Josai 50th Anniversary Events · 2016-06-20 · 1 50th anniversary festivities Newsletter...

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50th anniversary festivities Newsletter2015.4.1〜2016.3.31

On April 20, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation organized a concert at Josai University’s Sakado Campus’s Seiko Hall (Saitama prefecture, Sakado city) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding. Our university seeks to strengthen international exchange and actively pursue exchanges with other universities in the world. Last year, our university has particularly strengthened international exchange with universities in central European countries and ASEAN countries. Starting with the Budapest Business School in 2007, our university has now signed academic exchange agreement with nine universities in Hungary and particularly developed student exchange with Hungary. This concert

featured performances by musicians who have deep ties with Hungary.Before the concert, Chancellor Noriko Mizuta greeted the audience saying “Today we begin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of our university. In addition to promoting international education, our relationship with Hungary has become a great strength. Starting with Liszt, Hungary has produced many distinguished musicians. Please enjoy today’s concert given by active musicians.” Following Chancellor Mizuta welcome words, István Szerdahelyi, Hungarian ambassador to Japan, expressed his gratitude saying “When leading Hungarian figures come to Japan, they are always invited by Josai University and I see the excellent results of this relationship. I am very gratefully that you can all listen to Hungarian music today.”The concert started with Miyuji Kaneko’s (whose father is Japanese and mother Hungarian) piano performance of Chopin’s Polonaise No. 6 “Heroique.” The concert then featured 14 pieces interpreted by Budapest born István Kohán (clarinet), Miwako Handa (soprano) and Reiko Szerdahelyi (piano, Ambassador Szerdahelyi’s wife) who played Liszt’s Concolation No. 3 and Hungarian compositor Bartók’s Roman nepi tancok as well as Japanese songs by Yoshinao Nakada and “Hana” by Rentaro Taki. This beautifully cheerful concert was attended by about 500 people including Akiko Igaya, managing director of the Japan-Hungary Friendship Association, members from this association as well as faculty members, students and exchange students.

Ambassador Szerdahelyi greeting the audience

Chancellor Mizuta welcoming the audience

Josai University Educational Corporation3-26 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 03-6238-1300 http://www.josai.jp/

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（2015.4.1〜2016.3.31）創立50周年記念事業Josai University Educational Corporation’s50th anniversary festivities

Josai 50th Anniversary Events

Date: April 20, 2015 at 1:30 pmPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Concert to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding ofJosai University Educational Corporation

The concert hall was filled to full capacity

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Following this concert, we are expecting that exchanges between our university and Hungary as well as between our university and Hungarian universities will develop more and more.Our university was established in April 1965 by Mikio Mizuta, who held various political offices including that of Minister of Finance, with the goal

of “Character building through learning.” In 1983 a women community college was open by Josai University (which afterwards became Josai Base College), then in 1992 Josai International University opened in Togane, Chiba prefecture. In 2005, a central campus was opened in Kioicho (Tokyo, Chiyodaku) to bring together our three universities.

The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) held a commemorative ceremony for its 50th anniversary on October 31, 2015. The ceremony took place in the General Gymnasium on the Josai University Sakado Campus, located in Saitama Prefecture's city of Sakado. The 50th anniversary commemorative ceremony was honored by the presence of Her Highness Hisako, Princess Takamado. It was a magnificent celebration, with attendance by presidents and professors from about fifty sister

universities around the world, student and faculty representatives and alumni from both Josai Junior College and sister school Josai International University, as well as guests from around the region. Some of the more honored guests included the ambassadors from Hungary, Poland, and Bulgaria, members of the National Diet, local government top officials and lawmakers, and officials from affiliated organizations and businesses. Altogether, about 1,300 guests came to celebrate reaching this half-century milestone.

Date: October 31, 2015 at 10:30 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Commemorative Ceremony for Josai University Educational Corporation's50th Anniversary at Sakado Campus

Duo by Miyuji Kaneko and István Kohán (right) The song “Hana” as an encore

Miyuji Kaneko (back) and Reiko Szerdahelyi’s performance Commemoration picture with all the participants

Miwako Handa signing Japanese songs (right) Miyuji Kaneko and István Kohán interacting with Hungarian exchange students

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Before the commemorative ceremony, Her Highness Princess Takamado was presented with an honorary doctorate degree for her many contributions to Josai University's international education activities. As a female leader, she has represented Japan in activities for the promotion of international exchange, and she has made outstanding contributions to the arts and sciences throughout Japan and the world. Chancellor Mizuta gave a few remarks at the award ceremony. “Through your numerous activities, international regard for Japan has risen. What's more, you encourage and guide us with your all-encompassing warmth. We feel extremely privileged that you would accept this honorary degree from our university,” she said, expressing her gratitude.During her opening address for the commemorative ceremony, Chancellor Mizuta touched upon Mikio Mizuta’s founding principle of “character building through learning” as well as the university’s progress up to now. “We have come this far with the cooperation of the regional and international communities, and by those same means we would like to take yet another step in the cultivation of human resources,” she said. “Deep in my heart, I feel that the most precious thing we have is the support from all of you, from those of you in our region and those of you from universities across the world. I want us to put all of our effort into being a university that can further meet all of your expectations,” she concluded.After offering a few words of appreciation for the honorary doctorate degree, Her Highness Princess Takamado’s tone became more serious. “Our grandparents’ and parents’ generations gave the utmost sacrifice, doing whatever they could and paying any price. It is because of this that today we have peace and friendly relations with other countries. As we carry our gratitude and respect for our ancestors in one hand, we need to properly hand it off to the next generation, like a sash in a relay race. I have great expectations for the young people currently

studying at your three universities. I hope they will look outside Japan and acquire the strength to walk together with the world. I ask that you take this 50th anniversary as an opportunity to try harder than ever, that more and more of your people will become active resources in the international community. I also hope for your university's improvement, growth and prosperity.”Josai University President Yasunori Morimoto spoke at the ceremony, as well, saying, “The effort of so many affiliates and staff members has truly been a gift that has illuminated these fifty years. I am extremely proud to be able to say that in fifty years we have grown to be a wonderful university.”Dr. István Szerdahelyi, Hungarian Ambassador to Japan, congratulated the university with a guest speech. “The seeds planted by Mikio Mizuta have grown, and now they bear fruit. Every time I come here, I am surprised at the transformations achieved by Japanese society. With this kind of tireless progress, throughout 50 years Josai University has been turning out responsible people. I give my deepest respect for your service to society,” he offered.Representing all currently enrolled students were Koichi Takano, a 3rd-year student in the Faculty of Contemporary Policy Studies, and Yuki Kobayashi, a 1st-year student in the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. They announced several vows before the audience, such as “While taking care to preserve the traditions built by our seniors, we feel that it is our mission over the next 50 years to expand even further the links that Josai has around the world,” and “We promise to lift up our founding principle even more.” After that was the presentation of a congratulatory message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the chanting of the university's anthem. Then with the ceremonial popping of the kusudama ball, the commemorative ceremony was over.

Chancellor Mizuta speaks at the honorary doctorate award ceremony

Her Highness Princess Takamado offers a few thoughts

Hannam University President Kim offers his congratulations at the reception

Ambassador Szerdahelyi offers his congratulations as a guest speaker

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A reception followed the commemorative ceremony. Once again, Chancellor Mizuta addressed the guests. After Josai International University President Hakuo Yanagisawa led everyone in the toast, the attention changed to several guest speakers who wished to offer their congratulations. One of those speakers was South Korea's Hannam University President Hyung Tae Kim, who presented Her Highness Princess Takamado with an honorary doctorate degree during April of last year and just this year in August also awarded Chancellor Mizuta an honorary doctorate. Drawing from the Bible, he said, “Through cooperation and exchange, Korean and Japanese young people can respect one another’s cultures. We hope that we can come together academically and contribute in a big way to the development of Northeast Asia.” A professor choral group from Dongseo University provided entertainment with five songs for the reception. They performed Korean songs as well as the Japanese songs “Furusato” (Hometown) and “Kojo no Tsuki” (The Moon over the Ruined Castle), adding a touch of color to the evening.At the end of the reception, Chancellor Mizuta wanted to express her full gratitude for everyone’s cooperation up to that point. Thank-you letters were given to the university’s Parent Support Association, Pharmacology Cooperation Association and Alumni Association, as

well as to sister universities abroad, collaborative businesses, media companies, and people from around the region. Additionally, Josai Family Awards were given to their representatives.Between the commemorative ceremony and the reception, Her Highness Princess Takamado took the time to visit the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room that had just been opened on July 1. She showed great enthusiasm for the "Masterpieces of Mizuta Collection," which were on display until November 3. It was a special exhibition that included nine Sharaku Toshusai works from the collection in the Mizuta Museum of Art.The Josai University Educational Corporation established Josai University in 1965 in the city of Sakado. In 1983 at the same location, the Josai Women’s Junior College (changed to Josai Junior College in 2000) was established, and in 1992 Josai International University was established in Togane, Chiba Prefecture. Upon the corporation’s 40th anniversary in 2005, the Kioicho Campus was established in the Kioicho area of Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. Its position serves as a link between the three universities on three different campuses. Between the three universities, there are currently about 14,000 students, and they have had approximately 100,000 graduates.

Dongseo University's professor chorus group performsChancellor Mizuta gives the opening ceremonial address

Mr. Takano (left) makes a vow alongside Ms. Kobayashi Her Highness Princess Takamado visits the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room

Chancellor Mizuta awards an honorary doctorate to Her Highness Princess Takamado The ceremonial kusudama ball pops, honoring the 50th anniversary

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The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the university's founding with a “World University Presidents Forum” in the 3rd Building International Conference Room at Tokyo Kioicho Campus on November 1, 2015. Both Josai University President Yasunori Morimoto and Josai International University President Hakuo Yanagisawa attended the forum. They were joined by presidents and vice presidents from about forty different sister universities around the world. On the previous day, all the participants had enjoyed the Commemorative Ceremony and Celebration for Josai University’s 50th Anniversary, which was held at the Sakado Campus. The theme of the discussion was “A Global Society and High Level Education: A Proposal for Japan's International Education in a New Era.” Participants actively exchanged ideas about their countries’ and universities’ current situations as well as their hopes for the future. With so many universities in attendance from various countries, it was truly a meaningful and valuable experience.At the start of the forum, Chancellor Mizuta addressed the attendees. “Japan has reached a certain level in international cooperation, economics and politics. However, we are sadly falling behind in international education. If we want to advance international education, it is imperative that we collaborate and share information with our partner universities overseas. I ask that you share with us your efforts for the globalization of education, as well as any challenges you have faced,” she said. “I would like to hear any advice you have for us.”University management expert Hiromichi Yoshitake served as moderator for the event, which was organized into two parts. Mr. Yoshitake is a professor of Business Science at the University of Tsukuba and also

an external committee member to the Josai International Center for the Promotion of Art and Science. During the first half of the forum, presidents and vice presidents from twelve different universities presented their thoughts and experiences dealing with the globalization initiatives and challenges at their respective universities. Represented universities included the University of Cologne (Germany), the University of Burgundy (France), the University of Cambridge, Budapest Business School, Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), the University of Łódź (Poland), Busitema University (Uganda), California State University at Long Beach, Foreign Trade University (Vietnam), Management & Science University (Malaysia), Dongseo University (South Korea), and Tianjin Foreign Studies University (China).When he addressed the forum, Vice President Gregory Wegmann of the University of Burgundy pointed out, “Distance learning is becoming essential for international exchange. Furthermore, I’d like to expand it to integrate with other programs we have.” University of Łódź President Wlodzimierz Nykiel gave an example of how his university has tried to implement international exchange. “When we created a special program for our 1-term study abroad students, 220 students from China enrolled in the program.” “We started a scholarship fund in hopes of doubling our number of study abroad students by 2020, and we have been recruiting faculty members from around the world,” revealed Dr. Jeet Joshee, Vice President of California State University at Long Beach. He added, “Building up a person’s character is necessary for a global education. It is clear that Josai University knew this fact even fifty years ago,” referencing the university’s founding principle of “character building through learning.”

Date: November 1, 2015 at 9:00 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

“World University Presidents Forum” Held in Honor ofJosai University Educational Corporation's 50th Anniversary

University of Łódź President Nykiel speaks at the forum

Chancellor Mizuta addresses the participants

It was an invaluable exchange of opinions on all accounts

Dongseo University President Jekuk Chang addresses the other participants

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Dr. Jekuk Chang, President of Dongseo University, discussed a global online course system called GAA (Global Access Asia). The system was created by twenty universities in twelve different Asian countries, including Josai University. “We want to make it a program that also focuses on the problems within the Asian region. Please consider joining the GAA,” he asked. Tianjin Foreign Studies University President Xiu Gang proposed his idea of the future, saying, “From here on, the image of the ideal person will require one to possess an international outlook, the ability to adapt, and the ability to act. Universities have to create a platform for that purpose.”During the second half of the forum, participants exchanged opinions regarding the ideas presented by each university in the first half. While it is important to deal with issues like problems surrounding

fundraising for study abroad students and the dilemma of whether a university should be a research institution or an educational institution, some attendees did not want to stop there. There were also calls for discussion on national assistance and regional matters.Professor Yoshitake gave closing remarks. “Thank you all for your diverse and valuable contributions to today’s forum. This has been extremely informative for not only Josai University and Josai International University, but for all Japanese universities. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but we learned that we also have many of the same concerns.” He concluded with, “I hope we each continue to devote ourselves to these issues, and I hope we continue to discuss them with other universities and countries.”

On May 21, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation invited former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad to give a keynote lecture entitled “Enhancing Knowledge for Peace: A Message to Future Leaders & Global Citizens” at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus as part of Josai’s 50th anniversary.Josai also commemorated the event by awarding Mr. Mahathir an honorary doctoral degree in conjunction with the opening of the Josai Center for ASEAN Studies.As part of their 50th anniversary festivities, Josai organized the Mizuta Mikio Memorial “Global Lecture” Series that invites globally influential people and exceptional scholars from both Japan and abroad to speak on the cultivation of global human resources. Mr. Mahathir is the first such

speaker in this series.Mr. Mahathir was the 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia. Beginning as a medical practitioner, he switched to politics and served as Malaysia’s longest-standing Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003. As an Asian leader with k nowledge of Japan, Mr. Mahathir espoused a “look East” policy that looked to Japan rather than the West for a model of economic development. Thanks to his exceptional and sustained leadership, Malaysia’s national power has grown exponentially.During a Chancellor Mizuta-led Josai delegation visit to Malaysia in January 2015, the delegation was invited to Mr. Mahathir’s residence. It was then that Chancellor Mizuta announced Josai’s plans for a Global Lecture Series and secured Mr. Mahathir’s participation.

Global Lecture Series

About 40 sister universities attended the forum Commemorative photo of all the participants

Mr. Mahathir receives his honorary doctor degreeStudents and faculty greet the Mahathir delegation

Date: May 21, 2015 at 10:30 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Special Keynote Lecture by Former Malaysian PrimeMinister Mahathir as Part of Josai’s 50th Anniversary

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Arriving to the Tokyo Kioicho Campus on the morning of May 21, Mr. Mahathir’s delegation was greeted by domestic and exchange students as well as faculties from both Josai University and Josai International University to tour the 1st and 3rd buildings of the Kioicho campus. In the 1st building’s auditorium, Chancellor Mizuta greeted the guests saying: “It is a great honor to have the opportunity to hear a speech from a leader that has contributed to the peace and prosperity of Asia,” she said. In his lecture, Mr. Mahathir said, “Though Malaysia has been involved in territorial disputes with its five neighboring nations, they have all been resolved in accordance with the International Court of Justice without starting wars. Japan must not resort to war in the name of territorial disputes. We must send a message to the world that war is the most serious of crimes.”The auditorium was filled to capacity with Asian government officials and leaders, as well as JU and JIU faculties and students. Students from Josai

satellite universities also attended the event. The entire audience listened with great attention to the precious words from this Asian global leader.The guests then moved to a hotel for a luncheon party following the lecture. Former Chairman of the Japan Business Federation Hiromasa Yonekura, Consultant for Sumitomo Chemical Company, Ltd. and toastmaster Ryoki Sugita, former President of Nikkei Inc. Yoshiaki Ito, as well as the managing directors of the Mainichi Newspapers also joined the festivities.The newly opened Josai Center for ASEAN Studies will be located on the 2nd building of the Tokyo Kioicho Campus with Josai University Vice President Kenji Sugibayashi and former Malaysian Minister of Tourism Ng Yen Yen serving as joint directors. Here at Josai, we continue to work for the promotion of academic exchange and joint research between Japan and the ASEAN region and the cultivation of human resources for the extension of international relations.

Mr. and Mrs. Mahathir hold school mascots given to them by studentsMr. Mahathir delivers his lecture

A commemorative photo after the event Mr. Mahathir gives a speech at the party

On June 13, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) invited Dr. Ezra F. Vogel, who is an honorary professor of Harvard University (U.S.) to give a keynote lecture entitled “East Asia in the Next Fifty Years” at the Sakado Campus in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture, as part of Josai’s 50th anniversary. To commemorate the lecture, Josai presented Dr. Vogel with the honorary doctorate.As part of their 50th anniversary festivities, Josai promotes the Mizuta Mikio Memorial “Global Lecture” Series that invites globally influential people and exceptional scholars from both Japan and abroad to speak on the cultivation of global human resources. Dr. Vogel was the second guest after the Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir

bin Mohamad, who gave a lecture on May 21.After acquiring the doctorate (sociology) from Harvard University in 1958, Dr. Vogel came to Japan to research the Japanese language and family relationships in Japan and stayed for 2 years. In 1972, he was appointed the director of the East Asian Research Center in the University. He released “Japan as Number One”, which became a best-seller in Japan, in 1979. In recent years, his book “Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China”, which was released in 2013 after spending over 10 years, also became popular. This lecture was realized after Chancellor Mizuta, who lived in the U.S. for many years as a comparative literature researcher, requested that Dr. Vogel, who is her old acquaintance, give a lecture.

Date: June 13, 2015 at 10:45 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Josai Hosts “Special Keynote Lecture by Dr. Ezra F. Vogel” as Part ofMizuta Mikio Memorial “Global Lecture” Series

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Dr. Vogel arrived at Sakado Campus, being welcomed by the faculty members, students, and exchange students in Josai University and Josai International University in the morning on the day of the lecture. After enjoying the ukiyoe collection in Mizuta Museum of Art, he attended the honorary doctorate presentation ceremony and gave the lecture.After the honorary doctorate presentation ceremony held in the Seiko Hall, Chancellor Mizuta praised Dr. Vogel’s achievements in the speech, saying that he “has made academic and research contributions that are necessary not only in the research of Japan but also in the peace and prosperity of this region”. In the lecture, Dr. Vogel followed the political, economic, and social changes in Japan, China, and the U.S. during 25 years by dividing the period before and after 1989, in which the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Tiananmen Square incident took place. He raised “continuation of economic growth”, “deterioration of environmental issues”, and “expansion of international exchanges” as the key points to capture East Asia in the future. He went on to point out that the U.S. “must cooperate with China in environmental issues”. He advised that China, which has achieved economic growth and is creating conflicts with the neighboring countries, “should keep

a low profile in its foreign policy”. He also made the audience laugh, saying that “Japan needs to learn more natural English”. He then concluded that (Japan) “needs to be more patient in order to get along with neighboring countries (mainly Korea). Japan’s representative must have considerations and a sense of responsibility”. Dr. Vogel also thoroughly answered questions by students, such as “what should the younger generation do in this time of aging society with the declining birth date?”etc.Approximately 500 people filled the hall, including the guests such as Kuniko Koda, who is a member of the House of Councillors, and Mayor Hayato Shimizu of Saitama City, etc., faculty members and students of Josai University and Josai International University, researchers, residents in the community, etc. The audience listened to the lecture of Dr. Vogel, which is supported by his many years of academic studies, with passion.A reception was also held after the lecture, and pleasant conversations were held, surrounding Dr. Vogel.

Dr. Vogel answering questions by studentsChancellor Mizuta presenting Dr. Vogel with the honorary doctorate

Dr. Vogel enjoying ukiyoe

Chancellor Mizuta greeting prior to the lecture Dr. Vogel having a pleasant conversation with exchange students

Dr. Vogel during the lecture

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On July 9, 2015, the Josai University Educational Corporation (Noriko Mizuta, Chancellor) hosted a lecture by Nobel Prize for Physics Recipient and Director of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science’s Research Center for Science Systems, Makoto Kobayashi, entitled “Antimatter-From Elementary Particles to Space” at Josai University’s Sakado campus in Saitama.This event was organized as part of Josai’s 50th anniversary festivities and the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Lecture series, which invites distinguished guests with exceptional academic accomplishments as well as domestic and global influence to speak about global human resource cultivation. Dr. Kobayashi is the third speaker of this series, with former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad having given a lecture on 5/21 and Harvard Professor Emeritus Ezra F. Vogel on 6/13.Dr. Kobayashi was born in Aichi prefecture in 1944. As a physicist specializing in particle physics, has worked as a Professor at the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics (now the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, or KEK) and the Director of the Institute of Particle and Nuclear Studies for the KEK. Dr. Kobayashi and his collaborator Toshihide Masukawa (director general of Kobayashi-Maskawa Institute for the Origin of Particles and the Universe at Nagoya University) were jointly awarded half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2008 for their work on explaining CP-violation within the Standard Model of particle physics, with the other half going to Professor Emeritus Yoichiro Nambu at the University of Chicago.Chancellor Mizuta provided opening remarks at the lecture that took place in Seiko Hall, saying, “It is a great honor to have Dr. Kobayashi

here today, whose extraordinary scholarly accomplishments have been acknowledged not just in Japan but worldwide. His lecture here will prove to be both extremely significant and a valuable reference tool for the future.”Dr. Kobayashi began by stating that, “[Antimatter] is a material that we have trouble putting to practical use, but that nonetheless bears a critical connection to our fundamental existence.” He then went on to explain the structure of matter from particles as well as the basic principles and history concerning antimatter, before discussing his theory of “CP-violation” that led to his Nobel Prize nomination. Dr. Kobayashi also touched on issues surrounding the Big Bang. In the high temperature and density that marked the beginnings of space, particles and antiparticles coexisted, but as temperatures cooled, antiparticles were replaced by particles only. As Dr. Kobayashi stated, hinting at the future direction of his research, “In current scientific models, the evolution of space cannot be fully explained. This implies the existence of some unknown mechanism of violation.”The lecture was followed by a short conversation between Dr. Kobayashi and former MEXT Vice-Minister and current director of the Josai Center for Graduate Studies, Motoyuki Ono, during which Dr. Kobayashi described a few behind-the-scenes episodes from the Nobel Prize award ceremony. Dr. Kobayashi concluded the conversation by commenting on the future of basic research in Japan: “The young population of Japan has decreased significantly. As a result, if the rest of us don’t continue to work hard, our high standards of research will not be maintained. I would urge you to believe in yourself and your endeavors and continue to move forward.”

Date: July 9, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Josai Hosts Lecture by Nobel Prize for Physics RecipientMakoto Kobayashi as Part of Mikio MizutaMemorial Global Lecture Series for University’s 50th Anniversary

Chancellor Mizuta welcoming the audience Dr. Kobayashi explains the structure of matter

Commemorative photo with studentsDr. Kobayashi (left) and Mr. Ono in conversation

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During the Q&A session that followed, Dr. Kobayashi responded respectfully to each student inquiry, with the audience of 600-including Tsurugashima city mayor Yoshiro Fujinawa, members of the local community and industry representatives, high school teachers, and Josai University students and faculty-listening with

intent curiosity.The event carried over to the reception in the Faculty of Business Administration media area, where participants surrounded Dr. Kobayashi in casual conversation. Dr. Kobayashi gracefully responded to each student request for a commemorative photo with a big smile.

On July 10, 2015, as part of Josai University Educational Corporation’s (Noriko Mizuta, Chancellor) 50th anniversary, Studio Ghibli Managing Producer Toshio Suzuki gave a lecture entitled “Animation from Japan to the World: Art, Technology, and Production” at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus.This event was organized as part of Josai’s 50th anniversary festivities and the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Lecture Series, which invites distinguished guests with exceptional academic accomplishments and domestic and global influence to speak about global human resource cultivation. Mr. Suzuki was the fourth speaker in the series following lectures by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohammad on 5/21, Harvard Professor Emeritus Ezra F. Vogel on 6/13, and Nobel Prize winner for Physics Makoto Kobayashi on 7/9.Mr. Suzuki was born in 1948 in the city of Nagoya. After graduating from the Literature department of Keio University, Mr. Suzuki began working for Tokuma Shoten Publishing. He then worked as a writer for Asahi Entertainment Weekly and editor for Animage, before joining Studio Ghibli. Mr. Suzuki has produced many Ghibli films including those by renowned directors Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki. Some of his major production credits include Princess Mononoke, Spirited

Away, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, The Wind Rises, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. This particular lecture was made possible with the help of Naoki Sato, President of the Nikkatsu Corporation.Chancellor Mizuta provided opening remarks for the lecture at the Kioicho Campus’ 1st building hall. “If you talk to exchange students, many will say that their interest in coming to Japan was first sparked through the medium of animation. This demonstrates the tremendous influence animation has on young people not only in Japan but worldwide, as well as its ability to change culture. I am hoping that this lecture will prove to be a significant and enjoyable experience,” she said.This lecture was conducted with Director of Josai’s Japan Asia Image and Professor of the Division of Critical Studies School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California Akira Mizuta Lippit serving as interviewer. Mr. Suzuki described his job as producer as being a “jack-of-all-trades, but above all else a friend to the director and a trustworthy confidant who maintains this environment throughout the creative process.” Regarding production, he said, “I have never once held a production meeting. The plan instead emerges through everyday conversation and idle talk.” Mr. Suzuki also provided fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about the production of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, and other films.Mr. Suzuki also discussed the difference in response to Studio Ghibli films overseas and his own personal favorite films. Regarding the latter, he said, “Since being on break, I’ve been collecting all the Woody Allen films that had such an influence on me.” Mr. Suzuki revealed that Hayao Miyazaki-who has recently retired from directing feature length films-is currently in production of a short animated film in 3DCG called “The Caterpillar’s Rags” that will be screened at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. “Directors like Spielberg and Lucas created new trends in cinema, but we are still awaiting the arrival of a new cinema. This is what Miyazaki is attempting to do in 3D. I think it’s really incredible,” he said.

Mr. Suzuki receives a bouquet from Josai

Mr. Suzuki (right) addresses the audience with interviewer Prof. Mizuta Lippit

Mr. Suzuki fields questions from students

Date: July 10, 2015 at 2:00 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Mikio Mizuta Memorial Global Lecture SeriesContinues with Lecture by Studio Ghibli Managing ProducerToshio Suzuki As Part of Josai’s 50th Anniversary

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During the Q&A session, Mr. Suzuki was asked what his driving force was, to which he answered, “You can’t do anything on your own. You have to find someone you can work with. The role of friends is really important.” He then added, “In the case of Miyazaki and I, we’d fight each other tooth and nail, while thinking, ‘Am I really going to lose to

this guy?’ That’s my driving force,” drawing laughs from the audience.In the lecture hall and the large classrooms where the lecture was broadcast, JIU media studies students, Josai faculty and students, and exchange students alike were able to enjoy Mr. Suzuki’s lecture, which abounded with humor and amusing anecdotes.

On October 1, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the university’s founding with a keynote address by Hiromasa Yonekura, adviser to the university’s board of directors as well as Chairman of Sumitomo Chemical and an adviser to the Japan Business Federation. Hiromasa Yonekura was invited to the Tokyo Kioicho Campus Building 1, where he spoke about “reviving and reforming the Japanese economy through people, and continuing to advance Japan’s position in the world.” In commemoration of the event, the university also awarded Hiromasa Yonekura an honorary doctorate.In part, the university has organized the Commemorative Mikio Mizuta “Global Lecture” Series in an effort to contribute to the cultivation of global human resources by gathering together people with domestic and international influence, people with outstanding achievements in research, and so on. Mr. Yonekura was the fifth to speak for the series, following the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad on May 21st, Harvard University Professor Emeritus Ezra F. Vogel on June

13th, Nobel Prize in Physics Laureate Makoto Kobayashi on July 9th, and Studio Ghibli Managing Director and Producer Toshio Suzuki on July 10th.Mr. Yonekura was born in 1937 in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. He began working for Sumitomo Chemical Manufacturing (currently Sumitomo Chemical) in 1960. In 1965, he completed his doctoral program in economics at Duke University in the U.S. Mr. Yonekura became president of Sumitomo Chemical in 2000. Then in 2009, he stepped down as president to take position as chairman of the board of directors. For four years starting in 2010, he also served as the 12th chairman of the Japanese Business Federation.Before presenting the honorary doctorate, Chancellor Mizuta mentioned Josai University’s participation in a Japan-China joint Ph.D. program, an academic exchange agreement with the University of Limerick in Ireland, as well as its involvement in the founding of the Hungary Culture Center inside the Embassy of Hungary. “Josai University puts a large amount of effort into global education, and you have provided irreplaceable support. With all our gratitude, we offer you this honorary doctorate.”

Mr. Yonekura provided thoughtful responses to students’ questions

Mr. Yonekura’s kind exchange with international studentMr. Yonekura with his honorary doctorate (second from the right)

Keynote Speaker Mr. Yonekura

Date: October 1, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Hiromasa Yonekura Gives Commemorative Mikio Mizuta“Global Lecture” Series Keynote in Honor ofJosai University Educational Corporation’s 50th Anniversary

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The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the university's founding with a keynote address on November 21, 2015. Tadashi Kobayashi, Director of the Okada Museum of Art and Chairman of the International UKIYO-E Society, was invited to speak about the “Mizuta Collection and the Appeal of Ukiyo-e” at the Josai University Seiko Hall in the city of Sakado, Saitama Prefecture. Attendees listened enthusiastically to his fascinating lecture. About 500 people filled the hall, from special invitees like Dr. Zoltán Südy-Former Hungarian Ambassador to Japan-to local people, faculty members, students and more.Dr. Kobayashi’s speech was just one in the Commemorative Mikio Mizuta “Global Lecture” Series being held this year, a part of Josai University’s 50th Anniversary. The university has organized the lecture series in an effort to contribute to the cultivation of global human resources by gathering together people with domestic and international influence, people with outstanding achievements in research, and so on. Many important figures

have already contributed to the series. They include the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad on May 21, Harvard University Professor Emeritus Ezra F. Vogel on June 13, Nobel Prize in Physics Laureate Makoto Kobayashi on July 9, Studio Ghibli Managing Director and Producer Toshio Suzuki on July 10, and Honorary President of the Japan Business Federation Hiromasa Yonekura on October 1. Dr. Kobayashi, who is the foremost expert in ukiyo-e research, was the sixth speaker to take the stage in the lecture series.Dr. Kobayashi was born in Tokyo in 1941. He completed his Master’s program in Art History at Tokyo University Graduate School of Humanities. He has held many positions, including Director of the Documents Research Office at the Tokyo National Museum, professor in the Faculty of Letters at Gakushuin University, and Director of the Chiba City Museum of Art. He is known for his chief literary work, “Edo kaiga shiron” (winner of the Suntory Prize for Social Sciences and Humanities). His other well-known published works are “Edo ukiyo-e wo yomu,” “Edo no ukiyo-e,” and “Edo no kaiga.”

Mr. Yonekura opened his address by saying, “It is truly a great honor to be receiving this honorary doctorate.” He went on to remember Mikio Mizuta, referring to the university’s founder as the hard-working Minister of International Trade and Industry during the 1950s transition to a domestic petrochemical industry. “I would like to express my deep respect and appreciation for Mizuta’s great achievements.” As he continued, he pointed out, “If we are to realize the recovery of Japan’s economy and its sustainable development, we need to speed up our innovation and bring in some of the enthusiasm from overseas.” He emphasized the necessity of cultivating human resources, saying, “In our struggle to lift up the country, the key to whether or not it will

lead to a genuine revival of the Japanese economy lies in the power of our people.” Mr. Yonekura finished his speech with a direct appeal to the approximately 250 Josai students in attendance. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to remember your willpower, never fear failure, challenge all that you can, and work toward improving yourselves.”Both Josai students and study abroad students had questions, such as “What are the issues facing innovation in Japan?” and “What are the possibilities for cooperation between Japan and China when dealing with environmental issues?” Mr. Yonekura answered every question carefully. Afterwards at the reception, he spent time with international students, greeting each of them personally and offering them his business card.

Dr. Kobayashi delivers his keynote

A slideshow introduces several masterpieces

The valuable “Six Tama Rivers” series

Dr. Kobayashi gazes upon the pieces at the Mizuta Museum of Art

Date: November 21, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Tadashi Kobayashi Gives Commemorative Mikio Mizuta “Global Lecture” Series Keynote in Honor of Josai University Educational Corporation's 50th Anniversary

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Moronobu Hishikawa, the first artist to popularize ukiyo-e, was from the Boso Peninsula of Chiba. Former Minister of Finance and Josai University’s own founder, Mikio Mizuta, was also from the Boso region, and he fell in love with ukiyo-e and began collecting the prints when he was still in school. Many of his early prints were lost during World War II, but he began collecting again once the war was over. He focused mainly on pieces portraying beautiful women or kabuki actors, by artists like Harunobu Suzuki, Utamaro, Sharaku, and Hokusai. After Founder Mizuta passed away, over 200 of his ukiyo-e prints were donated to the Mizuta Museum of Art and became the “Mizuta Collection.” Chancellor Mizuta gave a few remarks before the address. “Dr. Kobayashi was kind enough to evaluate our Mizuta Collection. He has helped us create a wonderful beginning for our museum, and he is an especially important patron to us. I am very pleased to have him here to speak directly to you,” she said.Dr. Kobayashi used Mikio Mizuta’s own words in his speech, saying, “Ukiyo-e is something fun. It reveals the nostalgia of a past that cannot be explained.” Talking about the appeal of ukiyo-e, he went on to

explain, “Within it is the expression of the most fundamental of human emotions, and it is because of this that we still feel pleasantly comforted by it today.” “We know this, because even in other countries where the cultural climate is different, they appreciate ukiyo-e. They value highly the ukiyo-e wood prints that display the intimacy and nostalgia hidden in the depths of the heart,” he explained. Additionally, several masterpieces were introduced on a slideshow as attendees learned about the changes to ukiyo-e. Some of the chosen pieces, nine Sharaku prints from the Mizuta Collection, are a highlight of the collection and add much to its worth.During the question and answer session, many students and general attendees asked questions like “Are there any forms of art today that are influenced by ukiyo-e ?” and “How many ukiyo-e wood prints can be made at a time with one block of wood?” Dr. Kobayashi was happy to answer them. After the reception following the keynote, Dr. Kobayashi viewed some of the ukiyo-e prints on display at the Mizuta Museum of Art. He also visited the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room, which has been open in the General Gymnasium since July of this year.

The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) invited Dr. Elizabeth M. Daley to give a keynote address in the 1st Building Hall at Tokyo Kioicho Campus on December 4, 2015. Dr. Daley is Dean of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC) in the U.S.A. Many came to listen to Dr. Daley's valuable thoughts regarding media schools and the future of film. Approximately 160 people attended the lecture, including members of the film industry, faculty members, and students from Josai International University’s Faculty of Media Studies.Dr. Daley’s speech was just one in the Commemorative Mikio Mizuta “Global Lecture” Series being held this year, a part of Josai University’s 50th Anniversary. The university has organized this lecture series in an effort to contribute to the cultivation of global human resources by gathering people with domestic and international influence, people with outstanding achievements in research, and so on. Many important figures have already contributed to the series. They include the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad on May 21, Harvard University Professor Emeritus Ezra F. Vogel on June 13, Nobel Prize in Physics Laureate Makoto Kobayashi on July 9, Studio Ghibli

Managing Director and Producer Toshio Suzuki on July 10, Honorary President of the Japan Business Federation Hiromasa Yonekura on October 1, and International UKIYO-E Society Chairman Tadashi Kobayashi on November 21. Dr. Daley was the seventh speaker to take the podium in the lecture series.Since Dr. Daley became Dean of the USC School of Cinema-Television (changed to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2006), the school has added three new divisions in animation, digital arts and interactive media. It has also built the Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts. She is now the head of a school that is leading other schools across the U.S.A. and the world. Moreover, being in Los Angeles, the center of the entertainment world, has allowed her to make great contributions as both a researcher and a producer. Additionally, she is a member of the Directors Guild of America.Before the lecture, Chancellor Mizuta gave an opening address. “Even in Southern California, a place full of media schools, USC has one of the top-rated media schools in the world, and Dr. Daley has achieved the status of being its leader. This lecture is a wonderful opportunity for those of us who are wondering how to improve our media programs in the future,” she said.

Date: December 4, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

University of Southern California’s Dr. Elizabeth M. Daley GivesCommemorative Mikio Mizuta “Global Lecture” Series Keynote in Honor ofJosai University Educational Corporation’s 50th Anniversary

Dr. Daley answers a student's questionDr. Daley speaks to the audience

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Dr. Daley's lecture was titled “An Argument for the Cinematic Arts in a 21st Century University.” At first, she mentioned the past. “It used to be that this idea of developing media programs was questionable to many, but things have changed a lot.” She went on, emphasizing, “Movies, television, and other new media have a huge effect on our lives. A media program that studies that should be at the center of the study of humanities.” Additionally, she cited several well-known movies, saying, “Film is the literature of our era.” Near the end of her presentation, Dr. Daley spoke of Josai International University's Faculty of Media Studies.

“This is a special place in Japan, and in Asia. I believe we can continue down this road (for media programs) together,” she concluded.Afterward, many students had questions, such as “Do you have any concerns about the future of the industry?” Dr. Daley's responses offered encouragement to the students. “The opportunities for working in movies, television, anime, and new media are endless. There are risks, but if you want to do it, you have to go for it. How you reach the viewer will always be different depending on your content. I am optimistic about the future,” she said. The audience gave her a big applause.

On February 24, 2015, as part of their 50th anniversary festivities, the Josai University Educational Corporation hosted a special lecture by Yoshiaki Shimizu on “The Works of Jakuchū Itō and Hongaku Thought in Buddhism” in the 3rd building of the Tokyo Kioicho Campus. Mr. Shimizu, Professor Emeritus of Art and Archeology at Princeton University and the foremost scholar in Japanese art history, gave a talk on the art of Jakuchū Itō, who was active during the mid-Edo period, analyzing his work from a religious perspective.Jakuchū Itō (1716-1800) was born the eldest son of a grocer whose shop was located in the Nishiki district of Kyoto. Jakuchū ran the shop until age 40 when he turned it over to one of his younger brothers to pursue a career in painting. By incorporating elements of the Kōrin School of ornamental painting, Jakuchū developed his own unique approach to art. For his numerous paintings containing realistic depictions of plants and animals, Jakuchū became known as the “uncanny artist.”

“Hongaku thought” is often translated as “innate enlightenment” and is based on the idea that all sentient beings are already enlightened a notion that proliferated as a central dogma of Tendai Buddhism.Chancellor Noriko Mizuta provided opening remarks at the lecture that was held in Josai’s International Conference Room. “It is a great honor to introduce this special lecture by Mr. Shimizu to commemorate Josai’s 50th anniversary, “she said. Prof. Emeritus Shimizu showed many slides of Jakuchū’s work alongside paintings of the Buddha achieving enlightenment to demonstrate the “incorporation of religious connotations in the artistic work of Jakuchū. This is one of the great merits of Jakuchū’s paintings, thereby linking them with Hongaku thought.” More than one hundred attendees, including Josai University and Josai International University faculty and extension students, listened with great attention to Prof. Shimizu’s fascinating lecture.

Lectures and symposia related to 50th Anniversary

Date: February 24, 2015 at 11:00 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Special Lecture by Yoshiaki Shimizu on“The Works of Jakuchū Itō and Hongaku Thought in Buddhism”

Prof. Shimizu during his lecture Prof. Shimizu explains Jakuchū’s work

Student representatives present Dr. Daley with bouquets Dr. Daley speaks with study abroad students at the reception

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On March 27, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation (Noriko Mizuta, Chancellor) hosted a guest lecture entitled “Haiku in the World” by former Swedish ambassador to Japan, Lars Vargö, which was held in the 3rd building of Josai’s Tokyo Kioicho CampusMr. Vargö graduated from Sweden’s Uppsala University with a degree in Asian Studies. During his work at the Swedish embassy in Japan, he studied Japanese history at Kyoto University’s Faculty of Letterst. He went on to receive his PhD in Japanese ancient history from the University of Stockholm. After working as Swedish ambassador to Korea, Mr. Vargö served as Swedish ambassador to Japan from 2011 to 2014, receiving the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2014. Mr. Vargö has published numerous translations and collections of haiku and has worked as a specially appointed professor at Josai since his retirement from the Swedish embassy.Chancellor Mizuta, who has served as president of the Japan-Sweden Association since 2014, provided opening remarks, introducing Mr. Vargö as “someone who has spread Japanese and East Asian culture to the world.” Mr. Vargö, giving his lecture in Japanese, gave several examples of how-as exemplified by English writer and scholar of Japanese culture Reginald Horace Blyth (1898-1964)-multiple

Western writers were introduced to Japanese poetic forms such as haiku and senryu and stated that, “one can sense the influence of haiku even in Western poetic works.” He also gave several examples of haiku composed by Western writers and children. Mr. Vargö stated, “Haiku is often taught in Western schools, and through the verse of children one can really feel the spirit and humor of haikai.”More than one hundred people attended the lecture including Josai University and Josai International University faculty, members of the Haiku International Association, and extension students. All participants listened with great interest as Mr. Vargö gave his lecture.In December 2013, Chancellor Mizuta had the great honor to receive the Cikada Prize from the Swedish government, a prize awarded to poets who are able to express the majesty of life in East Asia through poetry. To commemorate this award, an international symposium entitled “Expressing the inviolability of Life,” in which Mr. Vargö and Haiku International Association President Akito Arima participated, was held in June 2014. The material from this symposium was published by Josai University Educational Corporation University Press as International Symposium Commemorating Winning of the Cikada Prize: Giving World to the Inviolability of Life in January 2015.

Over one hundred audience members listen with rapt attention Mr. Lars Vargö giving his lecture

On March 30, 2015, Josai hosted a joint symposium with Sweden’s Uppsala University, “Women’s Studies and Literatures in Sweden and Japan,” as part of the 50th anniversary of their founding in the 1st building`s underground hall on the Tokyo Kioicho Campus. The panelists for the symposium consisted of four members from Josai, led by poet and scholar of comparative literature, Chancellor Mizuta, and four members from Uppsala University, led by Department of Literature chair, Ann Öhrberg. Taking gender as its topic, the symposium also featured contributions from Slovenian ambassador to Japan, Helena Drnovsek Zorko, and drew an audience of about 160, including faculty and students-both domestic and international-from Josai University and Josai International University (both of which offer courses in

women’s studies), visiting scholars, and members of the Japan-Sweden Association (for which Chancellor Mizuta serves as President).Uppsala University was founded in 1477 and is the oldest university in Northern Europe. Uppsala is one of the most influential European institutions in higher learning and research, boasting fifteen affiliates (either faculty or alumni) who have received the Nobel Prize. Uppsala is also known as the university where the father of botany, Carl von Linné, pursued his studies. This joint symposium was made possible by former Swedish ambassador to Japan and Uppsala graduate Lars Vargö (currently working as special lecturer for Josai following his retirement from the embassy) who introduced Josai to his alma mater. Josai paid a visit to Uppsala in October 2014, during which the joint symposium was planned.

Date: March 27, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Guest Lecture “Haiku in the World”by Lars Vargo as Part of 50th Anniversary

Date: March 30, 2015 at 1:00 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Joint Symposium with UppsalaUniversity as Part of 50th Anniversary

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On May 8, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation invited President Xiu Gang of Tianjin Foreign Studies University to give a special keynote lecture on the subject of “Global Human Resources at

the University-Organizing Education for Highly Skilled Professionals” as part of their 50th anniversary at the 3rd building of the Tokyo Kioicho Campus.

Chancellor Mizuta provided opening remarks at the symposium, saying, “The greatest honor for me was to be able to meet all of you as soon as I did. It’s my hope that this event will serve as a point of departure for future communication between Sweden and Japan.” The symposium was divided into two sessions, with Mr. Vargö also participating, featuring discussion and debate on the state of women’s literature and expression in both Sweden and Japan as well as regarding Sweden’s position as a forerunner in gender studies. The session closed with a panel discussion with all the participants. In closing, Professor Öhrberg offered her opinion stating, “Sweden is often declared the forerunner in gender studies, but we cannot become complacent with this idea. We must continue to progress.” She also expressed her

gratitude for the event saying, “With today’s symposium I learned so much about Japanese literature and culture, as well as Josai University.”In conjunction with the symposium, an “Ukiyo-e Special Exhibition” was held in the 1st floor gallery featuring pieces from the art museum collection. The Faculty of Social Work Studies also put up a display about their activities, which the Uppsala University delegation and other visitors browsed with great interest. During intermission, participants were treated to Japanese tea made by Josai’s tea ceremony club and the symposium was followed by a reception, giving participants a chance to engage in casual conversation. With this joint symposium, one can expect even more programs of exchange and joint research projects with Uppsala and other Swedish universities in the near future.

Enjoying Japanese tea during intermissionAudience members enjoy the fascinating presentations

Visitors from Uppsala University take in the ukiyo-e exhibitDiscussion with all panel members

Date: May 8, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

President Xiu Gang of Tianjin Foreign Studies UniversityGives Keynote Lecture as Part of Josai’s 50th Anniversary

President Xiu gives his lecture An audience of 100 listens closely to the lecture

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President Xiu specialized in Japanese studies at college level and is known among university presidents in China as the foremost scholar of Japanese. President Xiu also serves as president of the Chinese Institute of Japanese Language Studies, as well as a member of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, Chairman of the Japanese Language Education Division, and Vice-President of the Chinese Translators Association.Josai University Educational Corporation formed an academic exchange agreement with Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU) in October 2007. Since that time, more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students from TFSU have come to Josai to study. The two institutions have also engaged in faculty exchange. Based on their partnership, President Xiu was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Josai International University in September 2011. At present, 14 graduate students from TFSU are participating in a semester-long program of study in Business Design at JIU’s Faculty of Media Studies.Chancellor Mizuta gave opening remarks before the lecture, saying, “I expect this lecture from world-famous President Xiu to be highly informative, for both me and all of you here today.” President Xiu then began his lecture with the subtitle “The Direction of China’s University Education Reform and Potential Cooperative Ventures with Japan.” “The cultivation of global human resources is one important component of university education today. China is also

channeling much energy into the education of specialized and highly skilled professionals. Chinese and Japanese universities share a common outlook and objective when it comes to the fostering of global human resources and highly skilled professionals. The two nations’ shared history and achievements as well as cultural and physical proximity make the potential for China-Japan collaboration great,” he said. President Xiu summed up his lecture by saying, “The activities of Tianjin Foreign Studies University and Josai University/Josai International University should be considered one such model for success.” He also touched on the history of China-Japan relations by saying, “We must highly value our relationship with our neighbors. The best way to improve China-Japan relations is through cooperation at the popular level.”Roughly one hundred people were in attendance, including JU and JIU faculty, as well as Chinese exchange students from both TFSU and other universities, all of whom were greatly intrigued to hear the words of the experienced President Xiu.The conversation extended into the post-lecture reception, where TFSU exchange student Yang Mengmeng gave a performance of “Bamboo Under the Moon” on a hyōtan (gourd) flute with President Xiu clapping along in appreciation.One can expect even more programs of exchange with Tianjin Foreign Studies University as a result of this special keynote lecture.

Flute performance from Ms. YangDirector of Graduate Studies at TFSU, Li Yunbo (4th from left), with exchange students

On June 22, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation’s Tokyo Kioicho Campus hosted the Slovenia-Japan Symposium “Women Writers and Film Directors-Their Historical Significance.” This symposium was organized as part of Josai’s 50th anniversary

festivities and was cosponsored by the Embassy of Slovenia in Japan and the Josai International University’s Faculty of Media Studies and Institute for Gender and Women’s Studies.Thanks to the support of Slovenian Ambassador to Japan Helena Drnovšek Zorko, Josai has successfully formed an academic exchange agreement with Slovenia’s University of Nova Gorica. Ambassador Zorko, who shares a great interest in gender issues, helped make this symposium possible through a partnership with Josai, which is known for its advanced program in women’s and gender studies. This symposium discussed the historical significance of film, literature, and feminism, as seen in the documentary film The Hidden Memory of Angela Vode, which depicts the human rights activist Angela Vode who was sent to a Nazi concentration camp during World War II and was later imprisoned by the Yugosalvian government.

Date: June 22, 2015 at 1:00 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Slovenia-Japan Symposium “Women Writers and FilmDirectors - Their Historical Significance” as Part of 50th Anniversary

Ambassador Zorko addresses the audience

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At the symposium’s opening, Chancellor Noriko Mizuta provided introductory remarks. “This university is dedicated to the strengthening of relations with universities abroad, particularly those in Central and Eastern Europe. We would like to thank Ambassador Zorko for creating intellectual spaces to think about both Japan and the world,” she said. With that, Chancellor Mizuta presented Ambassador Zorko with the award of Honorary Professor. Ambassador Zorko then expressed her gratitude by saying, “We must part ways at the end of July, but I am overjoyed at having been able to create such a strong relationship with Josai.”This was followed by a screening of the digest edition of The Hidden Memory of Angela Vode, in which the film’s director, Maja Weiss, provided commentary on the film and Vode’s career. “Above all else, Ms. Vode emphasized a freedom of the spirit,” she said. “I consider her a role model of free-spiritedness.”

Associate Professor of Slovenian Literature and University of Nova Gorica Chair of Humanities, Katja Mihurko Poniž, provided the keynote lecture. Following an intermission, film critic and Josai guest lecturer, Hide Murakawa; Associate Professor Kayo Takefuji; and lecturer Chiaki Hayashi engaged in a lively panel discussion on issues of human rights, gender, and the future of female authorship moderated by Professor Yasuko Wachi.More than 160 students-both domestic and international-and faculty from Josai University and Josai International Universities listened with great attention for the duration of the symposium, which concluded with a post-event reception filled with casual conversation and a friendly atmosphere.Our hope is that this symposium will result in even greater exchange between Josai and the University of Nova Gorica, as well as with Slovenia in general.

The director, Maja Weiss, provides film commentary

Professor Poniž gives her keynote speech A look at the panel discussion

A commemorative photo with panelists and organizers

On July 17, 2015, Josai University Educational Corporation hosted a special keynote lecture on “Meiji Satirical Artist Kyosai Kawanabe Who Was So Celebrated in France.” This lecture was organized as a part of the festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary of Josai’s founding. The keynote speaker was Christophe Marquet, director of the Maison Franco-Japonaise Institut français de recherche sur le Japon and was attended by 160 “Kyosai fans,” including students and faculty.Kyosai Kawanabe (1821-1889) was a nonconforming artist who lived from the closing days of the Tokugawa period into the Meiji period. In

1870 (Meiji Year 3), Kyosai was the subject of political controversy for his work, an incident that demonstrates his deep spirit of defiance. As such, he left behind numerous caricatures and satirical paintings. While his work is considered an extension of the Kano school, he voraciously incorporated a number of styles and methods, calling himself the “devil painter.” And though that gifted brushstroke and power of depiction distinguished him from the crowd, Kyosai remained a largely forgotten artist in the Japanese art world until recently. In Europe, on the other hand, Kyosai has been considered a major representative of Japanese art and a successor of the Hokusai tradition since the late 19th century.

Date: July 17, 2015 at 11:10 amPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Josai Hosts Keynote Lecture on “Meiji Satirical Artist Kyosai KawanabeWho Was So Celebrated in France” as Part of 50th Anniversary ofUniversity’s Founding

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Before the lecture, Josai University Educational Corporation Chancellor Noriko Mizuta provided opening remarks. “Mr. Marquet is someone who has channeled much energy into the study of Japan-France cultural exchange as well as the cultivation of human resources. For students of our university, whose education program bears the slogan ‘Japan in the World,’ Mr. Marquet’s lecture should prove to be an excellent learning opportunity.”Keynote lecturer Christophe Marquet was born in France in 1965. A specialist in early-modern and modern Japanese art history and print culture, Mr. Marquet has edited several volumes including Probing Japanese Textual Culture-From a Japanese-French Perspective and Weaving Text and Image-Japanese-French Exchange in Publishing Culture. In France, many translations and reissues of collections by Edo and Meiji era artists such as Hochu Nakamura, Hokusai Katsushika, Utamaro Kitagawa, and Kyosai have been published. This includes a translation/reissue of Kyosai’s posthumous works, entitled Kyôsai hyakki gadan; L'histoire illustrée des cent demons.Mr. Marquet’s project surveys French museums and archives in search of “traces of Kyosai.” Using slides taken from these visits, Mr. Marquet extends the question of “when and why Kyosai became so famous in France.”Kyosai’s work was first introduced to France through the publication of Promenades Japonaises in 1880 by French businessman Émile Étienne Guimet -who came to Japan as part of a religious survey-and artist Félix Régamey. This led to the high evaluation of Kyosai as a satirical

artist in France. Mr. Marquet also introduced picture collections from the Musée Guimet archives as well as cover illustrations from famous French journals. “With his three month imprisonment following the writing controversy, Kyosai’s image in France as a ‘defiant artist’ was solidified. Without being overshadowed by their European counterparts, this fulfilled the high evaluation of a Japanese sense of beauty,” explained Mr. Marquet. He then showed the obituary published on the front page of Le Figaro following Kyosai’s death to demonstrate the overwhelming admiration France had for the artist.Curators from the Musée Guimet, and members of the Groupe Economique Franco-Japonais and France-Japan Women’s Association filled the lecture hall. Associates from the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum where a Kyosai exhibit is currently on display were also in attendance.

Mr. Marquet during his lecture

The Josai University Educational Corporation's 50th Anniversary International Symposium was held in the 3rd Building International

Conference Room at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus on Saturday, November 7, 2015.

Date: November 7, 2015 at 11:00 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

International Symposium Held on “Creating an East AsianNetwork for the Research of Central European Studies”

Georgi Vassilev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Japan, gives a few remarks

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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Researchers of Central European Studies in Slovenia and East Asia gathered for the symposium, which focused on the topic of “Creating an East Asian Network for the Research of Central European Studies.” In a 3-part program, participants reviewed the concept of the Central European region and aimed to form a network for East Asian researchers of Central European Studies.The symposium’s first part was a lively debate around the question of “What is Central Europe?” The three presentations during this part were “Central Europe: Political Idea and Historical Reality” by Dr. Peter Vodopivec (Institute for Modern History, Slovenia), “The Possibilities of Central Europe” by Dr. Atsushi Otsuru (Kobe University), and “Central Europe or Eastern Europe: Regarding their Multilingualism” by Dr. Masahiko Nishi (Ritsumeikan University).The second part consisted of four different reports along the topic of “Varied Types of Central European Studies.” The reports were “Problematizing the Eastern-Central Europe in the Postcolonial Perspective” by Dr. Lim Jie-Hyun (Sogang University, South Korea), “Hairnet Manufacturing in Vysocina” by Dr. Lee Chinyun (National Chi Nan University, Taiwan), “What do Refugee/Emigrant Flows Mean for Central Eastern European Countries?” by Dr. Lin

Wenshuang (Beijing Foreign Studies University, China) and Dr. Ljuba Atanasova (South-West University, Bulgaria), and “Exploring the Origins of Japanese-Yugoslav Relations during World War I through the Case of Yugoslav POWs in Japan” by Dr. Boštjan Bertalanič (Josai University). It was an in-depth, diverse study of Central Europe.The third part, “Central European Studies in East Asia,” looked toward the future with speeches by Dr. Lim Jie-Hyun (Sogang University, South Korea), Dr. Lee Chinyun (National Chi Nan University, Taiwan), Dr. Lin Wenshuang (Beijing Foreign Studies University, China), and Professor Tadaki Iio (Josai University). The four speakers explained the current situation of research on Central Europe in each of their own countries and discussed the possibilities for a network to facilitate such research.Many researchers of Central European Studies from Japan and abroad attended the symposium. Georgi Vassilev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria to Japan was also present. It was obvious that all the participants felt a strong interest in creating a network for researchers of Central European Studies in East Asia.

On January 13 and 14, 2016, the Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) hosted an international symposium on pre-modern Japanese culture with the theme of “sounds and voices.” .The event, titled “TEXTURES of SOUND,” was held in the 1st Building Hall at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus. The symposium was organized by the JIU Japan Studies Center and European Center in honor of Josai University Educational Corporation’s 50th

anniversary. The Faculty of International Humanities and the Josai International Center for the Promotion of Art and Science (JICPAS) cosponsored the event. Leading scholars of Japanese studies from various countries presented the findings of their latest research. Participants also engaged in an enthusiastic discussion about the roles of orality (the culture of voices) and music in the transformation of Japanese studies.

Dr. Shirane gives his keynote speech

Dr. Wang gives his presentation

Date: January 13 - 14, 2016 at 3:30 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Josai University 50th Anniversary International SymposiumHeld on the “TEXTURES of SOUND”

Dr. McCormick gives her presentation

Dr. Screech gives his presentation

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Chancellor Mizuta offered a few remarks at the symposium’s opening ceremony on January 13, saying, “We have been holding a lecture course called ‘Japan in the World.’ Today’s symposium was planned as a culmination of that course. I would like for us to take up this trending theme as a new cultural topic, that it may provide us with hints for how to better study all humanities. Let us listen carefully to the results of this new research.” JU and JIU Vice President Kenji Sugibayashi went on, expressing gratitude to the participating scholars. “We thank you for coming here to discuss the art, music, and literature of premodern Japan. We are truly privileged to be a part of the research on such a revolutionary theme and content.”After that, Columbia University Professor Haruo Shirane gave a keynote speech titled “Voice, Body, and Music in the Construction of Communal Memory: Reconsidering Media in Medieval Japanese Popular Tales.” To commemorate the occasion, biwa player Nobuko Kawashima performed three songs from The Tale of Heike. Those songs were “The Gion Shoja,” “The Flight from Fukuhara,” and “Dannoura.”Many distinguished guests, such as Commissioner for Cultural Affairs Masanori Aoyagi, were present at the event that day. Other attendees included Irish Ambassador Anne Barrington, Hungarian Ambassador Dr. István Szerdahelyi, and Swedish Ambassador Magnus Robach. Scholars, as well as faculty members and students from both universities, also participated in the ceremony.The research presentations, discussion, and Q&A session with the audience all happened on the second day of the symposium. The program was as follows:Dr. Melissa McCormick, who assisted with the symposium’s planning and program framework, gave the closing remarks for the event. “I would like to thank Josai University for its effort in organizing this symposium. I’m grateful to all the scholars for engaging in this difficult, new discussion.”A reception was held on both days after the symposium’s presentations, offering guests the chance to talk freely with renowned scholars.

Dr. Lippit serves as commentator

Program

Morning

Eugene Wang (Harvard University) - “The Shoso-in Zither: To What Tunes Does It Play?”

Ashton Lazarus (University of Chicago) - “Folk Performance and the Soundscape of Early Medieval Japan”

Fumi Ouchi (Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University) - “What Cannot Be Noted: The Notation of Buddhist Vocal Music”

Discussion and Audience Q&ACommentator: Didier Davin (École française d’Extrême-Orient, Tokyo)

Afternoon

Melissa McCormick (Harvard University) - “Seeing Voices: Pictured Dialogue and Metanarrative in Japanese Emaki”

Miyako Okada (Josai International University) - “Listening to the Zither Playing Woman: Sound and Image in Medieval Setsuwa”

Discussion and Audience Q&ACommentator: Haruo Shirane (Columbia University)

Judit Árokay (Universität Heidelberg) - “Late Edo Approaches to the Orality of Japanese Poetry: In Search of the Immediacy of Poetic Language”

Timon Screech (University of London) - “Performing Painting in the Early-modern Period East and West”

Discussion and Audience Q&ACommentator: Yukio Lippit (Harvard University)

Attendees listen raptly to Ms. Kawashima’s biwa performance

Attendees admire the ukiyo-e exhibit on special display

Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special lecture by Jacques Giès in the Tokyo Kioicho Campus 3rd Building on January 20, 2016. Dr.

Giès—a former Director of the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in France—spoke about the “Integration of Buddhism in China and Japan.”

Date: January 20, 2016Place: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

Jacques Giès Gives a Josai University 50th AnniversarySpecial Lecture: “Integration of Buddhism in China and Japan”

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Dr. Giès is a French expert in Buddhist art and Chinese studies. He also possesses a wide range of knowledge through his deep connections to museum management and cultural administration. He studied art history at the University of Paris (the Sorbonne) and Chinese language and civilization at the INALCO (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations). After receiving his doctorates, he went on to teach for many years at both universities, as well as at the École du Louvre. He also held many other positions, including Curator for the Guimet Museum’s China and Central Asia Collections of paintings and sculptures. He later served as the director of the museum itself (2008 - 2011).Before the lecture event, Chancellor Mizuta greeted the attendees and introduced the Josai University group’s concept of “Japan in the World.” The idea is to map out a place in the world for Japanese art and culture. Along this purpose, the group is focusing on education and research regarding the processes of receiving and circulating art and culture, as well as the mutual influences and subsequent transformations that occur as a result. Students are being sent overseas to learn more about

museum management, as well.During his lecture, Dr. Giès spoke about the arrival and later popularization of Buddhism in China, focusing on those two eras from an art historical perspective. As he spoke, he showed slides of the colorful Dunhuang murals, which are now in the Guimet Museum’s possession. The Guimet Museum’s Pelliot Collection contains beautifully vivid paintings from Dunhuang that depict the Avatamsaka Sutra. Two of these paintings are hanging scrolls, making them extremely rare and precious. Among all the murals of the Dunhuang Caves, murals of the Avatamsaka Sutra can be found in caves six, nine, fifty-five, sixty-one and seventy-six, among others. From China, Buddhism spread to Japan and Korea. The Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple, which was built during the Nara Period, represents the Vairocana Buddha—creator of the Avatamsaka Sutra. The Avatamsaka World has been beautifully carved upon his seat of lotus petals. Another discovery was made in 1770 in Korea, where a wonderfully preserved painting of the Avatamsaka Sutra (shown in the poster) was found in Songgwangsa Temple. Buddhism traveled from India and Central Asia along the Silk Road. After it reached China, it grew and developed in new ways before continuing onward to Japan and Korea.Many distinguished scholars of Buddhist art attended the lecture. Other guests included various university faculty, as well as students taking the “Japan in the World” course. At the reception following the lecture, everyone had a great time discussing topics relating to Japanese culture and France.The Guimet Museum, which is located in the Trocadéro (La Place d’Iéna) area of Paris, has Europe’s largest collection of Oriental art. With such a strong connection to Japan, it is believed that there will be future opportunities for faculty and students to visit France for research and study.On January 19, before the lecture, Josai University Educational Corporation held a smaller assembly in the museum café for its Tokyo Kioicho Campus 3rd Building galleries. There, Dr. Giès gave the guests an overview of the Guimet Museum and its history.

Painting of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Chancellor Mizuta welcomes everyone at the museum café

A view of the lecture

Dr. Giès speaks during the lecture

The assembly at the museum café

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On February 6, the Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) hosted a special guest lecture to celebrate the publication of the biography of its founder, Mikio Mizuta, who was also a former Minister of Finance. Kenji Suzuki, author of the biography, attended the event at the Seiko Hall on the Josai University Sakado Campus. In honor of the university’s 50th anniversary, approximately 500 guests came to listen to Dr. Suzuki. Attendees included the writer Masayasu Hosaka and Togane City Mayor Naoharu Shiga, as well as various faculty members and local figures.Dr. Suzuki was born in 1942. He completed his doctorate program in one of the graduate schools at the University of Tokyo. He has held various positions at the Mainichi Newspaper, including Washington Special Correspondent, Deputy Director of the Politics Section, and Deputy Chairman of the Editorial Committee. Additionally, he has worked at Seikei University as both a professor and as the Director of the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies. He took up his current position in 2013. He is the main author of publications such as “Nationalism and the Media,” “Japan-America Crises and Reporting” and “War and the Newspaper”. From the early 1970s until the founder’s passing in 1976, Dr. Suzuki spent a lot of time working in close proximity to Mr. Mizuta. He was the final reporter in charge of covering Mikio Mizuta’s duty as Minister of Finance and as the leader of the Mizuta Faction.On the day of the lecture, Chancellor Mizuta provided the opening remarks for the event. “Until now, our founder’s story has never been compiled. It was my wish that everyone should know his life story, and Dr. Suzuki happily accepted the task. Now I am grateful to hear from so many people, and to know that this wonderful book is being read by so many.”During the lecture, which centered on the theme of “Mikio Mizuta and 21st

Century Japan,” Dr. Suzuki explained the founder’s character. “Mr. Mizuta was an extremely hardworking person. He was a politician with integrity, who maintained a sense of pride, even if he had to endure financial difficulty.” He described Mr. Mizuta’s political creed as the idea that one should “follow proper constitutional practices.” Dr. Suzuki went on, saying, “He really understood the world of politics, and, after careful thought, he decided to pursue a new path in education.” Attendees also heard about a particular time just before the university’s founding, when there had been an issue about a lack of funding. In response to the problem, the President of the Petroleum Association at the time said that “the gods do not betray a god,” referring to Mr. Mizuta.At the end of the lecture, Dr. Suzuki spoke of the university’s first graduation ceremony, which was held in 1969. “At that time, Mr. Mizuta talked of ‘character building through learning.’ I believe what he meant to say was, ‘The cultivation of one’s character is truly sought in the midst of the effort and struggle of creating a new environment.’” Dr. Suzuki concluded the event by saying, “May you head toward yet another new environment, going through the struggle and effort again, so that you can celebrate 100 years someday.”The reception after the lecture was held in the media area of the campus’s Faculty of Business Administration building. It was a great opportunity for local and visiting guests to enjoy themselves and talk with one another. Mr. Hosaka gave the opening remarks for the occasion. “People like Kakuei Tanaka represent a period in time, but Mr. Mizuta is someone who created history. A person who lives in history the way Mr. Mizuta did, who holds on carefully to their theories, will be remembered in the periods to come. That person will remain,” he said, to resounding applause from the assembled guests.Kantsubaki (2,500 yen + tax) was published by the Josai University Educational Corporation University Press in July 2015.

Date: February 6, 2016Place: Josai University Sakado Campus

Kenji Suzuki Holds the Josai University Educational Corporation50th Anniversary Lecture at Josai’s Sakado Campus to Commemorate thePublication of his “Mikio Mizuta Biography: Kantsubaki”

Dr. Suzuki accepts a bouquet presented by an exchange student

Mr. Hosaka welcomes everyone to the receptionThe lecture attracted many attendees

Dr. Suzuki speaks at the lecture

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The Josai University Educa tional Corporation, as part of the 50th anniversary of its founding, just opened the newly completed 5th building of the Tokyo Kioicho Campus.On February 12, 2015, members of Josai faculty, board of directors, and alumni assembled for the ribbon cutting ceremony.Chancellor Noriko Mizuta gave opening remarks, saying, “It is thanks to all of your great efforts that so many undergraduate and graduate students flock to our campus to study. We have many symposia and other events scheduled here as part of our university’s 50th anniversary festivities. We also have numerous events planned around the entrance examination and job placement activities. I believe that our new 5th building will be of great use for these sorts of events, in addition to a home base for alumni activities.”

Fumio Suzuki, president of the Josai Alumni Association, also gave a few words. “It is here, in what might be called the heart of Japan, that we hope to dispatch and receive information about Josai alumni. By making this building our office and home base, we would like to support the development of Josai University,” he said.The 5th building consists of one below ground and five above ground floors with a total area of 1,400 square meters. The first floor houses the enrollment and public relations office and the parental support and alumni office. The 2nd through 4th floors will house a mini theater, seminar rooms, and study rooms. The 5th floor will consist of guest rooms for mid and long-term visitors from our sister institutions abroad.The Tokyo Kioicho Campus was first opened in 2005. Other Josai University campuses include the Josai Junior College campus in Sakado and the Josai International University campuses in Togane and Awa. The Tokyo Kioicho Campus has many facilit ies to support student learning and job placement such as the Josai International Center for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences and the International Conference Room which function as a place for research and international exchange. At present there are approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Josai.

Exterior view of the 5th building

The ribbon cutting ceremony

50th Anniversary – New facilities

Date: February 12, 2015 at 1:30 pmPlace: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokyo Kioicho Campus

Josai Opens Tokyo Kioicho Campus’s 5th Building

Date: April 4, 2015 at 10:00 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

JU CAFE 2015 Opens

Ribbon-cutting Ceremony Hand made bakery

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The cafeteria on the first floor of Cafeteria Building 1 has been reborn as the stylish “JU CAFE 2015" in April. JU CAFE 2015 (630 seats) was designed by Professor Sunil Bald of Yale School of Architecture (U.S.) who designed Mizuta Museum of Art and the Design Department of Obayashi Corporation. The café is operated by “AIM SERVICES” (Minato-ward, Tokyo), which covers a wide scope of businesses, including health support in companies and schools, restaurant management, etc. in facilities, etc.The opening ribbon cutting ceremony was held on the first school entrance day on April 4. Approximately 400 attended the ceremony, including members of student organizations such as the Central

Committee, etc., club members of the soccer club, hardball club, female softball club, etc., and faculty members, etc. Chancellor Noriko Mizuta spoke in the speech: “I am very pleased that the remodeling of the cafeteria, which was one of the 50th anniversary festivities, is now completed. I hope that you will take care of the cafeteria and nurture it with care so that this cafeteria will be the place that supports the health and study lives of this university’s students for many years. After the ribbon was cut by Chancellor Mizuta, President Yasunori Morimoto, Chairman Sotaro Iwasa of the Central Committee, etc., students entered the brand new café. They exclaimed “beautiful”, “amazing”, etc. and sampled freshly-baked bread and cookies.

University’s symbol, Keyaki treeClean and bright atmosphere

On July 1, 2015, the Josai University Educational Corporation (Noriko Mizuta, Chancellor) announced the opening of the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room on Josai University’s Sakado campus, located in Saitama prefecture. As part of Josai’s 50th anniversary and to document the path of university founder

Mikio Mizuta and the philosophy and ideals that he shared, Josai has scheduled the construction of the Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall to serve as a cornerstone of our university’s development. During its period of construction, Josai has installed a temporary exhibit in the Student Hall portion of the auditorium.

Date: July 1, 2015 at 11:00 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Josai’s Sakado Campus Opens Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room

Chancellor Mizuta gives opening remarks

Mr. and Mrs. Ambassador Vassilev with Chancellor Mizuta at the rose garden

Display featuring the founder’s desk and uniform

Visual media room

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Nearly 600 people participated in the opening ceremony outside the auditorium, including Ambassador of Bulgaria to Japan, Mr. and Mrs. Georgi Vassilev; Sakado mayor Kiyoshi Ishikawa; and member of the prefectural assembly, Kiyotaka Ishibashi, in addition to members of the Josai University and Josai International University (Togane, Chiba) local community, as well as faculty and students. Chancellor Mizuta, who provided opening remarks, expressed her gratitude by saying, “I am so pleased that such a great number of people have come to see the exhibition organized in our founder’s honor.”Chancellor Mizuta continued by touching on the accomplishments of Josai’s founder. “The construction of the Memorial Hall was planned in the interest of sharing the history of Josai University with current students, faculty, and alumni. Our founder embodied the spirit of the Meiji era through his belief in education and his shouldering of the responsibility to cultivate human resources that could contribute to society, the nation, and global society, a mission he devoted himself to until his death.” She added that, “Though this is a temporary exhibit, I hope that all of you will visit the Sakado campus again, not just today.”Chancellor Mizuta, Ambassador Vassilev, Mayor Ishikawa, Prefectural Assembly Member Ishibashi, and student representatives participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony before proceeding to the exhibit. The exhibition room is roughly 160 square meters and divided into three sections-“Archtypal Scenes of Mikio Mizuta,” “Recovery from Ruins,” and “The Founding of Josai University.” The exhibit itself features panel

displays with around 130 pieces of memorabilia from Mikio Mizuta’s life, including the order of the first class of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun and various medals of honor from other countries, a silver cup, name badge, and desk from his office, as well as a Go board, inkstone, and full uniform. The visual media area narrates the founder’s life from his upbringing to his many career accomplishments and allows viewers to visually witness Josai University’s history and evolution. This exhibit, including the display of the founder’s personal effects was made possible by the cooperation of the Kamogawa Folk Archive, which is in charge of the storage and presentation of these materials.Following the exhibit, Ambassador Vassilev and his spouse joined Chancellor Mizuta in a tour of the Seiko Mizuta Memorial Rose Garden, which was opened in October 2013 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Josai Base College. The 20 Bulgarian rose plants that were donated by Ambassador Vassilev at the garden’s opening have now bloomed to their full proportions and the couple posed for a commemorative photo with Chancellor Mizuta before the ring of lush red flowers.At the reception that followed in the media area of the Faculty of Business Administration building, many distinguished visitors-including Ambassador Vassilev, Prefectural Assembly Member Ishibashi, Togane Vice-Mayor Koichi Furukawa, Kamogawa Vice-Mayor Masao Shoji, Moroyama Council Vice-Chairman Hideki Sato, and Josai Almuni Association President Fumio Suzuki -gave congratulatory talks upon the exhibit’s opening.

The ceremonial ribbon cut

Many visitors assembled to view the display

Visitors take in the exhibit

Commemorative photo after the reception

Josai Holds Foundation Stone and Completion Ceremony for International Student Dormitory and Awa Global VillageOn September 1, 2015, a foundation stone and completion ceremony

was held for the newly constructed International Student Dormitory and Awa Global Village (AGV) on the Josai International University campus.

Date: September 1, 2015 at 11:00 amPlace: Josai International University, Awa Campus

Josai Holds Foundation Stone and Completion Ceremony forInternational Student Dormitory and Awa Global Village

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AGV inner courtyard Ribbon cutting ceremony

Josai University’s Sakado Campus, located in Saitama Prefecture, held a groundbreaking ceremony on October 6, 2015, for its Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall and the construction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences' newest building. The event was part of a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the university's founding.The Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall will be two stories tall, covering a floor area of approximately 1,800 m². The Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room has already been temporarily opened in the General Gymnasium on July 1. In the future, the exhibition room will join the memorial hall, which will have guest areas for receiving

VIPs and important visitors from around the world, multi-purpose lounges for holding receptions and workshops, and more. It is to be a center for international education and regional cooperation. Additionally, the new building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences will have one basement level and nine levels above ground, with a total floor area of about 11,500 m². It will come complete with an isotope center, cutting-edge laboratories and research facilities. Both buildings will feature an Atelier Hitoshi Abe architectural design supervised by Director Hitoshi Abe and Kume Sekkei architectural design firm. Construction is set to be completed by Obayashi Corporation in March of 2017.

Date: October 6, 2015 at 10:00 amPlace: Josai University, Sakado Campus

Sakado Campus Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for the50th Anniversary Project Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall and theNew Building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Shinto ritual at the groundbreaking ceremony Hitoshi Abe speaks at the traditional Shinto banquet

Beginning with Kamogawa city mayor Takao Hasegawa, members of the Faculty of Tourism Association, Apartment Owners Association, Parent-Teacher Association, family members of the university founder, and members of the local community were on hand for the event, in addition to guests from abroad including Professor Du Fenggang of the Dalian University of Technology, Professor Eric Hertzler of the Université Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne, and Councillor Corinna Del Bianco of the Fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco in Italy.Also in attendance were Mr. Sumiho Ohta and his colleagues from S. Ohta Architect and Associates, as well as representatives from the construction company the Shimizu Corporation, Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd., and Yurtec Co., Inc. all of whom gave their utmost efforts toward the completion of this project.The newly completed AGV was planned as part of the 50th anniversary of Josai’s founding and to further enrich the university’s learning

environment. The dormitory itself is intended primarily for international students and is able to house a maximum of 101 occupants.One of the structure’s special features is its inner courtyard, which is meant to serve as a meeting space to facilitate exchange between students and members of the community. With the housemasters and International Student’s Association as its center, the AGV will also host many different events aimed at strengthening university relations with the community. Ultimately, the goal of AGV is to be not only a “living space” but also a “learning space” that facilitates language learning, cultural understanding, and communication and a “place of international exchange” where one can have a study abroad experience at home. In so doing, we hope to foster young people who can serve as human resources in the global tourism industry both in Asia and other parts of the world.

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About 90 people participated in the groundbreaking ceremony, including university and construction personnel. After a Shinto priest had completed his ritual prayer, Josai University Educational Corporation Chancellor Noriko Mizuta broke the ground. University

President Yasunori Morimoto humbly presented a sacred sakaki branch, praying that construction proceed without complications.At the traditional Shinto banquet following the ritual, Chancellor Mizuta showed her appreciation in her opening remarks. “There were many issues, and it has taken longer than we thought it would, but finally today we were able to conduct this groundbreaking ceremony. Since the founding of our university, everyone has watched over it and joined in the founder's dream, and today we have arrived here at this point. I cannot thank you enough.”Representing the architectural designers and supervisors, Mr. Abe said, “If you think about how these past 50 years have been a platform for creating today's Japanese people, then you realize that the next 50 years to come will be the platform for future Japanese people. We are extremely honored to be involved in the design of such a place that will mold future generations.” Shingo Ura, Obayashi Corporation’s Senior Managing Executive Officer and Manager of the Tokyo Office, also offered a few words. “It may be a time of great difficulty and labor shortages. However, we would like to make the construction sites and our main office like one, so that we can present you with finished buildings of the highest quality as soon as possible,” he declared.

Image of the completed new building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Image of the completed Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall

The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) commemorated the 50th anniversary of the university's founding with a “World University Presidents Forum” in the 3rd Building International Conference Room at Tokyo Kioicho Campus on November 1, 2015. Both Josai University President Yasunori Morimoto and Josai International University President Hakuo Yanagisawa attended the forum. They were joined by presidents and vice presidents from about forty different sister universities around the world. On the previous day, all the participants had enjoyed the Commemorative Ceremony and Celebration for Josai University’s 50th Anniversary, which was held at the Sakado Campus. The theme of the discussion was “A Global Society and High Level Education: A Proposal for Japan's International Education in a New Era.” Participants actively exchanged ideas about their countries’ and universities’ current situations as well as their hopes for the future. With so many universities in attendance from various countries, it was truly a meaningful and valuable experience.At the start of the forum, Chancellor Mizuta addressed the attendees. “Japan has reached a certain level in international cooperation, economics and politics. However, we are sadly falling behind in

international education. If we want to advance international education, it is imperative that we collaborate and share information with our partner universities overseas. I ask that you share with us your efforts for the globalization of education, as well as any challenges you have faced,” she said. “I would like to hear any advice you have for us.”University management expert Hiromichi Yoshitake served as moderator for the event, which was organized into two parts. Mr. Yoshitake is a professor of Business Science at the University of Tsukuba and also an external committee member to the Josai International Center for the Promotion of Art and Science. During the first half of the forum, presidents and vice presidents from twelve different universities presented their thoughts and experiences dealing with the globalization initiatives and challenges at their respective universities. Represented universities included the University of Cologne (Germany), the University of Burgundy (France), the University of Cambridge, Budapest Business School, Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), the University of Łódź (Poland), Busitema University (Uganda), California State University at Long Beach, Foreign Trade University (Vietnam), Management & Science University (Malaysia), Dongseo University (South Korea), and Tianjin Foreign Studies University (China).

Date: November 1, 2015 at 3:00 pmPlace: Josai International University, Togane Campus

“JIU Rose Garden” Opens at the Chiba Togane Campus

Chancellor Mizuta breaks the ground

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When he addressed the forum, Vice President Gregory Wegmann of the University of Burgundy pointed out, “Distance learning is becoming essential for international exchange. Furthermore, I’d like to expand it to integrate with other programs we have.” University of Łódź President Wlodzimierz Nykiel gave an example of how his university has tried to implement international exchange. “When we created a special program for our 1-term study abroad students, 220 students from China enrolled in the program.” “We started a scholarship fund in hopes of doubling our number of study abroad students by 2020, and we have been recruiting faculty members from around the world,” revealed Dr. Jeet Joshee, Vice President of California State University at Long Beach. He added, “Building up a person’s character is necessary for a global education. It is clear that Josai University knew this fact even fifty years ago,” referencing the university’s founding principle of “character building through learning.”Dr. Jekuk Chang, President of Dongseo University, discussed a global online course system called GAA (Global Access Asia). The system was created by twenty universities in twelve different Asian countries, including Josai University. “We want to make it a program that also focuses on the

problems within the Asian region. Please consider joining the GAA,” he asked. Tianjin Foreign Studies University President Xiu Gang proposed his idea of the future, saying, “From here on, the image of the ideal person will require one to possess an international outlook, the ability to adapt, and the ability to act. Universities have to create a platform for that purpose.”During the second half of the forum, participants exchanged opinions regarding the ideas presented by each university in the first half. While it is important to deal with issues like problems surrounding fundraising for study abroad students and the dilemma of whether a university should be a research institution or an educational institution, some attendees did not want to stop there. There were also calls for discussion on national assistance and regional matters.Professor Yoshitake gave closing remarks. “Thank you all for your diverse and valuable contributions to today’s forum. This has been extremely informative for not only Josai University and Josai International University, but for all Japanese universities. Everyone’s circumstances are different, but we learned that we also have many of the same concerns.” He concluded with, “I hope we each continue to devote ourselves to these issues, and I hope we continue to discuss them with other universities and countries.”

On January 27, the Completion Ceremony for the JOSAI I-HOUSE Togane Global Village and the Opening Ceremony for the Prince Takamado Memorial Gallery were held at the Chiba Togane Campus.The JOSAI I-HOUSE Togane Global Village–an international students’ dormitory–was built in the Prince Takamado Memorial Sports Park. Its construction was just one in a series of projects to commemorate the Josai University Educational Corporation’s 50th

Anniversary. The facility has a total housing capacity of 132 students, and it is targeting not only students from other countries but also Japanese students who are planning on studying abroad in the future. The aim here is to cultivate international human resources who will have a more global outlook. As these students spend each day living with others from countries around the world, they will come into contact with a diversity of ideas and values.

Date: January 27, 2016Place: Josai International University Chiba Togane Campus

Ceremonies Held for Both the Completion of the JOSAI I-HOUSETogane Global Village and the Opening of the Prince Takamado Memorial Gallery

A rose garden with roses from countries around the world

Noriko Mizuta JIU 25 (Japan) Seiko Mizuta (Japan)

Attendees plant roses at the JIU Rose Garden’s opening ceremony

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The Prince Takamado Memorial Gallery exhibits various articles from the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan football tournament. Prince Takamado himself advocated the importance of friendship through international exchange, and this gallery has inherited his sentiments. It is open to the general public for viewing.Additionally, construction of the JOSAI I-HOUSE Awa Global Village was completed on September 1, 2015. It was built on the Awa Campus,

which is also home to the Faculty of Tourism. Our university is working to promote the cultivation of human resources who possess a global perspective.

Prince Takamado Memorial Gallery

[Opening Hours] 10:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM

[Closed] Sundays, Public Holidays, and JIU Holidays

Josai University’s Sakado Campus, located in Saitama Prefecture, celebrated the completion of its new Medicinal Plant Garden. The ceremony in honor of this occasion was held on March 2, 2016, at the new garden located near campus. The event was part of a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta). Approximately 300 people attended the ceremony, including faculty

members, local guests, and representatives from affiliated businesses and organizations. The Saitama Pharmaceutical Association's President Hajime Koibuchi and the Japan Association of Botanical Gardens' Managing Director Katsumi Iizuka were among the distinguished guests. This new Medicinal Plant Garden will not only be a place for students to study, but also a place of learning to be used by the regional community and society.

Date: March 2, 2016Place: Josai University Sakado Campus

Sakado Campus Holds Ceremony for the Completion of its50th Anniversary Project Medicinal Plant Garden

Many spaces provide an environment for cultural interaction The Prince Takamado Memorial Gallery

JOSAI I-HOUSE Togane Global VillageStudents are pleased to see the completion of the dormitory

Many spaces provide an environment for cultural interactionThe Founder’s Gallery in the Mizuta Memorial Hall

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Josai University's Medicinal Plant Garden was first established on campus in 1973, at the same time as the founding of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Later in 1980, the garden became a member of the Japan Association of Botanical Gardens. Currently, construction is underway on campus for the New Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Building, which is one of the main projects to celebrate Josai University’s 50th Anniversary. Because of this construction, the garden has been moved to a site along the left bank of the Komagawa River, about a 3-minute walk from campus. The ground is about 3000 m². Several steel-framed one-story structures are set up at the new Medicinal Plant Garden, including a high-ceilinged greenhouse (about 85 m²), a low-ceilinged greenhouse (about 114 m²), and a boiler room. There is also a two-story steel-framed administrative building (about 190 m²) in one corner of the garden. The administrative building was the first structure to be built. It contains various facilities, including the processing and regulation room, a research laboratory, and a reference room. The cultivation of herbs and spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, and mango is being kept to the greenhouses. Meanwhile, large flowered barrenwort, Japanese goldthread, and other medicinal plants are being grown alongside natural vegetation in an open plain. In all, approximately 800 different types of plants are being cultivated on the grounds.On the day of the completion ceremony, a Shinto ritual was performed to bless the garden. Following this ritual, Chancellor Mizuta addressed the assembled guests. "It took the help of many people for us to arrive at this point, and we extend to all of you our deepest gratitude." She continued, saying, "We are so happy that this part of our 50th Anniversary Project has been completed and that we can now hold proper educational lessons here." Chancellor Mizuta was then joined by JU President

Yasunori Morimoto, JIU President Hakuo Yanagisawa, and a student representative in front of the administrative building for the ribbon cutting ceremony.Following the guests enjoyed a preview of the grounds, a commemorative celebration was held in the Faculty of Business Administration Building. Chancellor Mizuta opened the event with a few remarks. "I am very pleased that we now have this wonderful place. It is a place where we can grow plants with care and consideration while also studying for building a healthy society. Each and every plant grown here will hold a part of that history, and this medicinal plant garden will grow full of stories. I hope that all our students will take those stories with them as they weave their own." She also made an announcement, saying, "Up to now, we have been promoting this 50th Anniversary Project in an effort to turn the lush greenery of our entire campus into a 'botanical garden.' And now, we are registered with the Japan Association of Botanical Gardens."President Koibuchi and Managing Director Iizuka also addressed the guests, offering their congratulations. Following that, the Medicinal Plant Garden's Director Yoshiaki Shirataki—also a professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences—presented not only the garden but also his ambitions for it. He explained, "We will be holding lectures and observation events aimed at raising an interest in plants and our natural environment. I look forward to contributing to the cultural development of our region." Additionally, the celebration was graced by a choral ensemble from the nearby Kapira Kindergarten (Principal Noriko Tsuchida). Seventy-two of the school's older children brightened the event with their cheerful performance.

Ceremony attendees visit one of the greenhouses

Chancellor Mizuta and other guests enjoy the choral ensemble of Kapira Kindergarten pupils

Chancellor Mizuta and others at the ribbon cutting ceremony

Chancellor Mizuta addresses guests at the commemorative celebration

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Xi Chuan speaks at the event (second from the left)

Ms. Moon Chung-hee reads at the eventThe panel discussion

Mr. Takahashi reads at the eventChancellor Mizuta addresses the participants

Mr. Yoshimasu (left) gives a reading with the singer Marilia

The Josai University Educational Corporation (Chancellor Noriko Mizuta) held its “Modern Poetry Event III” in the 1st Building Hall at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus on November 6, 2015. The event’s theme was “Ripped Shoes Left on the Roof - A Meeting of Poets from Japan, China and South Korea,” and it featured a reading of poetry and renshi (linked poetry) as well as a panel discussion. It was sponsored by the Shichosha publishing company. This was just one of many events commemorating the 50th anniversary of the university’s founding. Along with reading some of their works, the ten participating poets talked about the expression and potential of modern poetry, as well as its language and translation. Chancellor Mizuta, herself a poet and a scholar of comparative literature, was one of the participants. She was joined by others representing Japan, as well as critic and modern poet Xi Chuan, who represented China, and

internationally regarded Moon Chung-hee from South Korea.In December of the year before last, Chancellor Mizuta was awarded Sweden’s Cikada Prize for her poetic expression of the majesty of life in East Asia. In honor of that event, the university held its “Cikada Prize Winners Commemorative International Symposium” in June of last year. Ms. Moon was among the other winners invited. Later in November of that same year, Chancellor Mizuta and Ms. Moon also held a tripartite, entitled “Modern Poetry Event II.” They were joined by Hiromi Ito that time. Then this year in May, the city of Dalian, China hosted a reading of Japanese and Chinese poets. The event allowed guests to feel the international commonality and universality of poetry. The event this time was a meeting of well-known poets from China, South Korea and Japan. The event was intended to be a poetry reading as well as an opportunity to speak about poetry.

Lectures and Symposia


Modern Poetry Event III: “Ripped Shoes Left on the Roof – A Meeting ofPoets from Japan, China and South Korea”

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The other participating poets were Toriko Takarabe, Mutsuo Takahashi, Gozo Yoshimasu (Josai International University visiting lecturer), Maiko Sugimoto, Yumi Fuzuki, Shin Takeuchi, and Tian Yuan (Josai International University visiting lecturer).At the beginning of the first part, the panel discussion, Chancellor Mizuta gave a few opening remarks. “At this time, we are starting a Center of International Modern Poetry, as part of our celebration of Josai University’s 50th Anniversary. This event also commemorates the establishment of that center. Poetry is an amazingly personal form of expression. However, I believe it is also possible to understand a poem in the exact same way as many others do, to transcend your own individuality. What can we share, what is the new expression of poetry: I would like to hear your thoughts on these points,” she said.The event’s title, “Ripped Shoes Left on the Roof,” was taken from one of Xi Chuan’s works. It refers to the Chinese custom of throwing the deceased’s shoes onto the roof. During the discussion, Xi Chuan said, “The number of those who read poetry is decreasing, but I am very happy that we have this exchange among poets. The existence of poetry is extremely

important to us and to today's people. A poet’s role is to seek an unknown world, and to discover it.” Ms. Takarabe talked about how she began publishing translations of modern Chinese poetry in 1988. She had grown up and studied Chinese in Northeast China. “By translating, I came to understand the heart of the Chinese people. One of the young poets whose work I translated was Xi Chuan,” she admitted. At another point, Ms. Moon said, “There is a poet living inside every person’s heart. Today, I hope to meet the poets locked up inside all of your hearts.”During the second part, the poetry reading, the ten poets each read aloud several of their own works to the audience. Ms. Sugimoto and Ms. Fuzuki’s readings were bursting with youth, while Mutsuo Takahashi’s verses felt more like a story, drawing tears from the audience. Gozo Yoshimasu’s reading, and vocal accompaniment by last-minute participating singer Marilia, excited the entire hall with its beauty. The event finished with readings of some renshi (linked) poems. The readings were given by Dalian University of Foreign Languages Professor Chen Yan, Dalian Sino-Japan Schoolmate Association Chairman Du Feng Gang, and Japan Poets Association member Aki Sagawa. The audience filled the hall, giving everyone a big applause.

A special lecture by the CEO of Switzerland Tourism was held at Josai University's Kioicho Campus on November 16, 2015. Jürg Schmid has served as the CEO of Switzerland Tourism, a Swiss national government organization, since November of 1999. Mr. Schmid, who is also a professional in marketing, gave the audience an inspiring presentation about the attractiveness of tourism in Switzerland. The question and answer session following the presentation was an especially good opportunity for the attending Faculty of Tourism students. Mr. Schmid answered each of their

questions carefully.After the lecture, three foreign-owned hotel companies also gave a presentation to students who wish to have an important role in the tourism industry in the future. “What exactly is the hotel business?” and “What is the difference between Japanese-owned hotels and foreign-owned hotels?” were just some of the basic questions that they covered in their simple explanations. Afterwards during the meet-and-greet session, students with a strong interest in the hotel industry could be seen actively going over to speak with the hotel managers.


CEO of Switzerland Tourism Gives a Special Lecture Entitled"Tourism Attractiveness in Switzerland"

Mr. Schmid's lecture 2

Mr. Schmid's lecture The hotel companies' presentation

Miyaki Kashima

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[STUDENT VOICES]

Faculty of Tourism 3rd-Year Student -- Miyaki Kashima

I attended the CEO of Switzerland Tourism’s lecture at the Tokyo Kioicho Campus. Switzerland is a country surrounded by nature, from the Matterhorn to lakes, forests, and more. Mr. Schmid takes advantage of this existing nature, using it to bring in tourists from abroad as well as from other areas in Switzerland. After his lecture, I had the chance to pose a question for Mr. Schmid. “We often use the word ‘omotenashi’ as a slogan for tourism in Japan. Relating to this idea of Japanese hospitality, what do you think we should focus on to appeal more to other countries?” I asked. “Japanese cuisine and buildings are gathering more and more attention from around the world today. While tourism in Switzerland is organized around our nature, Japan excels in the arts, at using human hands to make something beautiful,” was his answer. For tourism in Japan to show a rise in the future, I personally feel that I need to study more and more about the attractiveness of my own country. I want to become a resource to my country, one who can help promote it.During the three hotel companies’ presentation and the meet-and-greet session following the CEO of Switzerland Tourism's lecture, I was able to hear about the “enjoyment of working at a hotel” from three people who are currently working hard in the industry. “The most attractive thing about working at a hotel is that you get to deal with guests and immediately experience their reaction for yourself,” is what they told us. I guess there really isn't any other job in particular where you get to feel the customer’s appreciation. The idea that I had when I first entered university of wanting to work at a hotel hasn’t changed. In fact, after hearing so many different people’s stories, that idea is stronger inside of me now more than ever. In a few months I will begin the search for my future job, and I’m thinking now that it’s time to visit some hotels and research some businesses.

Faculty of Tourism 1st-Year Student -- Ryo Tsuchiya

I attended the lecture by Switzerland Tourism's CEO Jürg Schmid. I learned many things about Switzerland and the success of its

tourism industry. He gave many examples for how Switzerland’s tourism industry has been so successful. He discussed the history of Switzerland, their marketing methods, as well as how they try to convey the greatness of Switzerland’s natural surroundings, and more. I believe I learned about what needs to be developed in order to help Japan’s tourism industry become more successful, about what it takes to create something superior. I’m really happy that I was able to attend this lecture. Now I feel like I’d like to visit Switzerland and experience its tourism for myself, with my own senses.Additionally, after the lecture, we listened to three people with ties to tourism talk about their current positions working at foreign-owned hotels. The three presenters were from Intercontinental Hotel Tokyo, Park Hyatt Tokyo, and Andaz Tokyo. I was able to learn about things like exactly what kind of place a hotel is and what kind of human resources they want. I’ve come to like hotels more now through this assembly, and I’d like to try working at one. We were limited on time for this assembly. I wanted to hear a little bit more in detail about everything, but I’ll be waiting for the next time. Learning about the tourism industry in Switzerland and also what it’s like working at a hotel, this was a really productive experience for me. I’m truly glad that I could be a part of it.

Exactly five years after the March 11, 2011 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, Josai University Educational Corporation invited modern verse and haiku poets for a memorial event, “Unruly Cradle”: Poetic

Responses to the March 11, 2011 Disasters. Held at Josai’s campus in Kioicho, Tokyo, the event included both round table discussion and poetry readings of works treating various aspects of the earthquake, tsunami, nuclear meltdown, and the ongoing responses in Japanese culture and society. Organized and sponsored by Josai’s International Modern Poetry Center, the event featured ten poets and drew an audience of over three-hundred academic researchers, poetry lovers, students from Josai and around Tokyo, and general visitors wanting to mark the important anniversary together. Featured poets were haiku poet Takano Mutsuo and free verse poets Jeffrey Angles, Arai Takako, Hirata Toshiko, Mizuta Noriko, Ōsaki Sayaka, Shiraishi Kazuko, Takahashi Mutsuo, Tanaka Yohsuke, Tanikawa Shuntaro, and Tian Yuan. Mizuta Noriko, Chancellor of the Josai Universities, opened the event with a welcoming address, and Prof. Jordan Smith of Josai International University served as MC and moderator.

Date: March 11, 2016Place: Josai Educational Corporation, Tokio Kioicho Campus

Josai University Educational CorporationInternational Modern Poetry Center Holds Symposium and Poetry Reading:“Unruly Cradle”: Poetic Responses to the 3/11 Disasters

Chancellor Mizuta’s welcome address

Ryo Tsuchiya (second from the right)

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Starting at 2:30 P.M.—timed to begin just before the moment the quake struck Northern Japan—Chancellor Mizuta opened her remarks noting, “It is simply magnificent how Dr. Angles’ translations convey our experiences to people around the world.” Her remarks were followed by a montage of photos by Arai Takako, capturing scenes of the aftermath. 2:46 P.M., the precise moment the tremors began, was passed with one minute of standing in silence to memorialize and pray for the thousands of victims.Prof. Angles (Associate Professor at Western Michigan University) delivered a keynote address, “The Great East Japan Earthquake and Japanese Poetry,” contextualizing the poems and framing the discussion to follow, drawing from his new book These Things Here and Now: Poetic Responses to the March11, 2011 Disasters (JIU Press, 2016), advanced copies of which were available at the event. The volume features Angles’ critical introduction and historical framing of the role poetry has played in the ongoing processes of making meaning in the aftermath of 3/11, followed by his translations of poems by many of Japan’s leading poets along with several relatively new but powerful voices, including Yoshimasu Gōzō, Suga Keijiro, Sasaki Mikirō and Wago Ryōchi. In his address, Prof. Angles noted, “After the earthquake, poetry—more so than other literary genres—responded quickly. The position of poetry in society was

reconsidered.” During the discussion with ten of the poets, Takano remarked, “Traditionally, haiku composition has had little to do with current affairs, but many haiku were born of this earthquake. I was reminded of the powerful feeling given by their fixed linguistic structure of just seventeen syllables.” Takahashi commented, “Words give birth to the sciences, to nuclear power, and that in turn has birthed calamity. Words are powerless, however they are the sole vehicle for expressing the notion that this world does not belong to exclusively to humans.” Arai introduced her poetry written in the Kesennuma dialect (a local variation of Tōhoku dialect), explaining, “I felt that learning the language of Tōhoku was my personal duty as a poet.” Mizuta commented that she felt somehow “disaster resonates with the traumatic origins of a being closed off in our hearts, and from that place is born expression which reverberates toward the other.”Tanikawa responded to a question from the audience, saying, “Words are such that, depending on how they’re used, can be powerless or meaningless, so we have to create within us our own language, and we must consider how to accept the words of others into ourselves.” The discussion was followed by poetry readings, with all eleven poets reading in turn. Takano Mutsuo opened with seven haiku about the earthquake, including:

Round Table Discussion

Mr. Tanikawa reading

Mr. Takahashi reciting (Left) with Dr. Angles reading the translationDr. Jeffrey Angles delivering the keynote address

Ms. Shiraishi reading

Guests appreciating special exhibition "Dreams of Earth’s Surface"

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Earthquake of the limbs Extremities rumbling Simply rumblingThe readings proceeded with poems collected in, These Things Here and Now: Poetic Responses to the March 11, 2011 Disasters. Takahashi lead with his reading of his, “These Things Here and Now,” the anthology’s eponymous poem followed by Ōsaki’s “Noisy Animal,” Tanaka’s “The Mustard Pot,” Mizuta’s “Sea of Blue-Green Waterweed,” Tian’s “Tsunami,” Hirata’s “Do Not Tremble,” and many more. Tanikawa concluded with his “Words,” with the lines: “But words did not break / Were not washed from the depths / Of our individual hearts / Words put forth buds / From the earth beneath the rubble.” Finally, Shiraishi Kazuko took the stage with a long scroll in hand, encouraging listeners to hear the poem not as her own voice but as the voice of the tsunami itself. She slowly unrolled the scroll as the read through the poem, “Ocean, Land, Shadow,” thundering, “Ocean, land, shadow, Iwanuma tsunami, tsunami, the tsunami has come!” She urged the audience, some moved to tears at the power of her poetry and performance, “Everyone, please pray—with your whole spirit,” and concluded the event with a burst of applause. In the foyer just outside the hall, a special exhibition titled “Dreams of Earth’s Surface,” by painter and printmaker Yanagisawa Noriko, was displayed. The critical anthology, These Things Here and Now: Poetic Responses to the March 11, 2011 Disasters will be published as of March 31 and available in bookstores soon after. (For questions or to purchase (3000 yen) please call (03) 6238-1526.)

New book of Prof. Jeffrey Angles "These Things Here and Now: Poetic Responses to the March 11, 2011 Disasters"

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