The MEARC Media Centre is established in 2011 following the tragic events after the earthquake in Fukushima, Japan in March 2011 to supply sound and reliable East Asia related information to journalists, business, fellow academics and the general public.

Portal for journalists

The MEARC Media Centre serves as a portal through which journalists can get in touch easily with the MEARC research community members for background information or comments on current East Asian affairs. A designated telephone number will become available for this soon. For the time being, journalists can send an email with their request to info@mearc.eu


Media appearances

Leiden East Asia specialists often appear in national and international media to interpret current East Asia related events based on their academic expertise.
Below you will find a collection of (audio and text based) media appearances of MEARC affiliated researchers.

A list of MEARC director Peter Ho's media appearances can be found on his personal webpage.
Newsflash September (Dutch)

Zeepbel in Chinees vastgoed: Een nieuwe kredietcrisis?

Prof. Dr. Peter Ho
Hoogleraar Chinese Economie en Ontwikkeling
Co-Directeur Modern East Asia Research Centre (MEARC)


Er is aanzienlijke discussie over de vraag of er nu wel of geen vastgoed-zeepbel
in China is. Deze discussie maar vooral ook de onduidelijkheid over deze
kwestie komen voort uit het feit dat er verschillende interpretaties bestaan van
het concept “zeepbel.” In dit opzicht is het het handigst om een simpele definitie
te hanteren, d.w.z. een ongecontroleerde stijging van de huizenprijzen, die
uitstijgt boven de koopkracht van de gemiddelde burger.

Download de Newsflash hier

China - Landgrabbing


3 June 2011
Irna Hofman (LIAS, China Studies) on Swedish Lund University radio Radio UPF
on landgrabbing in Africa by China.
> http://www.radioupf.se/08-09/global-land-acquisitions-part-10.mp3 (part 1)
> http://www.radioupf.se/08-09/global-land-acquisitions-part-20.mp3 (part 2)


Japan - Earthquake and tsunami


25 March 2011
Prof. Katarzyna Cwiertka and Prof. Ivo Smits (LIAS, Japan Studies) in NRC Newspaper
on stereotyping Japan and the Japanese in the media (in Dutch) [pdf]
A similar argument was made by Professor Smits in Dutch on Daily Channel TV on 30 March 2011


21 March 2011
Prof. Katarzyna Cwiertka (LIAS, Leiden University) on the Leiden University website
on the Sendai earthquake and the portrayal of Japan in the media (in Dutch)
http://www.nieuws.leidenuniv.nl/nieuws-2011/de-ramp-in-japan-zal-later-een-turning-point-blijken.html


18 March 2011
Dr Ethan Mark (LIAS, Japan Studies) on Radio Een Vrijdag Middag Live
on stereotyping Japan and the Japanese in the media (in Dutch)
http://www.radio1.nl/contents/27702-nederlanders-hebben-een-totaal-verkeerd-beeld-van-japanners