Rotem Kowner (Hebrew: רותם קובנר; born 11 July 1960) is an Israeli historian and psychologist specializing in the history of modern Japan, and a full professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Haifa.

[2] Kowner worked extensively to mark the centenary of the Russo-Japanese War and to stress its regional and global repercussions.

[3] He was involved in organizing international conferences, initiated collaborative works, and published several books as well as many articles about this topic.

Since 2010, his research focus has shifted to the examination of the development of race and racism in modern East Asia and in Japan in particular.

Kowner maintains that the question of race, the distress over foreign racism, and the implementation of racist policies in its own colonies have been among the most critical and painful issues in the history of modern Japan and that they were also among the determinants of its national decision-making, at least until the end of World War II.