Japanese Red Cross Institute for Humanitarian Studies
About us
The Japanese Red Cross Institute for Humanitarian Studies (JRCIHS), an affiliated facility of the Japanese Red Cross Academy, was established in April 2011 as a center for the academic research and survey activities of the Japanese Red Cross Society. It is dedicated to providing widely in society with the results of research into the ideology, principles, history, and various activities of the Japanese Red Cross, thereby to promote understanding and empathy for the Red Cross Movement. The research activities have been conducted by the institute’s researchers from the Red Cross colleges, and also by the visiting researchers from various universities and research institutes.
The main activities are as follows；
- Collection, research and study of historical documents related to the philosophy, principles, history and activities of the Red Cross
- Production of materials and publications for the study and dissemination of Red Cross ideology and the International Humanitarian Law
- Organizing various lectures and events to promote understanding of the domestic and international humanitarian issues and to disseminate humanitarian values
Staff
Director
| Tadao Inoue | Former Professor, Japanese Red Cross Akita College of Nursing |
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Deputy Director and Research Fellow
| Atsuhiko Kakuda | Associate Professor, Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing |
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Research Fellows
| Masahiro Nemoto | Professor, Japanese Red Cross Hokkaido College of Nursing |
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| Taro Hirowatari | Professor, Japanese Red Cross Tohoku College of Nursing |
| Maki Ogiwara | Senior Lecturer, Japanese Red Cross Tohoku College of Nursing |
| Mieko Sato | Senior Lecturer, Japanese Red Cross Tohoku College of Nursing |
| Takeshi Niinuma | Associate Professor, Japanese Red Cross Tohoku College of Nursing |
| Yukari Kawahara | Professor, Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing |
| Kaori Nakajima | Associate Professor, Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing |
| Akiko Ito | Professor, Japanese Red Cross Toyota College of Nursing |
| Yosuke Takada | Senior Lecturer, Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing |
| Satomi Ogawa | Professor, Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing |
| Akihiko Saito | Japanese Red Cross Society, Deputy Director |
| Masanao Mori | Japanese Red Cross Society, Director, Volunteer Activities Promotion Office |
| Onishi Tomoko | Japanese Red Cross Society, Director |
Visiting Researchers
| Shiro Okawa | Professor, Aichi University Graduate School, Department of Law |
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| Toshinobu Kawai | Professor, Nihon University, College of Law |
| Koichi Hayashi | Senior Fellow, The National Institute for Defense Studies, Ministry of Defense |
| Reiko Shimizu | Visiting Resercher, Institute of Sustainability Sciences, Musashino University |
| Shuhei Nishiyama | Legal Adviser, Delegation in Japan, International Committee of Red Cross |
| Kazuki Saito | Lecturer, Akita International University |
(as of April, 2025)
Activities
Red Cross Archives Corner
(Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing)
- Research and study on historical records and activities of the International Red Cross /Red Crescent Movement and JRCS
- Promoting research and dissemination of International Humanitarian Law
- Promoting collaborative academic researches with the institutions in the International Red Cross Movement
- Supporting the research works conducted by the Red Cross Colleges
Annual Report for 2024
This report provides you with an overview of the main activities of the JIHS.
Major activities
- Publication of "The Journal of Humanitarian Studies” Vol.14
- Publication of the booklet "Modern Relief Activities of Red Cross Nurses”
- Research on the anticipated activities by the JRCS under the Contingency Law in Japan
- Translation into Japanese of "The Well-Being Guide” published by the IFRC Psychological Center and production of its PDF version
- Translation into Japanese of "Confronting the Hell of the Trenches – The ICRC and the First World War 2018” by Francois Bugnion.
- Long-term preservation and digitization of historical documents of the Japanese Red Cross Society（e.g., materials related to the study of the Geneva Conventions）
- Collection and analysis of historical documents related to the treatment of prisoners of war during World War II in Japan
- Research and Study on the Activities of Nurses in the Rescue Efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society in the Crash of Japan Airlines Flight 123
- Research on the textbooks used to train relief（military）nurses during the Russo-Japanese War
- Research on building a system for sharing practical knowledge of rescue operations in conflict areas regarding the basic principles of the Red Cross
- Research on disaster prevention measures by the Red Cross to protect human dignity
- Translation into Japanese and production of a PDF version of “Management of Dead Bodies after Disasters: A Field Manual for First Responders.”
Contact address
Japanese Red Cross Institute for Humanitarian Studies
4-1-3, Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 150-0012
c/o Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing
