The University has denied tenure to a professor of Japanese literature, reversing the recommendation of the East Asian Languages and Civilizations Department, the department's chair said yesterday.

The decision, coupled with the departure of another professor to Dartmouth College, may mean that the department will not offer as many courses in Japanese literature next year, Professor of Japanese Literature Edwin A. Cranston said yesterday.

But Department Chair Wei-Ming Tu said that the department would not have to cut any courses.

"Basically we are okay," Tu said. "Certainly I am worried we are not up to full team... [It is] not best possible position but it is not disastrous."

The dean of the Faculty and the president declined to convene an ad hoc committee to review Associate Professor of Japanese Haruko Iwasaki for tenure, despite the department's unanimous recommendation, according to Tu.

In addition, Assistant Professor of Japanese Literature Dennis C. Washburn '76 has accepted a post as assistant professor at Dartmouth and will begin his new duties in September.

The departures leave the Japanese literature program with one senior faculty member, Cranston, and one junior faculty member, Assistant Professor of Japanese Literature Regine D. Johnson, who was one leave this year.

Graduate students said yesterday they were disappointed that the program will be understaffed.

"The department is a very unhealthy department at this point," said Seth Andrews, a graduate student in Japanese literature. "It's very problematic, especially for incoming students."

Cranston said last night that although he was planning to take a sabbatical next year, he made the decision to continue his teaching duties after Iwasaki was not granted tenure and after it became clear that the department would not be filling another senior post for next year.

"Since there are only the two of us," he said,"we are not going to be able to offer the samenumber of courses."

This year, Cranston, Washburn and Iwasaki alltaught courses in the Japanese literature program.With Johnson's return, the department will havetwo professors in the program.

Two Posts to Fill

The department had hoped to make two seniorappointments in Japanese literature: one in modernliterature as a permanent replacement for formerThomas Professor of Japanese Literature Howard S.Hibbett Jr., who retired last year; and one in anewly endowed chair.

The Takashima professorship, supported by a $3million grant from the Kyoei Steel Company ofJapan and named for the president of the company,will support a scholar in the humanities.

"The hope was that with the new chair, thedepartment would have two senior appointments,"Washburn said.