Yamashita ’71, Bestor, Speak on Tohoku Earthquake, Disaster

Olivia DrakeMarch 26, 20123min
Michael Yamashita '71, photographer for the National Geographic Magazine, spoke during the Freeman East Asian Studies Lecture Series March 8. The topic was "Tohoku Earthquake/Tsunami & Disaster, Food, and Fishing: The Aftermath of March 11." After graduating from Wesleyan with a degree in East Asian studies, he spent seven years in Asia, which became his photographic area of specialty. Upon returning to the U.S., Yamashita began shooting for the National Geographic as well as other American and international magazines and clients. His work has taken him to six continents.
Ted Bestor, the Reischauer Institute Professor of Social Anthropology and Japanese Studies at Harvard University is a specialist on contemporary Japanese society and culture, focusing much of his research on Tokyo. His current research focuses on the aftermath of the March 11 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, particularly their impact on national food supply and perceptions of food safety. (Photos by Bill Tyner '13)

The next FEAS lecture is on “Murakami Ryz and the Madonna Horror Complex,” at 4:30 p.m. March 29. View all upcoming FEAS lectures online here.