King Charles III: Foreign Visitors to Keio University

2023/05/02

2008 was the 150th anniversary of the founding of Keio University, and many commemorative projects had been planned for several years. As the international coordinator in the secretariat, it was a busy year for me, being involved in several of these projects. The highlight for the international affairs staff was inviting presidents and representatives from universities around the world with whom we have exchanges to the 150th Anniversary Ceremony in November. However, just before that, an entirely unexpected and wonderful gift was delivered to Keio University by the British government.

We maintain regular contact with foreign embassies in Tokyo. While the titles of officials vary by country, most of our work is conducted through counselors for cultural exchange or those in charge of science, technology, and innovation. Our point of contact with the UK is often through the British Council, the UK's official cultural exchange organization, whose representative also serves as the Cultural Counselor. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Keio University co-hosted the "Experience Japan Exhibition" (a study in Japan fair) with the British Council every November in London. For over 10 years, we traveled to the UK with representatives from other Japanese universities to promote opportunities for studying in Japan and the JET Program.

One day in early autumn 2008, a sudden request for a meeting arrived from the British Embassy. Since the purpose was not entirely clear, I met with them in a meeting room at the Jukukan-kyoku (Keio Corporate Administration) along with Chihiro Ueda, who was then in the Office for Global Initiatives (OGI). A political officer arrived accompanied by staff from the department we usually deal with. As I listened with a slight sense of curiosity, they revealed that a VVIP (a term using two "V"s to mean someone even higher than a VIP) would be visiting Japan from the UK.

Ms. Ueda and I looked at each other in surprise. We wondered simply, "Who could the VVIP be?" During that meeting, the officer never explicitly mentioned the name of His Royal Highness Prince Charles (as he then was), but from the context of the conversation, by the time the meeting ended, we understood that the visitor scheduled to come to Japan was the Prince of Wales.

Of course, the secretariat could not make a decision on this visit request alone, so immediately after the meeting, I sought a decision from Tatsuya Sakamoto, then Vice-President in charge of international affairs. He was himself a specialist in British intellectual history. At the time, Keio University had engaged the late Professor Peter Mathias (a historian who had served as the supervisor for the current Emperor during his studies at Oxford University and had retired as Master of Downing College, Cambridge) as an international advisor. Vice-President Sakamoto had deepened their friendship through frequent visits to the UK. Because the relationship with the UK was so strong, Vice-President Sakamoto decided on the spot to accept the VVIP visit request.

There were concerns about security, but it was determined that these could be managed through careful advance preparation with relevant departments within Keio and related government agencies. Keio University's formal decision was made following a policy consultation meeting on October 3 of that year. After that, the focus shifted to how to plan the hospitality for the British government's "VVIP," and consultations proceeded with the British Embassy in addition to internal stakeholders and relevant departments.

At the request of the embassy, we needed a plan that introduced both Japan's advanced technology and its traditional culture. For the introduction of advanced technology, we consulted the Graduate School of Media Design (KMD), which had been newly established that year. For the introduction of Japanese culture, we decided to ask Keio students from the Kabuki Research Club and the Athletic Association Kendo Club, from the perspective of "the literary and military arts." I remember feeling relieved when the request was sent to the relevant Keio students via the Office of Student Services and they all replied, "We would be delighted to accept."

Then, October 28, the day of the visit, arrived. According to records, the visit lasted 45 minutes. First, led by patrol cars and police motorcycles, they arrived at the plaza in front of the Old University Library. They were met by President Yūichirō Anzai and his wife, all Vice-Presidents who were able to gather that day, the Secretary General, and heads of major administrative departments. To prevent information leaks beforehand, we did not use the website or SNS (which were already in use at the time) at all; instead, we deliberately posted a sudden notice at the Mita Campus on the morning of the visit (pictured above). Keio students and faculty who gathered after seeing the notice welcomed the couple's arrival.

Among them were teachers and students from Hockerill Anglo-European College in the UK, who happened to be visiting the Chutobu Junior High School for a Japan study tour. His Royal Highness, spotting a small group that looked British among the many Japanese people, spoke to them directly. It was a great opportunity to show that Keio University has exchanges with the UK not only at the university level but also at its affiliated schools.

Guided by President Anzai and his wife, the party first headed to the East Building. In what is now the G-lab on the 6th floor, Masahiko Inakage, Dean of the Graduate School of Media Design, gave an explanation of KMD and a demonstration of 4K video technology, which was cutting-edge at the time. They also showed objects created in art design-related projects alongside international students from the graduate school.

Afterward, the party moved to the Old University Library. Near the entrance of the old building, items related to Fukuzawa Yukichi's visit to the UK were casually displayed, courtesy of the Keio Institute for Fukuzawa Memorial Center for Modern Japanese Studies. While viewing these, the party entered the 2nd-floor hall (now the site of the Fukuzawa Yukichi Memorial Keio History Museum). There, the Kabuki Research Club performed an original new play titled "Yorokobite Kichi-nichi Taimen," which they had prepared for this day in consultation with their Kabuki actor instructor.

On the day, there was a moment of brief alarm among security personnel when a person stayed close behind the Prince and his wife to explain the performance in English, with people wondering who it was. In fact, the person had been registered in advance, but the information had simply not reached the security team. The couple listened to the interpreter's English explanation with great enjoyment, and since no one wanted to interrupt that, the situation was allowed to proceed.

Afterward, the couple watched a demonstration by two Keio students from the Kendo Club with great interest. They spoke with the two Keio students and chatted amiably, with the Prince even picking up a student's bamboo sword (shinai) to examine it himself. After this brief interaction, the Prince and his wife left Keio by car.

I have always wanted to ask the Keio students involved how they remember this scene, but years have passed without such an opportunity. To this day, it remains a mystery why the British Embassy selected Keio University as a destination for His Royal Highness's visit to Japan.

Since then, the relationship with the UK has continued in various forms beyond education. Although things did not go as planned due to the pandemic, it is still fresh in our memory that the British Olympic and Paralympic Committees decided to hold part of their pre-games training camps at the Hiyoshi Campus for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

I believe that these subsequent relationships with the UK are indirectly connected to the past relationship between Keio and the UK, as well as the hospitality Keio provided during His Royal Highness's visit.