.