Gerald L. Curtis Unfolds Multi-Part ‘Personal History’ for Nikkei Asia

_{Above: Gerald R. Curtis observing voters in a district election in Beppu, Japan, in 1967.}
 

Earlier this month, Nikkei Asia published the first installment of a new serialized column by Gerald L. Curtis, Burgess Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Columbia University and former director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute. The series is the latest addition to the publication’s long-running feature “My Personal History” ("Watashi no Rirekisho"), a collection of autobiographical articles by prominent international figures who are all connected to Japan. Over the course of 30 installments, "My Personal History" will trace Curtis’s path toward becoming a leading scholar of contemporary Japan. 

Curtis opens the series by conveying an important message to his audience, especially targeting younger readers: "It is not at all strange not to know what you want to do in life." He recalls that when he first began graduate school at Columbia, he had no clear sense of his career ambitions—all he was certain of was his interest in international politics and the Japanese language. Upon recognizing he held a deeper curiosity about Japan, he followed his instinct to pursue it. At the time, he never imagined such a decision would lead to a lifelong engagement with Japan.

(That engagement shows no sign of flagging, incidentally, as back on October 6, Curtis was the featured speaker in a livestreamed press conference by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in which he discussed the implications of the Liberal Democratic Party's selection of Sanae Takaichi as its new leader—and Japan's likely next Prime Minister.)

Through his reminiscences for Nikkei Asia on the events and people that shaped his professional journey, Curtis offers readers a thoughtful meditation on intellectual curiosity and persistence. He emphasizes that the continuous search for one’s passion is what ultimately gives life its meaning. His reflections invite readers—especially students and young professionals—to embrace curiosity and remain open to the unexpected directions in which genuine interest can lead. Curtis’s story serves as both a chronicle of an extraordinary academic career and reminder that purpose often emerges through exploration, not certainty. 

Curtis's highly recommended first column, "Finding My Way," is available to read without a Nikkei Asia subscription. The entire (paywall-protected) series continues to unfold here.

_{Above: An advertisement in a November 1988 issue of Newsweek Japan promotes Curtis's appearance on Tokyo TV to discuss the upcoming American presidential election between George Bush and Michael Dukakis.}