Keiko Sakurai is a Professor of International Research and Education, at the School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University. She obtained her PhD in International Relations at Sophia University in Tokyo. She has been a professor at the Faculty of International Research and Education, School of International Liberal Studies, at Waseda University since 2004. She majors in comparative sociology and has conducted researches on social and educational changes in contemporary Iran and surrounding regions. She authored several books in Japanese and co-edited volumes in English, inaddition to articles for academic journals and book chapters.