Philipp Oliver Krueger

Intrigued by the ideas of the country’s greatest writers, especially Natsume Sōseki, Japan always stood out to me as a special place. Furthermore, as a student of economics, Japan’s status as world’s third largest economy with the world’s highest debt to GNP ratio makes it one of the most interesting places to study.

Moving from the tiny German village I grew up in to the massive city of Sapporo gave me a new sense of scale. Everyday the roughly 2 million people of Sapporo go about their daily lives and contribute to what has become one of the most prosperous, secure, and equitable societies in human history. Put into perspective: Why wouldn’t one want to come study in Japan?

The MJSP curriculum offers foundational courses which assisted my Japanese language learning and helped me specify my research interest. The long-term “Project Study” assignments make it possible to pursue one’s research interests and draw from various fields to answer a particular research puzzle. Challenging expectations in discussion and subverting common beliefs through solid data-driven research is what makes studying here exciting and I am sure everyone will be able to find a Project Study advisor in MJSP who can help assist and sophisticate their own research.

Entered MJSP in October 2019