Moscow Polytech Discussed Soviet–Japanese Relations in the First Half of the 20th Century
Moscow Polytech hosted the 8th International Scientific and Practical Conference “From Port Arthur to Mukden: Russia (USSR) and Japan in the Far East in the First Half of the 20th Century.” The conference brought together Russian and international researchers, specialists in military history, international relations and Asian studies.
The plenary session was held at Moscow Polytech and was chaired by Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Gyuzel Sharipzyanova, Dean of the Faculty of Basic Competencies Yuri Morgunov, Head of the Department of Humanities Yulia Lobanova, Associate Professor Vasily Rogozhkin and Professor Makhach Vagabov.
A welcome address was delivered by Elena Rudaya, Head of Scientific, Educational, and Cultural Programs at the Foundation for Historical Perspective. A greeting message on behalf of Mikhail Myagkov, Scientific Director of the Russian Military Historical Society, was also presented.
During the plenary session, participants discussed key aspects of Russian–Japanese relations in the first half of the 20th century. Particular attention was paid to the outcomes of World War II in the Far East, the specifics of Soviet information policy in China, as well as issues of historical memory and the international legal assessment of wartime events.
Presentations were delivered by leading scholars and experts, including Vladimir Kiknadze, Vladimir Pryamitsyn, Alexander Muzafarov, and others. The session also featured the presentation of the academic publication Soviet-Chinese Military Brotherhood Against Japanese Aggression (Moscow: Veche, 2025).
Special attention was given to international academic dialogue. Through teleconferences, participants from universities and research centers in Türkiye, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Armenia, China and Abkhazia joined the event, presenting lesser-known data and perspectives on events in the Asia-Pacific region as reflected in multilingual historiography and media sources.
In the second half of the day, the conference continued with thematic panel sessions. In particular, the section “The Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and Its Consequences” brought together presentations devoted to military history, propaganda, the development of armed forces, and the image of the enemy in historical sources.
Particular interest was generated by the presentation of Yulia Semikina, Associate Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Intercultural Communication at the Volgograd Institute of Management, a branch of RANEPA. Participants discussed the use of radiotelegraphy in combat conditions, the characteristics of Japanese propaganda, and the role of Russian-Japanese interaction within the broader context of world history.
According to participants, the conference demonstrated the continued strong interest of the academic community in the study of Russian-Japanese relations and served as an important platform for the exchange of scholarly approaches, the development of international cooperation, and the strengthening of academic ties.
Background: The conference was held with the support of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture, the Foundation for Historical Perspective and the Russian Military Historical Society.
