On May 7, 2012, Professor Furuta Motoo (National University of Tokyo - Japan) gave a presentation on the topic "The 1945 Famine in Vietnam – Historical Evidence" at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.The research work "The 1945 Famine in Vietnam – Historical Evidence" was published by the Vietnam Institute of History in 1995, co-edited by Professor Van Tao and Professor Furuta Motoo along with 14 other authors who were researchers at the Institute of History. The work was awarded the State Prize for Science and Technology in 2010. During the presentation, Professor Furuta Motoo focused on the 1945 famine – a tragedy that occurred during the Japanese occupation of Vietnam. Many Vietnamese people are aware of this event and its horrific scale. However, in Japan, before the publication of "The 1945 Famine in Vietnam – Historical Evidence," few people knew about the 1945 famine in Vietnam, or those who did knew did not believe in the extent of its devastation. Professor Furuta Motoo stated that, using empirical research methods and historical documents, this study, conducted on a village-by-village scale from Quang Tri northward, selected 23 villages. For each village, the total population at the time of 1945 was surveyed, households were divided, and the number of people who died from the famine in each household was clarified. This provided concrete evidence of the comparable level of damage between the 1945 famine in Vietnam and the famine of the late 18th century in Japan. Currently in Japan, although there are still many differing opinions regarding the scale of the famine deaths, the vast majority of scientists interested in Vietnam agree that a very devastating famine occurred in Vietnam in 1945. Several new Japanese history textbooks have also mentioned the 1945 famine in Vietnam.
Professor Furuta Motoo emphasized that the relationship between Vietnam and Japan is currently developing very well, with leaders of both countries affirming that they are "strategic partners." He believes that understanding historical truth is the solid foundation of friendship between the people of Vietnam and Japan. This work has contributed to building the foundation of the strategic partnership between the two countries. During the presentation, faculty and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities exchanged and discussed the empirical research methods and memory materials used in the research. According to Professor Furuta Motoo, this empirical research method can be applied to many other studies in the social sciences and humanities. Professor Furuta Motoo has over 30 years of research on Vietnam and is currently the President of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association.
