Speech Text

Congratulations to all of you who are celebrating your graduation here today. I would also like to extend my warm wishes to your family members. For this commencement, I would like to review the Mission of Keio University with you all.

Keio Gijuku is not merely a place for academic pursuit. Its mission is to be a constant source of honorable character and a paragon of intellect and morals for the entire nation and for each member to apply this spirit to elucidate the essence of family, society, and nation. They will not only articulate this essence in words, but also demonstrate it in their actions, and by so doing make Keio a leader of society. (1896)

These words express the reason every one of you has persevered in your studies, poured your heart into extracurricular activities, and developed lifelong friends at Keio University —namely, you aspire to become "leaders of society." The word "Gijuku" of Keio Gijuku is a translation of the British model of a "public school." This school is precisely that, a gathering place for students with high aspirations to improve the public sphere. Maintaining these high ambitions and continuing to pursue your ideals is no easy matter. Every human being, no matter who they are, has value. This is precisely why the aspirations and dignity of the individuals here are the most precious things in human society. This is the Keio spirit of independence and self-respect. Constructing a foundation based on the individual's existential value is the very definition of pursuing the values of democracy. For everyone graduating today, no matter what type of work you go on to do, no matter what role you play, I encourage you to flourish in your capacity to better society as independent and dignified leaders.

There are a variety of qualities needed to become leaders that embody both independence and self-respect, but the one I would like to leave with you all today is "common sense."

I reaffirmed my belief in the power of "common sense" in January of this year at World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos when I stopped in to listen to Prime Minister Mitsotakis from Greece. The moderator began the discussion by asking, "Greece has experienced incredible economic growth in the last ten years since its financial crisis. What happened?" His answer: "By implementing what I would consider common-sense reforms."

Greece, like Japan, is in a difficult place geographically due to its lack of natural resources such as oil or natural gas. They must make considerations for dire circumstances when there are shortages in energy imports. On the positive side of things, Greece has a mild climate, ocean access, and consistent winds, making investments in renewable energy an obvious, common-sense choice. At present, the country is reportedly producing almost 50% of its annual electricity needs through renewable sources. However, they are not using nuclear power due to earthquakes in the region, though they may in the future if they are able to implement a nuclear system that is both safe and small-scale.

Another issue Greece faced up until a few years ago was the increasing rate of refugees fleeing to their islands by boat. At the time, because of Turkey opening its border with Greece, the refugees who had concentrated there began to flee en masse by boat to the Aegean islands, some dying in accidents at sea, while over half of those who survived the treacherous journey were aiming to move on to other countries within the EU. To stop these maritime accidents, protect the lives of the refugees, and prevent Greece from becoming a mere waypoint for refugees to the EU, Prime Minister Mitsotakis implemented a strict policy to deport refugees who arrived in the country by boat. However, he also pushed for policies that would expand legal routes for immigration, thereby buffering the working population in Greece as well. Right now, approximately 15% of the national population in Greece is made up of immigrants and there is a reported need to keep accepting immigrants due to worker shortages, especially in the agricultural industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, after shutting down the borders completely, Prime Minister Mitsotakis was the one who suggested the idea of vaccine passports to the EU. By persuading other countries to agree to the system, Greece was able to revive its flagging tourism industry by accepting tourists who had already been inoculated against the virus. It has also made advancements in efficiency and transparency through digital resources, attracting investments from countries around the world, leading to a recorded extraordinary 8.4% economic growth in 2021, and 5.6% economic growth in 2022.

What about Japan? Even though there are plenty of common-sense policies that should be enacted for digitalization, pension reforms, and medical system improvements, they don’t seem to be making much headway. While, admittedly, Japan has a more volatile natural climate than Greece and it is not suited for certain types of renewable energy, there are some initiatives wholly based on good, common sense, meant to better society, and oriented to serve the next generation, that are brought to a standstill by resistance from a minority of those trying to protect their vested interests. A prime example would be the declining population and how little is being done to increase immigration despite the downward trajectory of working adults in this Japan. By the way, Greece also experienced opposition towards its intense promotion of renewable energy from those who worked in the oil industry. Likewise, they still receive criticism from human-rights groups about their decision to deport refugees back to Turkey. However, the important thing is this: that you all use your powers of clear reasoning and real execution so that you can accomplish what needs to be done, build support from those around you, rely on common sense to make lists of actionable items, and create a better country, a better world, one where the young people of the next generation, and the next, and the next, will be able to live abundant and peaceful lives. There are many things, like climate change policies, that seem obvious choices to push forward based on general common sense, but that don't make any progress. While we might be prone to think that leaders are pioneers, getting involved with difficult and innovative projects, the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of "run of the mill" causes that just need to get done. In these situations, your number-one asset will be your humanity: a humanity grounded in common sense, filled with unwavering determination that can influence and persuade your supervisor, seniors, and other people around you. This is the Fukuzawa spirit, the soul of Keio University.

Speaking of Fukuzawa, he was known to use the term "common sense" quite often. In the 39th essay of Fukuō Hyakuwa (One Hundred Discourses of Fukuzawa), he wrote, "It is a simple thing to get on in this world if you don't commit careless actions as based on common sense." Another example is from 1880, when he wrote a recommendation letter and gave his official stamp of approval by including "this is a person well-endowed with common sense." I think that it is very likely Fukuzawa's conception of "common sense" had been shaped by Thomas Paine's political essay Common Sense. This pamphlet had been a best-seller in the United States in 1776, over a hundred years before Fukuzawa began his work, and laid out in bold and plain terms the "common sense" of why the United States should seek independence from Great Britain as well as the advantages of such a movement. This document also exerted enormous influence on the American Declaration of Independence which was created only about six months later. By arguing that the United States should become independent from Great Britain, treating it as an inevitability of common sense and a natural right, this pamphlet changed history. I hope that you all become people Fukuzawa would consider "well-endowed with common sense" and go on to change the world for the better, both for yourselves and for those who come after you.

There is one last thing I would like to tell you all about common sense. So far, I have stated that you can make enormous steps forward just by using modern-day common sense to get involved with things that matter. There is one more important aspect to this that I would like to add. Namely, take a long-term mindset to find ways to participate in activities that will become "common sense" ten, twenty, or even thirty years from now. When Google was founded twenty-five years ago as a search engine company, most people had no clue how the business could make a profit if it let people use its product for free. The answer: collecting data when people used the search engine or when people uploaded videos to YouTube for free. These platforms could then earn huge amounts of ad revenue, expanding into "big data" companies, and creating an altogether new business model. Today, this has become yet another piece of "common sense." At the time that Google was first created twenty-five years ago, I had also started my research on quantum computing, a technology that very soon will become a part of everyday life. What we need in business and research is a common sense of the future, and creative projects that will shape our future understanding of what is "normal."

In short, I would like each and every one of you to keep working towards the following two goals. First, become a person capable of getting involved in current common-sense initiatives. Second, become a person that will shape the common sense of the future. It is my sincere wish to see you all persevere on the world stage, contributing to the progress of your communities and society at large.

Congratulations on your graduation!