2013 Entrance Ceremony

April 5, 25
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Cho Matsunaga Kore

Congratulations to all of you who have enrolled in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations. I would also like to express my sincere congratulations to my family and all those who have supported me in the shadows and sunshine until now. Today, the day of enrollment has arrived, and I am sure that I am deeply moved to see you climb the stairs of your life one by one. We hope that you will continue to watch over them as they grow through various experiences as students of our university.

This year, there are 328 Faculty of Agriculture students and 613 Faculty of Engineering students, for a total of 941 new students in the undergraduate department. The Graduate School consists of four departments: Graduate School of Engineering, Graduate School of Agriculture, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, and United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, and if you include the Cooperative Major in Advanced Health Science in collaboration with Waseda University established in Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, there will be 660 students in the master's program, master's program, Specialist degree program, and 109 doctoral program. Faculty & Graduate Schools The total number of new students is 1,710, including 72 international students from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe. These 1,710 students will now work hard toward their dreams at our university, so to speak, and become comrades. I sincerely hope that we will do our best to be a positive influence on each other, and that in a few years, we will spread our wings even bigger.

First of all, I would like to talk a little bit about this Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology that you are going to spend the rest of. If you are aware of what kind of university you are and what kind of characteristics it has, you will be able to spend your Campus Life more meaningfully, so please listen. Since its founding in 1874, the University has continued to evolve to produce scientists who will contribute to the modernization and internationalization of Japan in various aspects, based on the basic philosophy of "contributing to the progress of science and technology in harmony with world peace and society and the natural environment, as well as striving to develop human resources and create knowledge who will be responsible for solving and realizing problems." In addition to the two fields of agriculture and engineering, which are the backbone of all industries, we are also developing our fields into interdismal fields that are possible because we combine the two, and we are doing our utmost to conduct research and human resource development with the goals of "realizing a sustainable society" and "building a recycling-oriented society." In order to achieve our goals and mission, we are not bound by preconceived notions or frameworks, but we are flexible and take on new challenges with conviction, which is not only a characteristic but also a strength of our university, and is manifested in various initiatives. For example, there is a Leading Graduate School program. This is an educational program that promotes doctoral education in practical sciences that supports green and clean food production in a five-year integrated manner, and last year we decided to introduce it to our university ahead of the rest of the country. In addition, we are actively engaged in collaboration with other institutions and universities, joint research with private companies, and exchanges with overseas countries, while at the same time focusing on the tenure-track system and the enhancement of Women's Future Development Organization functions, we are always conscious of the diversity and public nature of our research and educational activities. By boldly incorporating these advanced initiatives, it is the role of our university to promote research that can truly contribute to society, and at the same time to help you become a driving force in creating a better future for humankind.

Therefore, I would like to say a few words to all of you who are going to study at our university. "If you don't learn and think, you will be punished. You know the words of Confucius. For those of you who have entered the undergraduate program, education at university is very different from education up to high school. Don't wait for the answer to be told as you used to. We must think independently, repeat trial and error, devise ideas, take on challenges, experience things, learn from them, and pursue them further. If you only receive instruction and do not try to think for yourself, you will not be able to gain true knowledge and become a bright person on the path. Student-centered nature is what a university is all about. Student-centered does not mean that students should be customers who do nothing. The university helps students grow, and it is the students themselves who make the effort to grow. At the same time, if you only think on your own and don't learn, you will become self-righteous and dangerous. Learn broadly and think for yourself. By cultivating this attitude while at our university, you will become a useful human resource with both knowledge and the ability to take action, and you will be able to play an active role in any career path, whether you go on to higher education or find a job after completing your four years at the university.

Those of you who enroll in graduate school will have this basic attitude firmly in mind before embarking on a deeper and more specialized research path. However, you should not limit your focus to what you are doing and shut off the outside world. If you do not listen to the advice of your Faculty Member, your peers, seniors, and those around you more than ever before, but also learn and consider knowledge and ideas from other fields, historical backgrounds, social factors, international affairs, and everything else you will not be able to overcome the barriers that will stand in your way again and again in the future. I would like to recall the characteristics of our university that I mentioned earlier. I hope that everyone who studies at our university will also acquire the ability to respond flexibly and the attitude of taking on challenges with conviction.

You are the future of humanity. The current situation of the earth is by no means healthy and secure. Many problems such as the environment, resources, energy, food, disasters, and health that have arisen with the evolution of humankind, science, technology, and economic development are intertwining in a complex manner, threatening the survival of humanity and the entire planet at an accelerated pace. How can we change that vector and solve the problem? To this end, the power of science and technology and the creation of new knowledge created by scientists, in other words, innovation, are indispensable. Of course, it will not be solved overnight. However, we must do our utmost to contribute to the creation of a society in which humanity can develop beautifully and richly with compassion for others while coexisting with the natural environment, and we must pass on this responsibility to young people who have a bright future. Those of you who have chosen to pursue a career in science have a major role to play in contributing to the realization of a peaceful and sustainable society, in other words, to create the future. Your efforts in the future will lead to the happiness of each and every one of you and the happiness of humanity as a whole. Good luck!

Finally, I would like to add one more thing that may seem obvious, but it is very important. The path of academic research can be mentally and physically demanding at times. You can't continue without a healthy mind and body. Especially for those who come from rural areas and overseas, I think that there are many things that make you anxious in an unfamiliar place. Please take good care of your health and have a fruitful university life. The University will continue to do its utmost in all aspects so that we can provide even stronger support to you. I would like to conclude my remarks by expressing my hope that all of you who are enrolling today will not forget your feelings today and grow greatly toward your dreams, and that you will once again welcome all of you to become members of our university.