Year 4 student Cameron tells us about presenting at the Asia Pacific Conference in Japan. Year 4 Japanese and Linguistics student Cameron Bain has presented his undergraduate research at the 25th anniversary Asia Pacific Conference. The conference was organised by a research centre within the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. Over two days of keynote presentations and panel sessions, undergraduate and postgraduate students and established researchers from around the world discussed issues facing the Asia-Pacific region and its neighbours.Cameron gave his paper as part of a session on Cultural Symbols and Stories. Speaking about language in late 20th century advertising in Japan, he talked about using different research methods and databases to compare patterns among the use of English loanwords to symbolise innovation and modernisation, particularly for new cars and commodities.We spoke to Cameron on his return to Scotland, asking about his interest in sociolinguistics and what it’s like to present at a large academic conference as an undergraduate. Cameron (left) and his mentor Dr Takinana Anuantaeka (Assistant Professor, Yokohama National University) on the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University campus where the conference was held. From Yokohama to Beppu Cameron was on his year abroad at Yokohama National University (YNU) in Japan when he first found out about the Asia Pacific Conference.After a research workshop, the teacher Dr Takinana Anuantaeka suggested that he should put forward his paper and he decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up.After the initial application stage, the conference organisers asked for a complete abstract of the paper and a few extra details before offering Cameron his place, which meant a return to Japan in November 2025 - albeit to a city over 1,000 kilometres from Yokohama."To learn I was accepted..." reflects Cameron, "I was over the moon really. I was so happy to be invited to another university’s conference. And to know to that I was coming back to Japan was great as well, especially to a part of the country that I hadn’t managed to travel to when I was there." Cameron (seated right) and his Edinburgh classmate Charlie Gowar (seated left) helping out at a Yokohama Socrates Program event while on their year abroad. Socrates is a bilingual global education program in Yokohama National University's College of Urban Sciences focusing on social resilience and social sustainability. Bringing together language learning and linguistics Contact between different languages, including the borrowing of "loanwords", is part of sociolinguistics - the study of language in society.Since starting his degree in Japanese and Linguistics (both subjects he didn’t have the chance to study formally at high school), Cameron has developed a real interest in this area, as well as aspects of historical linguistics and language learning itself - all of which influenced his choice of conference topic. Describing the research behind his paper, which involved a deep dive of Japanese newspaper advertisements and brochures, Cameron talks about the mutual benefits for both sides of his degree."As well as learning new facts, my Japanese language skills also improved as I gained a more in depth understanding of where words and phrases originally came from. And, in turn, learning the influences and history of languages within Japan has only furthered my interest in historical and sociolinguistics." A surreal experience Asked what the conference was like as an experience, Cameron says "As a whole, it was quite surreal. The atmosphere was nothing I had experienced before." "Being in the company of other academics who were just as passionate about their own work was very assuring." "I had to do a presentation as part of every class I took at YNU, even my Japanese language classes, and in my research workshop class I had upwards of six in one semester." "All of this rapidly developed my presentation skills, which definitely paid off at the conference, as it gave me the confidence to present in front of the panel with no issue." I love the close-knit relationships everyone has in the Japanese department at Edinburgh. Everyone knows everyone and I really appreciate having the teachers who go above and beyond, taking the time not only to support our learning, but to make the effort to get to know us as well. Across both departments, Linguistics and Japanese, the friendliness and how approachable the staff are is what I really appreciate. I don’t ever feel lost as I know there will be someone available and willing to help me with whatever it may be. Cameron Bain Japanese and Linguistics student Are you interested in Japanese Studies at Edinburgh? Edinburgh is the only university in Scotland to offer undergraduate degrees in Japanese. Our four-year MA Honours programmes enable you to learn the language in the context of Japan’s history, politics, philosophy and culture, past and present. You can start the language as a complete beginner, or at a more advanced level - we will place you in the right course for you. Our programmes are not for native speakers, but we also welcome heritage language learners. Find out more about studying undergraduate Japanese More news and features Read our interview with student Jess Polito about the Japanese Speech Contest 2025Read our interview with Francesca Lutje-Wilkes about winning the University’s book collecting prize for her collection of female manga artists Tags Asian Studies Life at LLC Research Undergraduate Publication date 20 Jan, 2026
