Hugh Clarke

Hugh Clarke is Emeritus Professor of Japanese at the University of Sydney, within the School of Languages and Cultures in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Renowned as a world-leading expert on Okinawa language and culture, as well as Ryukyuan languages and the history of Okinawa, Clarke has devoted his career to advancing Japanese Studies. His research encompasses Japanese language, literature, and the unique cultural and historical dynamics of Okinawa, from its time as the Ryukyu Kingdom in the Chinese tributary system to its incorporation into the Japanese empire and its modern expressions of diverse identities shaped by cross-cultural exchanges.

Key publications include his influential article 'A Place for Okinawa: Changing Perceptions of Japan’s Southern Islands,' delivered as the A R Davis Memorial Lecture and published in the Journal of the Oriental Society of Australia (volume 41, 2009), which traces Okinawa's complex historical evolution. Other notable works are 'The Debate over Language Education in Pre-war Okinawa' (1996) and co-authorship of Colloquial Japanese. Clarke's leadership was pivotal in the promotion and early growth of Japanese language learning in Australian universities and schools. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese studies and language education, which have fostered mutual understanding between Japan and Australia, he received The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon from the Japanese Government in 2016. He has also served as Visiting Professor at the Ryukyu/Okinawa Research Institute at Waseda University and contributed editorially to the Australian Society for Asian Humanities, compiling its journal index. Post-retirement, he continues publishing on Japanese language.

Professional Email: hugh.clarke@sydney.edu.au