The Humanities Research Center aims to encourage more comprehensive joint research in the humanities, beginning its activities as a research center in 2003. In particular, the institution is moving forward with research that can be subsumed under the broad academic area of humanities with a focus on philosophical thought, literature, arts, and historical culture. Presently, the overall theme for the next three years beginning in 2003 is "The Other," and research in line with this theme is being carried out institution-wide.