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News & Events
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2026.03.19
Undergraduate Student’s Research Paper Published in an International Journal
KARUNASENA THARINDU YASHINTHA HERATH (College of Asia Pacific Studies, Spring 2026, Sri Lanka), has had his research paper entitled: "Understanding Terrorism: A New Perspective through Group Cohesion", published in the international academic journal Central European Journal of International and Security Studies (indexed in Scopus).
This article is based on Mr. KARUNASENA’s undergraduate thesis, which he completed under the supervision of Associate Professor HEO Seunghoon Emilia and Professor CHEN Ching-Chang.
In his research, Mr. Karunasena attempts to answer a fundamental question: why terrorist organizations continue to exist despite rarely achieving their stated objectives. He approaches this question through the analytical lens of group cohesion, offering a fresh perspective on the internal dynamics that sustain such organizations.The publication of an undergraduate student’s research in an international peerreviewed academic journal highlights both the exceptional research capabilities of the student and the high quality of education and academic supervision provided at APU.
Comment from Mr. KARUNASENA THARINDU YASHINTHA HERATH
Terrorism and Security is an ever-growing field. The threat it poses to international stability and civilians is immense. This article addresses a central paradox in terrorism: why it continues to persist despite frequently failing to achieve its objectives. Moving beyond traditional explanations, I develop the Group Cohesion Model to analyse how individual motivations and organizational structures interact in shaping participation in terrorism. Through a comparative study of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Al-Shabaab, the paper highlights the complex internal dynamics that sustain these groups. I feel both honored and encouraged to see this work published, as it marks an important step in my academic journey and ongoing interest in terrorism studies. -
![Introducing Faculty Research [APU Outreach and Research Office Newsletter] November/December Issue](/home/research/content13/Research_Office_Newsletter_202511_12.png)
2026.01.06
Introducing Faculty Research [APU Outreach and Research Office Newsletter] November/December Issue
This month’s newsletter introduces two new faculty members that joined APU this Fall and also features an overview of AP Conference. Now in its 23rd year, AP Conference welcomed over 300 participants from 43 countries! Check out the Research website to view the newsletter.
Please click here to read the newsletter.
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2025.10.30
APU Outreach & Research Office October Edition Newsletter Published
This month’s newsletter features the APU Research Seeds collection. The Japanese-language version of the Research Seeds website was launched in July, and the English-language version has now been released.
The APU Research Seeds website introduces the issues our researchers are addressing and the kinds of research activities they are engaged in. We invite you to explore how APU’s research can contribute to solving challenges faced by local communities, society, businesses, and government.Please click here to read the newsletter.
Please click here to visit the Research Seeds website.
Research Activities
& Social Impact
Research Seeds Collection
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Staying Ahead of the Curve with Cutting-Edge Marketing Research
Investigate cutting-edge consumer marketing through the collaboration of companies, students, and university researchers
- Management
- Marketing
LEE Geunhee
Professor, College of International Management
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Proposing Strategies in the Context of Asset Value Uncertainty
Applying experience as a financial markets professional to academic research, proposing corporate strategies and policies to address asset price volatility
- Theoretical
- economicsFinance
YAMAKAWA Tetsufumi
Professor, College of International Management
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Integrating All Kinds of Knowledge to Explore the Science of Management
Identifying new communication theories across academic disciplines, developing "better management," and tackling the issues facing modern society
- Management
- Information Science
FUKUYAMA Kimihiro
Associate Professor, College of International Management
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Employee Happiness Unlocks the Future of Hospitality
Focusing on the “inside” that supports the tourism and hospitality industry: research on employee well-being contributes to sustainable growth
- Hospitality management
- Management
- Tourism
SAITO Hiroaki
Associate Professor, College of International Management
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Transforming Japan's Public Administration by Improving the Problem-Solving Skills of Civil Servants
Creating an ecosystem to enhance the problem-solving skills of public institutions and realizing innovation in public administration through the development of human resources for the civil service
- Management Informatics
- Public Policy Studies
KANO Eiji
Associate Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Tackling Social Problems in Regional Japan through ICT and Wisdom
Using information and communication technology(ICT) and artificial intelligence(AI) to connect people with one another and with field expertise, and unlock new solutions to address problems surrounding regional agriculture
- Information Science
- Sociology
- Educational technology
NISHANTHA Giguruwa
Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Contributing to Future Cooperative Decision-Making by Residents and Governments
Analyzing consensus-building processes for a coastal embankment project following the Great East Japan Earthquake and establishing better cooperative decision-making models for residents and governments
- Environmental sociology
- Interdisciplinary research
YAMASHITA Hiromi
Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies
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Tourism and the Happiness of Local Residents: Clarifying the Relationship
This study explores community-based tourism(CBT) through the lens of social psychology, placing local residents’ identity and psychological well-being at its core
- Tourism Studies
- Social Psychology
YOUN Seung Ho
Associate Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Connecting Non-Japanese Workers and the Japanese Language to Attain an Inclusive Society
Providing recommendations and assistance with the intention of building better relationships between non-Japanese workers and the Japanese language and between non-Japanese workers and Japanese society
- Japanese language education
NUNOO Katsuichiro
Center for Language Education Professor
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Changing the Future of Hotel Management with Research on Organizational Culture
Developing a concrete methodology for “Treating Employees as Customers”; Realizing the sustainable growth of hotel organization with three types of support
- Hotel Management
HASHIMOTO Shunsaku
Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Challenging Value Creation to Recover from Japan’s “Lost 30 Years”
Scientifically elucidating innovation ecosystems and challenging to create new value through diversity and new combinations
- Business Management
- Social Systems Engineering
FUJITA Masanori
Professor, College of International Management
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Opening New Doors for Japan by Sustaining Wartime Memories
Potential for new “memory studies” in Japan generated by perspectives from dark tourism and pop culture
- Media studies / cultural studies
- Tourism
- Asian studies
- Cultural sociology
YOSHIDA Kaori
Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies
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Integrating All Kinds of Knowledge to Explore the Science of Management
Identifying new communication theories across academic disciplines, developing "better management," and tackling the issues facing modern society
- Management
- Information Science
FUKUYAMA Kimihiro
Associate Professor, College of International Management
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Transforming Japan's Public Administration by Improving the Problem-Solving Skills of Civil Servants
Creating an ecosystem to enhance the problem-solving skills of public institutions and realizing innovation in public administration through the development of human resources for the civil service
- Management Informatics
- Public Policy Studies
KANO Eiji
Associate Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Employee Happiness Unlocks the Future of Hospitality
Focusing on the “inside” that supports the tourism and hospitality industry: research on employee well-being contributes to sustainable growth
- Hospitality management
- Management
- Tourism
SAITO Hiroaki
Associate Professor, College of International Management
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Rethinking Sustainable Tourism
Exploring sustainable tourism from a multispecies perspective, where humans and nonhumans coexist
- Tourism Studies
- Human Geography
USUI Rie
Associate Professor, College of Sustainability and Tourism
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Creating a New Inclusive Wave in University Language Education
Use Universal Design for Learning(UDL) and challenge ourselves to create classes that considers the diversity of students in university education
- Foreign Language Education
- English Language Linguistics
BERGER Maiko
Associate Professor, Center for Language Education
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Using UDL to Realize Foreign Language Education that Leaves No One Behind
Applying Universal Design for Learning(UDL) to language education to maximize the potential of learners with diverse attributes
- Teaching Methodologies
- Educational Policy
- Foreign Language Education
JUNG Jonghee
Associate Professor, Center for Language Education
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Create a Universal Japanese that Promotes Diversity
Beyond “Simple Japanese”; Create a language environment for a society where diverse people live together
- Linguistics
- Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language
- Japanese Linguistics
HONDA Akiko
Professor, Center for Language Education
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Aiming to Connect People through Language Education
Implementing language education centered on connections with society by complementing vertical learning with horizontal learning
- Language education
- Japanese language education
- Local disaster preparedness
ISHIMURA Fumie
Tenured Senior Lecturer, Center for Language Education
Research Output
Social Impact
Research at APU
Research Organization
Organizational diagram
- Greetings from the Director
- Enhancing Research at APU
APU Integrated
Research OrganizationFormerly:Ritsumeikan Center for Asia-Pacific Studies (RCAPS)
Under the Integrated Research Organization, APU hosts numerous research hubs and centers where groups of faculty members can autonomously define specific research objectives and collaborate on research projects.
Research Centers
Asia Pacific
Conference
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University and its RCAPS annually host the Asia Pacific Conference. Since its inception in 2003, AP Conference has provided researchers from around the world with an opportunity to present their research. The conference aims to contribute to the realization of "Shape Your World" through academic discussions on issues facing the Asia-Pacific region and the world surrounding it.
Research Support
