Noriaki Tsuchimoto Research Grant

The Council on East Asian Studies at Yale University invites applications for grants to support research utilizing the Noriaki Tsuchimoto Papers housed in Manuscripts and Archives in the Yale University Library. The collection contains 83 boxes of materials related to the filmmaking and other activities of Japanese documentary filmmaker Noriaki Tsuchimoto (1928-2008), who is most famous for recording the struggles over the Minamata mercury poisoning incident and other environmental hazards. The collection includes manuscripts and documents about his films, including annotated scripts, production notes, research materials on various topics including mercury poisoning, location photos, publicity materials, correspondence, and decades of datebooks. Topics range from labor union newsletters to court documents on cases involving colleagues. The grant supports researchers traveling to Yale to work with this archival collection. The competition is open to scholars in all parts of the world and from any discipline, but topics that make extensive use of the collection will be prioritized. Holders of a Ph.D. or the equivalent are eligible to apply, as are graduate students who have completed all requirements for the doctorate except the dissertation. Yale University faculty, staff, and students are not eligible. Grant funds are disbursed as reimbursement for travel, lodging, meals, reproductions, and related research expenses while on campus. Within a month of their campus visit, award recipients must submit a 2-3 page summary of research achievements, which may be posted on a Yale website. Award recipients may also be invited to participate in a symposium at Yale on Tsuchimoto and his era.