1968 Born in New York City; raised in Tokyo, Japan 1979-1982 Lived in Cupertino, CA 1987 Graduated from Toin Gakuen High School, Yokohama, Japan 1991 BA, University of Tokyo (major in American Studies) 1992 MA in American Civilization, Brown University 1997 PhD in American Civilization, Brown University 1997-2003 Assistant Professor of American Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 2003-2008 Associate Professor of American Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 2008- Professor of American Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 2014- 　　Editor, American Quarterly (Journal of the American Studies Association) I am a scholar of American Studies with a specialization in U.S. cultural history, U.S.-Asian relations, literary and cultural studies, and gender studies. My life thus far has been split almost equally between the United States and Japan, and my career and life continue to be rooted in both countries. I publish in both Japanese and English for academic as well as general audience. As a scholar, teacher, and writer, I place an emphasis on the importance of historical understanding, a wide understanding of contemporary society, and a deep linguistic and cultural sensibility. Much of my work focuses on the politics of U.S.-Asian encounter and the role of cultural representations and practices in shaping collective and individual identities. I am currently working on a research project that deals with U.S. cultural policy and U.S.-Japan cultural diplomacy during the Cold War. When I started doing research on classical music, I went back to playing the piano which I had studied seriously during my childhood and adolescence. I give annual recitals in Honolulu as a form of goal-setting and self-torture. In 2011 and 2016, I participated in the Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition (formerly known as the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs) sponsored by the Van Cliburn Foundation in Fort Worth, TX.