Yoshimi Shunya "raises a voice of protest" against Negri shut-out from Japan

"We had thought of a video conference setup, but Mr. Negri lives in a rural place about 30min from the closest broadband connection," said Yoshimi Shunya, prominent cultural studies scholar and chair of III, the U Tokyo institute that organized the event as part of the University's 130th memorial lecture series. About Negri being prevented from entering Japan due to his criminal record he said, "Intellectual discourse beyond borders has been made difficult for us. I raise a voice of protest."

After Negri's responses to two of the prepared questions, Kang Sangjung (Prof. at U Tokyo), one of the organizers asked him if he would want to come to Japan if he had the chance. "I would love to, if I can get a visa." Kang Sangjung was pleased with this, saying afterwards he was already negotiating to obtain a visa so Negri could come in the near future.



Most of the panel discussion revolved around understanding and appreciating Negri's work, the keywords "precarization", "intellectual labor", "empire", "neoliberalism", "multitude" and of course "common" (as in 'shared').

Feminist Ueno Chizuko: "Would have loved to clash with Negri"

While the tone of the other discussants was mostly reverent, Ueno Chizuko, as expected, offered many sharp observations.



She noted that the auditory was 60 years ago a center for student struggle- "quite a difference to today's lecture in honor of the university's founding," earning many laughs.

"Somehow we have passed from that age to when speaking out was cool (1960s-70s) through one where not saying anything has been cool- a period which has lasted for much too long, a period of cynicism - to one where we start to feel where we have to say something." She noted Negri had helped create 'a new language' for speaking from and about social movements, reinventing communism as "common- ism".

But she also remarked critically that many of Negri's observations have been stressed by feminists since the 1930s and that his analysis of power misses many of the important points made by feminist research. She also noted the absence of recognition of the work of the anti-war and environmental movements, which are "carried by women".

One of her questions to Negri was about violence within and by the multitude, "and why do you continue to defend it?" but he failed to answer, instead speaking about violence by the state against the multitude.

"I am really sorry Negri could not come. I would have loved to clash with him," she said afterwards with a laugh.

Straight-Jacket Event for the Multitude?


The event was held in Japanese, though Negri's phone responses to the two questions was in French, with interpretation. For people with hearing disabilities, there was sign-language interpretation and live note-taking. The overall format was rigid and formal, perhaps to be expected from a Todai Memorial lecture: Famous professors on stage, and the only role of the audience to listen quietly, clap politely and laugh when expected to.

At least one person did not keep to the script however, interrupting the panel discussion with angry shouts. Chair Kang Sanjung shut him up instantly by telling him to be quiet or be thrown out, moving menacingly towards him, keeping a tight grip on the microphone. Whether the person was just a trouble maker of the sort who attend leftist events only to interrupt them or had a legitimate grievance, one could not help but feel unease at the gap between the talk about multitude, diversity and resisting top-down violence and the authoritarian format of the event.

Announcing the events at the National University of the Arts , one of the organizers said, "This has been a very bookish event. We have prepared a very interactive and multitudinal program. Do come and join us!" True to the promise, a group of young artists waited outside to lead people in a parade with much noise and fun to the U of the Arts.


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** !!! Disclaimer: This article was prepared from a video recording, and interviews and notes from participants. Translations are all tentative and NOT quotable. Do not copy or republish parts of this article without including this disclaimer. **