Speech Text

To all new students, welcome to Keio University. I would also like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to your family members and all those gathered here for this special occasion. As we begin, I would first like to read The Mission of Keio University, as articulated by our founder, Fukuzawa Yukichi:

"Keio Gijuku is more than a mere 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 doing so make Keio a leader of society."

In line with this mission, from now on each of you will devote yourselves to your studies and build lifelong friendships here, guided by the aspiration to achieve excellence, to become sources of honorable character and paragons of intellect, and to lead society in the right direction, together.

As a token of our appreciation for your decision to join Keio, we present every new student with a copy of The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa. In reading this book, you will see how freely Fukuzawa lived his life. Yet this freedom was not simply handed to him. He grew up in mid-19th century Japan, a rigid feudal society in which one’s place in life was predetermined, regardless of talent or effort. Despite this, Fukuzawa pursued his studies tirelessly to win personal freedom and independence.

At the age of 19, he encountered “Dutch studies,” a field of study in Japan at the time that drew from Western knowledge and discoveries. By 23, he had opened a private school for Western studies in Tokyo—the beginning of Keio. In 1859, he visited Yokohama, a newly opened port, only to discover that his Dutch was of little use, as everything was conducted in English. He then immediately switched his studies from Dutch to English. This quick pivot paid off within one year when the Japanese government decided to send the warship Kanrin Maru to the United States. The 25-year-old Fukuzawa negotiated his way to the US by leveraging his English skills. His determination was rewarded, granting him passage to America. Two years later, at 27, he also joined the government’s delegation to Europe.

By the 1870s, in his mid-thirties, Fukuzawa saw Japan abolish the feudal class system. At 37, he published his monumental work An Encouragement of Learning, declaring that each person’s value would be determined not by birth, but by whether they learned. To learn was to gain freedom and independence, and to enrich one’s life. If an entire nation learned, it would prosper and secure its independence. What seems obvious to us today was a revelation to many at the time. The book became a national bestseller 150 years ago—and it is still widely read today. For his entire life, Fukuzawa sought to improve the world through education for ordinary people, grounded in science-based and fact-based thinking.

I remind you of Fukuzawa’s life because I believe you have chosen Keio in order to follow in his footsteps, to become modern versions of Fukuzawa Yukichi. But remember, he did not rush. He began Dutch studies at 19, English at 24, traveled to America at 25, and to Europe at 27. He took the time to develop himself step by step. The world has changed greatly in 150 years, but we human beings are biologically the same. Even today, though more knowledge and technologies are available, it still takes courage to dedicate time to learning and to cultivating your future. Over the next four or more years, take time to study, concentrate on your research, engage with your friends, and go see the world.

Keio University offers carefully designed curricula, a wide variety of research opportunities, and special lectures by distinguished figures from around the world to foster your global outlook. It also provides many opportunities to study and conduct research abroad. Please make the most of these resources. What truly matters is your determination, as Keio students, to take on real challenges and to continue learning throughout your lives. Even in this era of rapid technological advancement, including AI, it is critically important to uphold the human tradition of creating knowledge and making key decisions in our complex society.

Today, I am honored to stand with you and offer these words of encouragement. This is the starting line of your leadership journey together. Make the most of your university life. Congratulations to you all!