Special Lecture by Professor Marek Kornat of the Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences

December 18, 2025

On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, the Polish Language Program at our university, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Japan, hosted a special lecture titled “Poland and Japan in the interwar period (1918-1939)” by Professor Marek Kornat of the Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences. Ms. Ewa Pilkiewicz, Vice-Consul/Third Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tokyo, also attended the event.

The lecture focused on the close relationship between Poland and Japan during the interwar period from 1918 to 1939, transcending their geographical distance. Professor Kornat delivered a compelling lecture backed by his many years of research. Japan was one of the first countries in the world to recognize Poland's independence in 1919 and establish diplomatic relations.

During the Q&A session, students and faculty posed diverse questions ranging from territorial disputes with Czechoslovakia at the time to current relations with Ukraine and the United States. Professor Kornat sincerely addressed each question, providing participants with a valuable opportunity to learn about the lesser-known relationship between Poland and Japan during the interwar period.