"Today, there is a trend towards simplifying the connections formed between seemingly distant cultures. Given the immense value attributed to globalization as a current, irreversible, and all-encompassing phenomenon, we often believe that all cultural relationships should be grounded in the same structure or viewed through the same lens. Constructing and assimilating the 'other' from either admiration or rejection is a theme that has come to dominate studies evaluating transnational relationships. However, not all paths are alike, and therefore, not all bridges can be the same. I dare to assert that from its editorial mission, Kōbai has understood that the bridge uniting these two countries must be dynamic, ever-changing, and heterogeneous. This ensures that the cultural bond remains sincere, unguarded, and, as much as possible, free from any ideological conditioning that might distort the relationship."