[Feature: New Year's Dialogue] New Year's Dialogue: Toward "The Mission of Keio University"

Happy New Year. For this year's New Year's dialogue, we are welcoming astronaut Chiaki Mukai.

Happy New Year. Thank you for having me today. It is a great honor.

The guest congratulatory address you gave at the 2022 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony last year was truly wonderful and moving. Today, I would like to use the content of that speech as a starting point to further discuss the importance of taking on challenges, global environmental issues, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and more.

Your address was full of humanity and warmth, and you impressed upon the graduates the importance of positive challenges in order to create a sustainable and constructive global environment and human society. First, I would like to ask about your time as a Keio student. What kind of high school and medical student were you?

I am originally from Tatebayashi in Gunma Prefecture, but since the middle and elementary schools I attended at the time were rural schools, the first thing I thought when I came to Keio Girls Senior High School was that my classmates were very sophisticated—they were definitely city people. I felt like the colors were so different that I almost took a step back.

Among the many high schools in Tokyo, was there a reason you chose Keio Girls Senior High School?

At the time, I didn't have a deep knowledge of the spirit of Keio University, but I had a cousin who graduated from Keio and said things like Keio University is free and wonderful. However, initially, I intended to go to a national medical school from a metropolitan high school. Since my family was by no means wealthy, I thought a private medical school would be expensive. However, at that time, the cost of the Keio School of Medicine was almost the same as the Faculty of Letters or the Faculty of Engineering (now the Faculty of Science and Technology), with only lab fees and such added on; it wasn't expensive like private medical schools are today.

I left my hometown at age 14 as a third-year junior high student. For national universities, I was aiming for the University of Tokyo, but there were strikes happening there, and Hibiya High School, which I wanted to enter at the time, was also on strike. Since Keio had a School of Medicine, offered integrated education, and wasn't unstable due to strikes, I thought Keio would be better.

So it was thanks to the strikes that you came to Keio (laughs). What were your impressions of the friends you met at the girls' high school?

They were sophisticated. What I liked most about Keio Girls Senior High School was that, despite being a girls' school, they didn't do any so-called "finishing school" education at all. It wasn't an education about being ladylike because it's a girls' school; everyone was truly free to grow. The people who came from Chutobu Junior High School and those who came up from Yochisha Elementary School also had very high creativity. There was no sense at all of being exhausted by so-called entrance exam studies.

Furthermore, what I think is great is that because it's not a prep school, for example, even in Japanese history classes, the teachers used a free curriculum in a good sense and used their time freely, spending time on what they found interesting. I thought that was better than an education that just superficially covers the entire curriculum.

Did you participate in any club activities at the girls' high school?

I was in something like a ski club. Also, I was in the home economics club, but it had a free atmosphere like a food-touring club. I also did biology research together with the high school in Hiyoshi.

Since you skied in Tatebayashi, you must have been quite good at it.

Yes, I had been skiing since I was about five years old. Later, in a School of Medicine competition—though not at a professional level—I won the individual event for Eastern Japan.

How were your studies during your girls' high school days?

I loved science subjects, but I was weak in Japanese and history. Also, I still remember that the girls' high school had something very unique called eurhythmics (laughs). I loved PE and had good grades, but I was incredibly bad at that.

I see. But within that, you spent your time enjoying things like food-touring as well.

That's right. My friends were also very progressive, and there was a sense of deciding things for oneself. Even with fashion, there was a strong awareness of "how I want to show myself" rather than how I was being seen. So, while respecting others, you didn't let yourself be swayed; that spirit of independence and self-respect in a good sense was very present at the girls' high school.

I think it was an education that said, "Let the branches that want to grow, grow," rather than pruning the branches and leaves that have grown freely like a bonsai.

How were your student days in the School of Medicine?

It felt like I did nothing but the Ski Team (laughs). At the time, the School of Medicine didn't take attendance, and aside from practical training, it felt like as long as you did the basics, the rest was free. So, I would always borrow notes from the top students in the front seats and desperately copy them on the night train to take my exams (laughs).

But perhaps because those were your medical school days, you were conversely able to grow and go to Houston as an astronaut.

That's right. That too was Keio's independence and self-respect; there was a sense of "refine yourself at your own risk." That's why, even without being told from above "if you do this, you'll pass," Keio has a high pass rate for the national exams.

In the Athletic Association, the ability to overcome problems by working together with teammates is also cultivated, isn't it?

Yes. That's why teamwork is good. Since I was in the mountains for about 50 days a year, my cooperation with people from other universities also became stronger, and I gained something like human strength, not just knowledge. Whether it was the School of Medicine or the girls' high school, Keio's educational policy was free in many ways, but freedom is actually tough, isn't it? Being told to "be free" means you have to exercise self-restraint.

That's true. There is responsibility that comes with freedom.

I feel like Keio had that very strongly.

Are there any other particularly memorable things from your medical school days besides skiing?

Another would be the anatomy lab. The first thing you encounter when you come to Shinanomachi in your third year is anatomy. You perform dissections on cadavers and study various things, but some people get shocked and start crying, and every few years, someone quits, saying "this isn't for me."

What I thought while dissecting cadavers was that anything living, anything with life—even flowers—is beautiful. My sense and thoughts regarding beauty changed there. Especially when looking at cadavers with the skin removed from their faces during facial anatomy, everyone looked the same, even if they were handsome or beautiful when they were alive. When I saw that, I really struggled with the question of "what is beauty?" In the end, I concluded that anyone who is alive, with eyes sparkling and doing something, is beautiful for that reason.

You mean something that comes from within?

Yes. I read it in a story once, but in ancient Egypt or somewhere, kings and princesses were all made to wear the same clothes and became slaves. However, the person who was a princess had a beauty that came from within no matter what clothes she wore, and even people from the enemy country could see it. Even if her jewels were stolen, the individuality she built through learning and her inner self could never be taken by anyone. Since the anatomy lab, I've come to feel that the things that are mine and cannot be taken by others are what's important. Conversely, I've stopped feeling much value in superficial beauty.

In your address, you mentioned that while you became a doctor with the desire to help people suffering from illness, you struggled from the bottom of your heart with the irrationality of fate, seeing people reach the end of their lives in the hospital, children who were born in the hospital and died without knowing the outside world, and people of your own generation who passed away in the middle of fulfilling their dreams.

You continued, "There are times when it is painful, difficult, and you struggle to even make a choice of which way to go. At such times, I remember that there are people who left this world without even being allowed to struggle with the choice of their path. If I can choose to push forward toward realizing my dreams, then for the sake of those who were not allowed that choice, I should continue to challenge new worlds toward my dreams without fear of failure. I learned from many patients the gratitude of being able to walk through life by my own choices." When I heard this phrase of yours, I couldn't stop shivering with emotion.

Thank you.

While everyone knows that "you only live once," there are times when we hesitate when it comes to choosing a path toward realizing a dream. I am the same, but most people only came to know you after you succeeded as an astronaut. And I think they might have thought, "Is Dr. Mukai, who can do such things, a different kind of person from us to begin with?"

You also said, "You can walk through life by your own choices." You said, "When you walk while overcoming hardships with a heart full of hope, you will see a new path continuing ahead." In other words, you are saying that if you move forward steadily and without giving up, one step at a time, a new path leading to hope will appear. What I felt here is that you are someone who has moved forward step by step, accumulating small efforts with hope, and that you didn't take some shortcut to become the person everyone respects.

I am by no means a highly capable person; I always had worries. Even when I aimed to be a doctor in the fourth grade, I thought, "There are many people who are better at studying than me, but I probably won't lose to anyone in that one desire to become a doctor and help patients." Regarding studying, I always worked with the thought that if it's something an ordinary person can do quickly, I can definitely do it if I take three times as long.

People often give up saying, "I don't have the ability," but I think you don't know until you try. Certainly, I am not a genius like Mozart. But I think even Mozart worked quite hard. Even Edison left the words, "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." So, no matter how capable a person is, they must be making an enormous effort.

Thinking that way, it's important not to give up from the start and to think "I'll go" if there's a possibility you can get there. However, there are also many people who couldn't get there. Because I happened to see people who really wanted to go but passed away, I've worked with the thought that if I think I can go, I can do it if I spend 10 years.

I always think that if it's knowledge or skills, you can become a doctor if you study for six years after graduating high school. So, if there's something you want to do, I think you should just do it without thinking you can't.

Has your desire to become a doctor remained unchanged since the fourth grade?

Yes. I had so many dreams; if I saw a movie and thought "I want to live like that," I would dream of that life for about a week (laughs). My friends would often ask, "What kind of life are you doing lately?" I wanted to be a pastry chef, and I wanted to compete in skiing at the Olympics, but those desires would disappear in about a week. However, partly because my younger brother had bad legs and there was someone suffering from illness right next to me, the desire to be a doctor didn't disappear even after a week. So, among my various dreams, I say the only ones I fulfilled were being a doctor and an astronaut (laughs).

Also, I think I was very lucky. Even if you are struggling in a puddle, if you are struggling seriously, humans don't live alone, so there are people around who see that seriousness. Then, they might reach out a hand or push you from behind, saying "Maybe it's better to get out from this side?" People won't help you if you're doing things half-heartedly, but if you're doing it desperately, it's obvious to those around you, and they naturally want to help. I think I've been helped a lot by such people.

You said that your dream changed from wanting to be a doctor to help people suffering from illness to wanting to "see my home planet Earth from space." This shift in dreams is innovative, and as I listened to this story, it felt like a giant leap.

You also said: "What every fellow astronaut gazes at dearly from space is their home. I too gazed at Earth, Japan, and Tatebayashi in Gunma Prefecture from space, and remembered my father, mother, siblings, friends, and the beauty of my homeland." "Our home planet Earth is not as large as we think. And as many astronauts say, 'you can't see borders from space,' the global environment we inhabit is perceived as 'One Earth One Health.' The biosphere is not resilient, and Earth's resources are finite."

At that time, I felt that you had evolved yourself from a position of protecting human health to a position of protecting the health of the Earth. I felt that you had consequently moved into a position of protecting the health of the global environment.

That's right. The first time the Earth looked like a human to me was when I was flying over California in a plane. When I saw the desert landscape from above, the parts where green things were growing in the desert looked like a human skin disease. That was the first time I thought, "The Earth is indeed living together with humans." And when I actually saw the Earth from space, it really felt like the Earth was breathing.

Based on my two spaceflights, I later began research related to space medicine using satellites. Even at organizations like the WHO, when you look at the Earth itself using satellites, you can see atmospheric pollution like PM2.5, or when there is a lot of vegetation during the rainy season, you can see that the incidence of malaria becomes higher there. Also, drinking contaminated water leads to things like polio, but you can tell which water is contaminated by using satellites to see which side of the mountain the rain flows down.

In terms of Earth's health management, by using the very wide and high perspective of space and sensors effectively, things that are invisible to the human eye become visible.

I see, is that so. In which years did you go on your missions in space?

Twice, in 1994 and 1998. However, they were short-term missions, so they were two weeks and ten days. It's a bit different from the six months on the current space station.

Was it different between the first and second times?

As expected, I was more efficient the second time. I absolutely wanted to go a second time. The biggest reason for that was that I wanted to establish the role of an astronaut as a profession. Usually, for astronauts from developing countries, they fly once and then finish by doing public relations activities. Space development doesn't continue. But in Japan, it has continued since the first generation, so I wanted to create a professional category.

Also, after being in weightless space for a long time, when I did a press conference immediately after returning to Earth, I felt the "weight" of the business card handed to me by a reporter very strongly. It felt like something that had been hidden within my abilities until then had come out. It was interesting that after flying in space, I had the sensation within me that a single piece of paper like that felt heavy. When humans return to the Earth's environment, they gradually stop feeling the weight and return to normal in about three days. Then, by the night of the second day, I felt like the Little Mermaid, thinking "I might lose this sensation by tomorrow morning," and I felt very lonely (laughs).

So, what I looked forward to most during the second flight was to acclimate my body to that weightless environment again and experience that sensation of things feeling heavy when coming to Earth one more time.

That's something you can't understand without experiencing it.

And you mentioned DE&I quite a bit in your address, including astronaut training. You said that the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted in 1958, when training for astronauts began, and was enforced the following year. In other words, it overlapped with the period when women's social advancement started in Japan. At that time, the concept of DE&I didn't exist yet.

But you said you had no hesitation about becoming the first generation of Japanese astronauts as a woman. This was because, from the time you started working as a doctor, the way of thinking about being a woman or a man had already disappeared. You said that way of thinking was very useful within a globally diversifying group. One should not limit one's potential by subgroups such as age, gender, education, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. However, on the other hand, you also said that while the concept of DE&I is understandable, it is difficult to execute.

So, you called out to the graduates, "Don't think too hard about it; let's start from the point that it's natural for people to have different ways of thinking, just as they have different faces. If you do that, you won't feel stress even when hearing different opinions, and you'll be able to have constructive discussions." What are your thoughts on your experiences at NASA that led to this way of thinking, and also looking at the current situation in Japan?

DE&I is now being talked about in various places such as companies and universities. My impression is that this is easier said than done. Also, while it's said that there is a glass ceiling for women, there are times when those entering a diversified world create their own cocoons or fences. People sometimes shut themselves in, saying "because I'm Japanese," "because I'm a woman," or "because of whatever."

Whether it's gender or religion, fences are sometimes unexpectedly created by oneself. If you don't realize that, you can't get out and will remain a frog in a well forever.

When I went to Houston, I thought I would never let anyone say "I can't do it because I'm Japanese." Since I was appointed by NASA to fly in this position, whether I am a woman or a man, even if there are things on the ground I can't reach because I'm short, I can reach them in space. I am doing this because it's believed I can fulfill this position, including physical aspects. So, I always said that if I can't do it, it's because I haven't trained, not because I'm Japanese. That's why I wanted to say, "It's better not to create fences yourself."

Since everyone's face is different, I think we should start from the point that we are all separate to begin with, rather than thinking everyone has the same way of thinking. Because we think everyone's thoughts are the same, we feel stress at slight differences. But if you start thinking "everything is different," you can cherish finding something that is the same. On top of that, if you find something different, you should think "Lucky. I can learn from that." You can't learn from homogeneous things. If you can expand yourself that way, find different things, and think "there's that way of thinking too," that ultimately becomes nourishment for yourself. That's how we did it at NASA.

Westerners move based on their own values, don't they? They don't worry about being left out because the majority thinks a certain way; there are relatively many people who say "I think this, no matter what anyone else thinks." So, they are individualistic in a good sense, and they respect the other person as an individual.

That's true. I once welcomed a female student who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to my lab, and she liked kendo and joined the Athletic Association because she wanted to master kendo.

She later earned a master's degree in the specialized field of kendo at the University of Tsukuba and enjoyed kendo while working as a nature guide on Yakushima for a while, but then she said she wanted to return to physics research and went back to physics in her late 30s. That's a career path that's hard to imagine for a Japanese person, isn't it? In Japan, if you graduate from MIT, people would think you'd stay on the elite track, but she did the things she liked one by one and eventually returned to physics. That's freedom.

That's right. It's freedom, and she probably also has the confidence that she can return.

Regarding DE&I, Ms. Mukai, I believe you spoke first from the perspective of the minority, assuming there are minorities and majorities. However, the same can surely be said for the majority side as well, right?

Yes. Minorities tend to search for their own existential value and uniqueness when entering a majority group. On the other hand, there are times when those on the majority side realize that they themselves were not actually the majority.

To use an example from NASA, in the late 1990s, Russia joined the space station and began working together, which meant American astronauts had to fly on the Russian "Soyuz." These people, who were considered the NASA elite, had to use the Russian system and speak Russian. When they returned, they said, "I finally understand how amazing it is that Chiaki and the others do all this in English when their native language is Japanese."

And so I said, "You're only just realizing that now?" (laughs). In that way, the efforts of minority individuals who keep pace with the majority are sometimes recognized.

In a sense, would you say it is good for those in the majority to create opportunities to experience the position of a minority?

That's right. Also, a minority does not necessarily remain a minority forever. For example, there was an era of trying to raise the position of minorities, such as deciding how many Hispanic people to hire.

Affirmative action, right?

The reign of the majority does not necessarily last forever, and there can be a backlash. Therefore, when you realize through the flow of the world that you are on the majority side, you become aware of your unconscious biases. Similarly, I think minorities realize they must express their uniqueness within the minority group.

How should such things be reflected in education in Japanese society from elementary school onward? The world is gradually becoming a place where things like "because you're a girl" or "because you're a boy" are changing, and gender identity itself varies from person to person.

Yes. I think this is quite difficult, but I believe it comes down to finding a common divisor. A common divisor means finding the most common value among disparate numbers, right? We should teach that if we can just find that value, disparate faces can come together. I believe that is the basic consensus.

So, when there are diverse people in a team, what is the common divisor among them? Whether it is the greatest common divisor or something small, I think it is good to look for commonalities.

In that sense, I felt that "DE&I for achieving common goals" would be a keyword. In your congratulatory address, you mentioned, "The reason people with diverse opinions can unite is because they have a desire to achieve a common goal." And you continued as follows:

"When diverse people unite not for individual interests but to fulfill the goals of a team or group, they become a resilient team capable of facing the difficulties of diversification. By learning from each other's differences and cherishing what we share, we can empathize with the fact that all people are the same, no matter where on Earth they live. Furthermore, when discussions reach a deadlock, if you replace the group you belong to with one large entity, zoom out, and grasp the problem from a broader perspective than your usual standpoint, you can search for a more objective solution."

Actually, I believe many of the current Keio students share the same thoughts as you. They want to have a common goal and work on it together with everyone. Within that, diversity is necessary. When older generations hear 'DE&I,' some perceive it as an 'obligation' or 'something that must be done,' but for Keio students, I think DE&I is already a heartfelt hope.

It has become a matter of course for Gen Z, hasn't it?

Exactly. In that sense, I feel there is a relative divide between generations. For today's Keio students, DE&I is a given, not something they need to be told to do by others.

I think today's Gen Z is more relaxed in the sense of living true to themselves. So, perhaps older people might think, "Aren't they being a bit too relaxed?" But right now, with the issues in Ukraine and Gaza, the world is very divided, and the UN and other organizations are not functioning. Ultimately, it's because they are acting out of national ego. I even feel that unless we create another large "Super UN" with stateless staff who think about the Earth, it won't function.

I suspect young people today feel they cannot survive in this diversifying world unless they think of their own belonging in a broader sense. I believe there are more people in the younger generations than in ours who can think beyond so-called borders, age, and nationality.

Particularly among the slightly older generation, some use the phrase "All Japan," but that kind of thinking is gradually disappearing, isn't it?

In that context, what do you think Keio University's university, affiliated schools, and hospitals should work on as DE&I?

Keio is very advanced in these respects, starting with the President, so as long as we understand that DE&I is easier said than done, the rest is just a matter of methodology.

What I was thinking regarding a "common goal for humanity" is to make every individual face and every single data point shine to produce the maximum effect—in other words, achieving the maximum result with fewer resources. Mathematically, 1+1 is still 2. But when you add 2 and 3, it's 5, yet if you multiply them, it becomes 6. If you make individuals shine in that way, their power becomes three or four times greater. If we understand that method, we understand the significance of working toward a goal as a team, and ultimately, joining hands becomes beneficial for oneself.

Human society inevitably moves based on likes and dislikes, or sometimes stalls because people want to protect short-term interests or vested rights, but ultimately, everyone working together is for the good of all.

I believe so. Even with the war in Ukraine, I don't really know if it will be beneficial in the long run. Rather than such destructive acts, I think it is important for everyone to share, divide things up, and not monopolize things for oneself. Regarding sharing, I have high hopes that young people are incorporating things like share houses and car sharing into their daily lives.

I definitely think that's the case.

So, if young people create a Super UN, we will get closer to a world that doesn't need nationalities or passports. Otherwise, the Earth isn't as big as we think, and global warming is progressing at a tremendous speed. I am worried that we will end up in a critical situation.

As a result, the concepts of borders and national security are probably getting in the way. Safety is important for each country, but ultimately, the Earth is what matters. When there are borders, various interests get involved, and countries become authoritarian toward their neighbors. When the unit is a nation or an ethnic group and that goes to an extreme, it's clear that things will become difficult as the Earth's resources are limited.

In the long term, you'll eventually ruin yourself. It's quite difficult, but including humanitarian discussions, it is important to respect human dignity.

Also, in the coming era, it will be important to be able to use technology, but with current generative AI and such, that information is not necessarily correct. Therefore, the ability for the individual to judge correctly—the judgment not to believe anything fanatically—will be vital.

Yes. It means we must continue learning so that humans stay above AI, rather than just accepting everything at face value.

You spoke about these things in the latter half of your congratulatory address.

"Modern social issues are not single but complex, such as the increase in natural disasters induced by climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, fragmentation, isolation, and the vulnerability of urban structures and human society in a divided society. There are many challenges that must be solved through the cooperation of all humanity. We live in an era that requires comprehensive human strength and leadership to explore the environment, notice problems, and implement solutions in society by cooperating with people from other fields. And I believe the most important thing in building a society where each person's life shines and has dignity is love for humanity—humanity. If you value yourself, value your neighbor. For you, surrounded by happy people, are also in a happy position. Let us build a constructive, vibrant, and sustainable society by living in the present while thinking of tomorrow."

I watched you speak to the graduates like this with a gaze of true respect. At the same time, I was listening while overlapping your words with the end of "The Mission of Keio University": "...making clear the meaning of the family, the community, and the nation, and not only to say this with his lips, but also to practice it, and thus to be a leader of all society."

What should we specifically work on today? I thought your words were like a wonderful modern paraphrase of "The Mission of Keio University." How do you feel about me overlapping your words with "The Mission of Keio University"?

I think you have a very deep insight. I just said it simply, but I did have those thoughts. I believe Keio graduates have been inheriting those sentiments continuously.

Yes. However, the last part of your words I just quoted and the idea of loving humanity and valuing one's neighbor, which is also in "The Mission of Keio University," are quite Christian concepts. I have been asked to give a lecture at St. Ignatius Church at Sophia University soon; Sophia has the motto "For Others, With Others," while we have "independence and self-respect."

Independence and self-respect involves pursuing one's own dreams and moving forward positively by working together. But Christianity speaks of "unconditional love" or "selfless service" and helping one's neighbor. This means a balance between the two is highly required.

That's true. But you can't help others unless you are strong yourself, right? Even if you want to pull someone out of the water, if you don't have the muscle strength, you'll sink. In that sense, Keio's "independence and self-respect" makes individuals shine and trains them. I think the order is that such a person then helps those around them, not just themselves.

That is exactly what "independence and self-respect" is. Valuing yourself and valuing others.

It's not about helping from a superior position, but by doing so, the scope of your life expands. It's not that you're looking for a reward, but that ultimately leads to your own happiness by being surrounded by happy people in the place where you live. If you are the only one happy and the person next to you is grieving, you can't really celebrate together.

Rather than eating something delicious all by yourself, it tastes better when you can say it's delicious while eating it with the person next to you. It's better to be able to talk together, not just about physical things. That is truly "Man does not live by bread alone." I'm just living it out without thinking too much about it, though.

But it was a speech that drew out many different thoughts.

I am truly grateful and moved that you analyzed it in such detail.

As you may have noticed, from the stage of the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall during the graduation ceremony, you can see each person's face clearly, and I thought everyone was truly shining. However, the expressions during your congratulatory address were exceptional; it was as if all their energy was being absorbed by you. But within that, there was a moment at the end of your address where the entire venue suddenly seemed to explode.

"When heading to my workspace in space, I always listened to Keio University's song of encouragement, 'Wakaki-chi,' to recharge my energy for work. One's hometown is a spiritual and physical anchor. When you are pushing toward your dreams, or when you encounter life's difficulties and are at a loss, please remember how you felt when you entered your alma mater, Keio University, and the bright feelings and confidence of today's graduation ceremony. Our alma mater is the starting point of our hearts, one of our hometowns."

Was there any difference between the "Wakaki-chi" you heard in space and the "Wakaki-chi" you hear on Earth?

On Earth, there is a sense of solidarity from singing "Wakaki-chi" together with everyone, but in space, it's something you use to inspire yourself, saying, "I'm going to do my best," all alone.

It's a wonderful song of encouragement. In space back then, I used to listen to it every day on a cassette and go, "Let's go!" (laughs).

Which part of the lyrics do you particularly like in the "Let's go!" spirit of "Wakaki-chi"?

Definitely the opening part, "Those whose young blood burns." Just hearing that makes me think, "Alright, I'm going to burn with passion today!" (laughs). I'm simple like that.

So at "Behold the place where the elite gather," it wasn't that you were conscious of the "elite" inside the spacecraft, but rather at the "young blood" part, you thought, "I'm going with the Keio spirit."

That's right. It felt like "my elite self" with Keio at my back. Even the title "Wakaki-chi" (Young Blood)—no matter how old you get, you remember, "Back then, there were things that made my blood run hot," right? So it's like, "Those whose young blood burns—yes, that's me!" (laughs). I was already getting excited from the very beginning.

After all, the red of "Wakaki-chi" is good for going into battle (laughs). Whether it's going into battle, creating a new era, or facing some difficulty, "Wakaki-chi" is perfect.

"Wakaki-chi" is an amazing song. At Keio, there is the President's Award, which is given to people who are full of brilliance. That is one of the requirements for the President's Award, and that idea appears in the second line of the lyrics of "Wakaki-chi": "We who are filled with brilliance."

Another song I enjoyed listening to in space was "Furusato" (Hometown).

The one that goes "The mountains where I chased rabbits," right?

The first verse of those lyrics is about one's hometown, and the second is about one's parents. The part that made me tear up a bit before I went on my spaceflight was the third verse: "Having fulfilled my ambition, on what day shall I return?"

A hometown is something you think of because it is far away. I also thought that maybe the spacecraft would explode and I wouldn't be able to return. The further away it gets, the more a heart of affection emerges, thinking, "What a wonderful place I came from." I think that song "Furusato" remains relevant even in the space age. "The mountains of my green hometown, the waters of my clear hometown." It's exactly like that; I listened to it while hoping that the mountains of that blue planet would remain green and the waters clear forever.

Also, what surprised me was the greatness of human creativity. The biggest thing I learned from spaceflight was that "Newton was amazing." He came up with "universal gravitation" without ever leaving Earth. Newton wasn't just looking at a visible apple; he captured the invisible—the fact that the Earth and a small apple are pulling on each other equally—and thought of that theorem.

A genius like Newton understands universal gravitation without going to space. I think that is truly the greatness of human creativity.

I was able to feel that firsthand. I believe that if I hadn't expanded my perspective by going to space, I wouldn't have understood the true greatness of the "universal gravitation" I read about in textbooks.

I am also a physicist, and since our predecessors discovered that mass is energy and that there is "universal gravitation," this is indeed an amazing thing.

Ultimately, we still do not fully understand "gravity." There is the law of "universal gravitation," but the so-called "Grand Unified Theory"—how to combine gravity with electromagnetic force—has not yet been achieved. Therefore, physicists aim for that "Grand Unified Theory" to create a unified system of physics for the world, but the kind of force gravity exerts is very difficult to understand through human intuition.

Speaking for myself as we welcome 2024, after hearing your story today, I am convinced that you, Ms. Mukai, truly embody "The Mission of Keio University."

Through today's dialogue, I felt a greater sense of responsibility to create a place where as many people as possible like you can emerge—Keio students who learn to take charge of the future of this society and the Earth, freely but together for the sake of everyone. Keio University has many excellent and reliable colleagues ready to work on that.

Having a single purpose with everyone is the mission of Keio University, but I want to make it so that even as everyone moves in diverse, separate directions, they help each other and ultimately head in a direction that achieves that goal.

For example, there might be two people going in completely different directions. If it's just those two, they might pull against each other and neither will move forward, but if there are many such people, I want to make it so that as a group, everyone ultimately moves in the right direction. That is the Keio University way, and I want to build such a Keio University.

Ms. Mukai, you participate in various aspects of Keio University's management and operation not only as a Councilor but also as a Trustee. I hope to continue receiving your wisdom for the sake of Keio students and research.

I feel truly grateful to have graduated from Keio University. Since my days at the girls' high school, I have heard about independence and self-respect and Yukichi Fukuzawa's words that "Heaven creates no man above another, nor any below another," and I think this itself is diversity.

And we don't look at things from a superior position. Conversely, we don't humble ourselves from below by saying, "I can't do it." There is a spirit of being grateful if there is an environment where you can shine yourself, and achieving self-actualization within it. I feel that I received a Keio University education and was given a place where I could put it into practice. I'm sure that spirit of Keio University will continue forever.

If current Keio students feel that they are creating a single data point of history rather than it being someone else's business, then when people 100 years from now look back, perhaps one cut of them doing something on campus will become the history of Keio University. If they go about it with the intention that "I am the one creating history within my alma mater," I think they can live every day happily and positively. I look forward to seeing such Keio students grow.

Thank you very much. I look forward to working with you again this year.