AY 2026 September Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement Ceremony

September 18, 2026

Professor Kohei Itoh

President, Keio University

Congratulations to all of our graduates, and a warm welcome to the friends, families, and loved ones joining us today from every corner of the world.

Many of you graduating today experienced the height of the COVID-19 pandemic before entering Keio University. That global crisis disrupted your activities and redefined your expectations. Yet, during your years at Keio, you brought life back to our campus. You restored our classrooms, revitalized our research, and renewed our international exchanges.

Meanwhile, even as the pandemic has receded, these past four years have been defined by extraordinary global upheaval. In early 2022, war returned to Europe with the invasion of Ukraine. Later that year, generative AI was released to the public, transforming artificial intelligence overnight from a tool for engineers into a force accessible to all of humanity. We also witnessed the eruption of conflict in the Middle East, while shifting political landscapes around the globe brought power politics back into economic and security affairs. At the same time, we have watched the relentless acceleration of climate change—from severe heatwaves to extreme storms—while our commitment to global sustainability goals often seems sidelined by immediate crises.

Looking back on these four years, historians will ask: how did society respond to that era of convergence and change? For Japan, and indeed for nations around the globe, I hope this period is remembered as the moment we finally moved beyond the defensive, risk-averse models of the past.

For decades following World War II, Japan pursued a model of development defined by strong, government-led industrial coordination, regulation, and stability. It was a framework designed to ensure growth while protecting existing structures. But after the economic bubble collapsed in the early 1990s, that very focus on preserving the status quo led to decades of stagnation. While the internet transformed global markets, conversations here often defaulted to modest, incremental adjustments. People aimed for safe, predictable paths: secure a comfortable routine, and avoid taking risks—risks that were, in reality, necessary challenges. Relatively few ventured boldly into global entrepreneurship or disruptive research.

That model has reached its limit—not just in Japan, but anywhere in the world where playing it safe is prioritized over innovation. Minor adjustments to established systems are no longer enough. The world has become volatile and unpredictable. Yet precisely because of this uncertainty, an extraordinary opportunity lies before you, namely, an opportunity to guide society in a new direction.

To seize that opportunity, you need two things above all else: a clear sense of purpose, and an unyielding curiosity.

A sense of purpose means committing yourself to challenges larger than your own immediate self-interest—for your colleagues, your communities, and the world. And what sustains that purpose is curiosity. Curiosity is the spark that compels you to step off pre-laid tracks and ask, "What lies beyond?"

If you look up the opposite of curiosity, standard dictionaries might suggest words like apathy or indifference. But in practice, the true opposite of curiosity is calculation.

To be calculating is to act solely on a careful assessment of your immediate gains and losses. But when you only take steps where the outcome is already calculable and predictable, you confine yourself to the world as it already exists. People guided by purpose and curiosity operate differently. They possess a refreshing spirit. They look at a complex task and say, "This looks fascinating—let's give it a try." They continually ask, "Is there a better way?" That drive for improvement is what inspires others and builds real progress.

You are also graduating at a unique moment in history because you possess a transformative ally: artificial intelligence.

In work and research, much of the foundational knowledge that previous generations had to acquire after years of traditional gatekeeping is now accessible instantly. AI is fundamentally reshaping how we solve problems. While legacy institutions may remain bound by conventional assumptions, those of you who combine ambition, ethical grounding, and flexibility can use AI as an exceptionally powerful partner to achieve breakthroughs that were previously unimaginable.

Furthermore, during your years at Keio, you have built a network of lifelong friends, mentors, and collaborators. Through your international studies, research, and shared experiences, you have developed the empathy and teamwork required to achieve meaningful goals. No great endeavor is accomplished alone; true leadership is the ability to bring others along with you.

In short, the era of simply following the instructions of predecessors is over. You are entering a world where you must create new paths through your own initiative. And those paths are not bound by national borders—they are global.

So graduates and distinguished guests, many of you know by now that in Japanese, we refer to our institution as Keio Gijuku. Keio Gijuku is not merely a school. It is a lifelong community that brings together our faculty, staff, students, and global network of alumni. You are graduating from Keio University today, but you will remain an essential part of this community for the rest of your lives. In fact, while you graduate from Keio University, Keio Gijuku, you will never truly graduate from Keio Gijuku!

So let me conclude my speech by reminding you of the foundational mission of Keio Gijuku, as articulated by our founder, Fukuzawa Yukichi:

"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; it aims for each member to apply this spirit to elucidate the essence of family, society, and nation—not only articulating it in words, but demonstrating it in action, and by doing so, lead society forward."

Congratulations once again to all of our graduates. Go out into the world, stay curious, embody the mission of Keio boldly, and lead the way!