The National Defense Academy and Keio University

2017/02/01

Hello everyone. It has been a while. It has already been nearly five years since I moved from Keio University to the National Defense Academy (NDA). Today, I would like to give an interim report on my life at the NDA. I love the National Defense Academy from the bottom of my heart. This is because the students are all sincere and wonderful young people, and the alumni are all people whose company makes one feel enriched.

When you actually enter the NDA, it is likely quite different from the general public image; it is a considerably warm place. Of course, discipline is strict and everything is precise, but because of that, the hearts of the people there are warm. That is the impression I receive, and there are many people who are a pleasure to work with.

Currently, the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are becoming extremely busy. The roles of the SDF are extremely diverse, but needless to say, national defense and security are the biggest themes and the most important missions. Also, while there has been much talk recently about the dispatch of the SDF to South Sudan, they are also active in areas such as anti-piracy measures. I believe that international peace cooperation activities, including PKO (Peacekeeping Operations) based on UN requests, will not decrease in the future.

The global security environment is becoming more severe year by year. My generation worked while keeping an eye on the Soviet Union, so to speak, but as you know, things have become much more complex now. Moreover, since the activities of the SDF are spreading across the world in various forms, it is not easy to respond to such rapid changes in the security environment.

Furthermore, another role for which expectations of the SDF have grown more than expected, especially since the Great East Japan Earthquake, is disaster response and reconstruction support. Currently, public opinion polls show that the SDF has a 93% trust rating, making it the most trusted organization in Japan. Considering that there was a long period when the very existence of the SDF and the National Defense Academy was denied or viewed with skepticism, the situation has changed significantly. Someone once said, "Until now, we aimed to be an SDF that is loved, but from now on, we have become an SDF that cannot betray expectations." We do not play a role that stands in the spotlight, but as the last bastion, we must devote ourselves to the noble mission of protecting the people and the nation.

Today, I would like to talk a little about the inside of the NDA and how it actually has a very deep connection with Keio University.

To be honest, there is something I regret since moving to the National Defense Academy. It is the question of whether I truly took education seriously during my more than 30 years of teaching life at Keio. Of course, I intended to devote time and care for my students, but I feel as though I am being questioned as to whether I provided education in the true sense of the word.

At the NDA now, almost every day, we spend a long time discussing how student education should be. I believe that education is about giving young people dreams and hopes for living. Or, even if it is not the dream or hope itself, it is providing a kind of awareness or opportunity to grasp such things. This is what I have come to realize over the past five years. At the NDA, we have thoroughly implemented the slogan "Everything for the Students" for all faculty and staff.

What exactly is a university? I think about this often as well. The NDA is not a "Daigaku" (university) but a "Daigakko" (academy), but I believe the role of a university is to be a place to discover one's sense of mission as a member of society and a citizen. It is about what one will do or can do for society.

I don't think I am fully qualified to speak about "universities," but I believe the balance between education and research is important. Nowadays, research is highly emphasized. Consequently, professors all say they are busy, busy. And they say they are overwhelmed by being forced to do school administrative work. If you ask me, to be honest, it's not that big of a deal. I have felt this very strongly since coming to the NDA.

It is natural for university faculty to conduct research, and as long as one is a researcher, cutting corners in research is inexcusable. However, I often feel that there is an overemphasis on research to the point that education is neglected, and even with research, only the quantitative aspect is bloating while the quality is questionable. Today's universities tend to focus only on the entrance and exit—admissions and employment—and neglect the education in between. In the case of Keio, students act independently in their job hunting, so faculty members do not have much trouble. I believe we need a discussion in universities on how to apply education to research and how to apply research to education.

The educational policy of the National Defense Academy is to foster a broad perspective, scientific thinking, and a rich sense of humanity. To put my five years of experience at the NDA into one phrase, it is a liberal arts college.

Furthermore, the NDA has very strong ties and bonds with Keio University. Since moving to the NDA, I have actually started reading many of Yukichi Fukuzawa's books, and I find myself looking into the history of Keio University more often. This is because the very origin of the NDA has a very deep connection with Keio.

It may come as a surprise to you, but among the high-ranking SDF officers I know and the members of the NDA alumni association, there are many fans of Fukuzawa. They read Fukuzawa's books well and are incredibly devoted to him.

Since SDF officers all wear the same uniform, they may appear to lack individuality at first glance, but in fact, beneath those uniforms, they are masses of individuality. They do their jobs while suppressing that. Therefore, as retirement approaches, their individuality begins to overflow. That is very interesting. Talking to people who are like masses of individuality, I can understand very well the feeling of coming to like Fukuzawa.

The National Defense Academy started as an officer academy under post-war democracy after the dissolution of the pre-war Imperial Japanese Army Academy and Naval Academy. It incorporates reflections on the pre-war era. Why did it fail? What was wrong? History shows that these discussions were held thoroughly. For example, the NDA integrates the Ground, Maritime, and Air forces, which is based on reflection on the fact that the Army and Navy were separate before the war. This was based on the thinking of then-Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida.

Now, the NDA is located in Hashirimizu, Yokosuka. It is situated above Uraga and Kannonzaki, exactly where Commodore Perry arrived, and we call it "Obaradai." In 1952, it started in Kurihama as the National Safety Academy, but two years later, it moved to the current campus. This was decided by the first President, Tomoo Maki, who reportedly persuaded Keihin Kyuko, which was building a golf course there at the time, to let them have the land.

Do you know the difference between a "University" (Daigaku) and an "Academy" (Daigakko)? In short, all schools not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MEXT) are "Daigakko." The National Defense Academy and the Japan Coast Guard Academy are not "universities." Therefore, originally, graduates were not recognized as having bachelor's degrees. This changed in the Heisei era when MEXT established the National Institution for Academic Degrees, and they came to be recognized as university graduates.

However, even now, we do not have the authority to conduct degree examinations. Consequently, while there are many high-level researchers at the NDA, those professors do not have the right to grant degrees. While professors at any Japanese university have examination rights, this is not the case at the NDA. For master's and doctoral degrees, 100% of the examinations are conducted as blind reviews by top external professors in the field. From this fact alone, you can understand how much effort the NDA professors put into education. Regarding this point, I hope that our status as a "university" will be recognized a bit more.

The NDA does not use the term "Graduate School" (Daigakuin). This is because a "Graduate School" can only be established at a "University." Therefore, the NDA uses the term "Research Department" (Kenkyuka). We have both master's and Ph.D. programs in the Graduate School of Science and Technology and the Graduate School of Security Studies, but we cannot use the name "Graduate School."

The NDA is a school centered on the sciences. This is also based on reflection on the pre-war era's tendency toward spiritualism and lack of scientific thinking. Based on Prime Minister Yoshida's thinking, there were only science departments when the school opened. Humanities were introduced in the 70s, and currently, humanities make up about 20%.

The NDA comprises six academic groups, 14 departments, and six education offices, but most are in science and technology. There are 480 students per year, with women making up about 10%, a figure that is trending upward. In addition, there are about 120 international students in total, which is about 6%, a fairly high number. Most are students from Southeast Asia. Currently, we accept students from 11 countries. The curriculum for international students is five years, with the first year dedicated to Japanese language study. The following four years are for liberal arts and specialized courses. There are also short-term international students staying from a few weeks to a few months. Right now, about 10 students from places like West Point in the US and Annapolis are finishing their four-month training and heading home.

Of course, the NDA also sends students abroad. About 40 students per year are dispatched for periods ranging from a few weeks to a year. The longest is one year to South Korea, but most are for one semester, four months, or half a year. Because they are serious, even after three or four months, they return looking like different people. It is very heartening for us to see.

Students are special-status national public servants and receive an allowance. It is a little over 110,000 yen per month, but after food expenses and other costs are deducted, I believe the actual amount is a little over 80,000 yen. They also receive a small end-of-term bonus.

Regarding staff, there are four people including the President and Vice-Presidents. Currently, there are 292 instructors, 217 administrative officials, and 245 SDF officers, totaling 758 people. Instructors rarely transfer, but administrative officials and SDF officers rotate every year or two at most, so it is a workplace with many personnel changes. However, the principle is to maintain the organization even as people change. There are three Vice-Presidents: one representing the instructors, one who is a bureaucrat from the Ministry of Defense, and one called the Superintendent, who is at the Lieutenant General level. Additionally, there is one Rear Admiral and one Assistant Air General serving as training directors.

Students are divided into Ground, Maritime, and Air forces in their second year. This is based on their preference and aptitude. The ratio for Ground, Maritime, and Air is 2:1:1. Graduating from the NDA does not mean becoming a front-line SDF officer immediately. After that, they proceed to the Officer Candidate School. Therefore, they effectively study for about five years. At the Officer Candidate School, they are divided into Ground (Kurume), Maritime (Etajima), and Air (Nara) for six months to a year of classroom study and training. For example, when graduates of general universities become SDF officers, they join the NDA graduates at these Officer Candidate Schools.

Recently, many people from so-called famous universities are choosing the path to becoming SDF officers. From Keio, there are about five people every year across the Ground, Maritime, and Air forces. There also seem to be female pilot candidates. Waseda has about the same number, and the situation is roughly similar for graduates of the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University.

However, since NDA graduates have been forged through four years of training, there seems to be a significant gap at first. I think it is hard for general university graduates to catch up, but they are working hard. Once they leave there, they are ranked as Third Lieutenant, or Second Lieutenant, and are dispersed to their units.

This is how they become SDF officers, but even after that, there are many training sessions and exams, and opportunities for overseas study are increasing.

The three pillars of the NDA are "Education and Training," "Student Dormitories," and "Clubs (Koyukai)." In other words: academics, service, and physical strength. To put it another way: intellect, morals, and physical health. We value this balance.

There are truly many events at the NDA. Starting with the entrance ceremony, there is the Anniversary Festival famous for the "Bo-taoshi" (pole-toppling) competition. And for the graduation ceremony, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense attend. It is also known for everyone throwing their caps at the end of the graduation ceremony.

Note that every year, 5-8% of students graduate but decline their commission, meaning they do not go to the Officer Candidate School. There are various reasons for this. Many are personal reasons, but recently the economy has been improving and the job opening-to-application ratio is high, which also has an effect. However, viewed comprehensively, the number of people declining commissions does not change significantly every year.

Reasons for declining include finding it too tough to keep up, a lack of confidence in being responsible for people's lives, or various family circumstances such as health issues or the need to take over a family business. We do not force such people to accept a commission. We understand that protecting people's lives and the nation is an extremely difficult job both physically and mentally, so we do not force them. If there is hesitation in the heart, it will affect the discipline of the unit.

I would like to briefly introduce the three pillars I mentioned. First is "Education and Training." While the graduation requirement for a general university is 124 credits, it is 152 credits at the NDA. There are classes on Defense Studies, which is a characteristic of the NDA. These include national defense theory, military history, military technology, leadership, and strategy. In many cases, SDF officers teach these, but from next year, cyber warfare will also become a compulsory subject to keep up with the times.

Furthermore, there are a total of 1,005 hours of training over four years. In July, students spend almost the entire month dispersed to units for training. Specialized training for Ground, Maritime, and Air begins in the second year.

Common training includes climbing Mt. Fuji and long-distance swimming in the first year. In this long-distance swim in the summer of the first year, every year everyone—including those who couldn't swim—completes an 8-kilometer swim off the coast of Yokosuka over about six hours. The teaching methods are truly superb. It is moving every year.

In the second year, there are tough cutter (boat) races and ski training. Come to think of it, just today, the third-year students left for training on Iwo Jima. Besides that, there is of course marksmanship training and so on.

The second pillar, "Student Dormitories," refers to the housing and dorms, but in a sense, dorm life is the foundation of an NDA student's life. The student dormitories are divided into four battalions. One battalion consists of about 500 people. This is further divided into four companies. Each company is then divided into three platoons. Even the smallest unit, a platoon, has about 30-40 people. Even as a platoon leader, one must lead dozens of people. Young officers from the Ground, Maritime, and Air SDF are assigned to each battalion, company, and platoon as instructors on a daily basis.

In the dormitories, everyone from first to fourth year, including international students, lives together. The numbers are very high now, so they are roughly 8-10 person rooms, but they are divided into a study room and a bedroom. If the bedding isn't folded properly, a senior will mess it up and make you refold it. Or if personal belongings aren't organized, you get scolded by a senior—it's that kind of world.

International students who have just arrived in Japan and understand almost no Japanese also live together. And in just one year, they become so proficient that you wonder how they learned so much Japanese. That is how wonderfully the international students are growing.

Daily life begins with waking up at 6:00 AM, and there are several roll calls throughout the day. This is quite tough; if clothes aren't ironed or the creases in trousers aren't perfect, you have to do it over. If shoes aren't polished, that's a do-over too. They check these things for each other, one by one.

When it is time for the flag raising or lowering, everyone must face it directly. The same applies to us. There is also the march to classes. When going to class, the style for going to each classroom is fixed. For experiments, it's work clothes; for classroom study, it's the regular uniform with a specific bag. They form units and march to the classrooms. The march itself is training. In other words, it is to ensure they become able to perform a proper parade.

Among the 1st to 4th Battalions, the 4th Battalion marches the longest distance, so it is said that the 4th Battalion becomes the best at parading. After classes, there are clubs (Koyukai), and lights out is at 10:30 PM, though extensions are possible.

Going out on weekdays is strictly prohibited in principle. Except for training or visits related to classes, students cannot go outside. Doing what is called "jumping the fence" multiple times can result in expulsion. Of course, skipping classes without permission even a few times leads to severe punishment.

Going out on Saturdays and Sundays is allowed, but first-year students must wear their uniforms. Also, when passing through the school gate, uniforms must be worn. Therefore, students from the second to fourth year, who want to change into civilian clothes once they are out, rent rooms near the school with a few others, change there, and then go into town. As the Sunday night curfew approaches, everyone comes back running.

First-year students basically cannot stay out overnight except during official holidays like summer vacation. However, from the second to fourth year, they can stay out for around 20 days. Of course, as national public servants, they don't have that much time off. There are New Year holidays, but it's less than half, maybe a third, of what a normal university student gets.

From last year, we decided to select the Best Battalion of the Year. There are 11 events in total. These include parades, physical fitness tests, and cutter races. The cutter race is a rite of passage in the second year, involving intense boat rowing competition at sea. Completing this is what gets you recognized as a second-year student; it is an extremely grueling competition. I am always just cheering from the sea (laughs). Then there is the swimming competition. There are races with various strokes and while fully clothed, as well as a faculty vs. staff race. Every year I participate in an exhibition race with the Vice-Presidents and the Superintendent, and the students cheer me on with "Ryosei" calls.

There is also an English proficiency competition. This involves competing on TOEIC scores, and we give individual awards to students whose scores improve by, say, 300 points in a year. Recently, there was also a drama festival centered on the lower grades.

And then, Bo-taoshi. I would like you to watch this on YouTube. It's not just about toppling the pole; they conduct intelligence on each other beforehand to see what kind of strategy the opponent will use. Bibliobattles (book review debates) are now held in many schools. In the unit song contest, representatives from each battalion compete in singing and performance. There is also the cross-country race. However, they carry gear and rucksacks, women are included, and everyone must finish together, so they have to match the pace of the slowest person. It's teamwork. Additionally, there is a sustained run, which is a marathon.

Parade, physical fitness test, cutter, swimming, English proficiency, drama festival, Bo-taoshi, Bibliobattle, unit song, cross-country, and sustained run—the Best Battalion of the Year is chosen based on the total of these 11 events. Each is scored, and everyone works desperately hard. Last year, the 3rd Battalion won.

Koyukai refers to club activities. However, at the NDA, all students belong to the athletic association. But they have almost no time to practice. It's from 5:15 PM to 6:30 PM every day, and since that includes time for changing, they only get a little over an hour a day. Therefore, they practice on holidays. It's unthinkable to skip class to do sports (laughs). If there are such students at Keio, I would like them to follow the example of the NDA and return to their primary duty as students. However, if they do that, they won't get strong. Clubs in the 2nd or 3rd division of the league, or lower, are normal. But since they train daily, their overall athletic ability is high. The women also have impressive physical and mental strength. There are various cultural clubs and interest groups, but in any case, the important things are physical strength and teamwork. And at the same time, it's about participating in activities they like and demonstrating their individuality there.

Shortly before graduation, there is a graduation dance party. It seems some meet their lifelong partners here. This is probably because they have almost no such opportunities in their daily lives. Recently, however, articles have appeared in weekly magazines saying things like "NDA students are popular in marriage hunting," and I feel I can understand why.

Now, the purpose of the NDA is to train SDF officers. Students must take the "Oath of Service." It goes: "I, conscious of the honor and responsibility of being a student of the National Defense Academy, pledge to comply with the Constitution of Japan, laws, and school regulations, to always cultivate moral character, respect personality, forge mind and body, cultivate knowledge, not involve myself in political activities, and strive with all my might in my studies." Everyone does this at the entrance ceremony.

And it is stipulated that in NDA life, a student "aims to have a broad perspective and a rich sense of humanity, to be mindful of morality, to possess a proactive, unbiased, and fine character and moral fiber, while understanding the characteristics of the duties of an SDF officer and establishing an extensible self that has acquired the basic qualities to adapt to these." In other words, it is to foster a sense of mission to protect the nation and people and contribute to world peace through four years of education and training. To plant the DNA of dedicating one's life to the public and to others. This is the educational goal assigned to us.

The NDA does not produce fully-fledged SDF officers immediately. In reality, they experience everything after going to their units. As a foundation for that, we emphasize the balance of academics, physical strength, and spiritual cultivation—intellect, morals, and physical health. This is because their future work involves protecting or being involved with human lives, and they will have many opportunities to face crises.

When encountering a crisis, it would be a problem if they lacked decisiveness or leadership. Also, they must have followership—that is, they must understand their subordinates properly. Therefore, our motto, which has been built up repeatedly since the time of the first President, is "Be true gentlemen and ladies, and be true warriors." This is posted everywhere in the NDA.

Furthermore, based on these things, the students independently created the Student Code. It has been passed down to the present and contains the words "Honor, Courage, and Courtesy." These are also engraved everywhere in the NDA.

I believe this founding spirit of the NDA was a response to the extremely difficult post-war period. Isn't the National Defense Academy just a military school? Isn't it the militarism of the past? There were people of the older generation who were labeled in such a one-sided way, or who had water splashed on them or stones thrown at them when wearing their uniforms. There is a history of enduring through such times, and it is a culture that was created within that.

The NDA celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2012, the year I took office. When I arrived, I said that it's no good to just make a fuss during the 60th anniversary year; the 61st year is what's important. Also, immediately after I took office, there were service-related incidents that violated criminal law, as well as bullying cases. Based on those experiences, we conducted a total inspection and launched the "New Heights Project" to aim for being the best university in Japan and the best officer academy in the world.

Of course, the NDA does not only do academics. We also conduct physical training like a physical education university. Furthermore, we conduct spiritual training like a religious university. In other words, we are doing what is done at three types of universities all at once. Since there is no other university like this, I say that the NDA is the best university in Japan. There is only one NDA in Japan.

I have visited officer academies all over the world, and I am gradually gaining the conviction that the NDA can become the best officer academy in the world. There are various reasons for this, but above all, there are almost no schools where the Ground, Maritime, and Air forces are integrated. In any country, you see that the Army and Navy don't get along very well. Also, the fusion of science and humanities is a characteristic of the NDA. And there is the spirit of "Wa" (harmony) that the NDA possesses. International students who come to the NDA settle in remarkably well. Therefore, we are receiving many requests from all over the world to entrust students to the NDA. Since we cannot possibly accept them all at present, we are basically limiting it to Asia. Also, the sense of cleanliness, which is a Japanese virtue, and the fact that we have a graduate school (research department) are characteristics of the NDA.

Furthermore, probably more than 80% of current SDF generals are NDA graduates. Incidentally, as I introduced, there are three Vice-Presidents at the NDA, one of whom is called the Superintendent. General Toshiya Okabe, the current Chief of Staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, is someone who previously worked hard as the Superintendent under me. In this way, the SDF officers who come to the NDA serve as role models for the students.

Furthermore, at the newly established Liberal Arts Education Center, we are greatly increasing classes related to culture, such as having Mr. Tamasaburo Bando visit this spring. This center also focuses on English education. For an SDF officer, English can be a matter of life and death. You have to judge in a split second whether the word "not" was included in the English you just heard. Therefore, English must be done thoroughly. We also established the Center for International Affairs to centralize international exchange operations that had existed separately. In addition, we created the Global Security Center this year to conduct joint research inside and outside the school that utilizes the characteristics of the NDA. While the NDA is centered on education, I felt it was necessary to encourage research by our high-level instructors.

As I mentioned at the beginning, being in the position of NDA President gives me the feeling of running a liberal arts college. Places called colleges always have student dormitories. In British colleges, all students live strictly in dorms. In other words, they have to solve problems that occur in school life among their peers every day. A college is where one becomes an adult through that. Therefore, it is safe to say that there are almost no Japanese universities that possess this college culture in the true sense.

At the National Defense Academy, there are three people referred to as the Three Benefactors. One is Shigeru Yoshida, the former Prime Minister. Then there is Shinzo Koizumi, former President of Keio University, and Tomoo Maki. We have exhibits for these three in the NDA museum. And two of them are from the Juku.

As I mentioned, Shigeru Yoshida sought the integration of the Ground, Maritime, and Air forces and emphasized science and technology. This was based on reflection on the pre-war era. Furthermore, he tried to appoint civilians as Presidents from the very first one. I attend meetings of officer academies around the world, and the heads are almost all military personnel. I attend as a civilian President, which is rare globally.

When I met the current Finance Minister Taro Aso previously, I heard a story. It was a story Minister Aso heard from his grandfather, Shigeru Yoshida. When Yoshida was the Ambassador to the UK, a military attaché named Eiichi Tatsumi was under him. He later became a Lieutenant General, but he was pro-British and pro-American and insisted that a war with the US and UK was absolutely out of the question. Minister Aso said he remembered as a child that this Tatsumi was giving various advice to Yoshida regarding the establishment of the post-war NDA.

Shigeru Yoshida first asked Shinzo Koizumi to be the President of the NDA. However, Koizumi said that since he was working as an advisor for the education of the Crown Prince, he wanted to recommend Tomoo Maki, whom he trusted most. It is said that Prime Minister Yoshida had no prior acquaintance with Tomoo Maki, but after being introduced and meeting him, he made an immediate decision on the spot.

In 1933, Shinzo Koizumi became the President of Keio University and served until 1947. The Vice-President in charge of academic affairs at that time was Tomoo Maki. He served as Vice-President throughout President Koizumi's entire term.

At that time, Keio University apparently only had two Vice-Presidents: one for finance and one for academic affairs. Tomoo Maki graduated from the department of political economy at the Juku in 1914, studied at Oxford University under the philosopher Ernest Barker to learn democratic political thought, and graduated first in his class from New College in 1920. He was the first Japanese to graduate at the top of his class. He returned to Japan the following year and became a faculty member of the Faculty of Law. Later, he became a professor of the Faculty of Law and served as the chairman of the Keio branch of the League of Nations (now the Keio International Political Economy Research Association). Incidentally, I also belonged to the Keio International Political Economy Research Association, so the name Tomoo Maki had been in my memory since my undergraduate days.

In 1925, at the age of 34, Tomoo Maki succeeded Takuzo Itakura as the second director of the Athletic Association. He led the construction of the Yamanaka Villa, a training facility for the Athletic Association, and simultaneously built various Athletic Association facilities one after another. Among them, Mr. Koizumi was particularly impressed by the tennis courts. Perhaps because of Maki's work in the Athletic Association, the new President Koizumi appointed Maki as Vice-President. Mr. Maki was 42 years old at the time.

What kind of work did Tomoo Maki handle as Vice-President of the Juku? The biggest project at the time was the construction of the Hiyoshi Campus, which had begun during the era of President Kiroku Hayashi. There were plans to create a preparatory course for the university in Hiyoshi and to establish a new Faculty of Science and Technology through collaboration with the Fujiwara Institute of Technology. Vice-President Maki was in charge of these. He built the current Hiyoshi First and Second Buildings and other school buildings, as well as athletic facilities including the track and field stadium. Regarding the landscaping, such as the ginkgo trees in Hiyoshi, it seems Mr. Maki visited contractors and selected them himself.

The construction of the Yochisha Elementary School in Tengenji also seems to have been Vice-President Maki's work. The project Mr. Maki put the most heart into was the construction of the Hiyoshi Kishukusha. This still exists and was completed in 1937. At the time, it featured private rooms with floor heating, flush toilets, and glass-walled baths. He built three wings and reportedly served as the first dormitory warden of the middle wing. I feel that his desire for a British-style liberal arts college was very strong. Mr. Maki often used the phrase "source of honorable character, a paragon of intellect and morals" even after coming to the NDA. He frequently spoke of the importance of such courtesy.

After that, the Pacific War began in 1941. Wartime mobilization of students and faculty began, and from 1943, students disappeared from the campus due to student mobilization. Mr. Maki then became the head of the preparatory course (Hiyoshi), but as the war situation worsened, 1944 became the era of the "Navy that came ashore."

After considering locations, the Combined Fleet Headquarters selected the Hiyoshi Campus as a strong candidate, and the Navy decided to move to Hiyoshi. Mr. Maki also seems to have handled those negotiations, and they moved in September 1944. The Kishukusha became the headquarters' operations room and officers' quarters. As you know, the construction of underground bunkers began after that.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the underground bunkers with the NDA staff. It seems the US military at the time had obtained land information quite carefully and bombed heavily around the bunkers and entrances. Nearby private houses also suffered significant damage. Keio University is said to be one of the universities that suffered the most war damage, and the Hiyoshi Campus was also considerably destroyed. I can only imagine the disappointment of President Koizumi and Vice-President Maki.

President Koizumi lost his son in the war and later suffered severe burns to his face in an air raid. In January 1947, Mr. Maki retired from the position of Vice-President along with President Koizumi.

Now, I would like to look at the relationship between these three in more detail. According to what Mr. Maki wrote, Shigeru Yoshida said, "Today is the era of democracy. Much cannot remain as it was in the past. The same is true for officer education." Such thinking might have been influenced by the advice from Mr. Tatsumi, whom I introduced earlier. Shigeru Yoshida visited the NDA twice while Prime Minister and five other times, totaling seven visits.

Mr. Koizumi visited more than ten times. And a collection of his lectures at the NDA has been published as a book titled "The Responsibility is Heavy and the Road is Long: Lectures at the National Defense Academy" (Koyo Shobo). It seems Mr. Koizumi sometimes asked Mr. Maki himself to let him go to the NDA. Mr. Koizumi said: "Tomoo Maki is my friend of many years, and when I was the President of Keio University for over ten years, Mr. Maki was (...) in a position like a Vice-President and was my unique friend who helped me throughout" ("The Responsibility is Heavy and the Road is Long," p. 93). Furthermore, he said honestly: "The work of the National Defense Academy President is pitiable. (...) The world is cold toward important things like national defense. They call it the revival of military cliques and hurl abuse at the students. It must be a source of much worry. I sincerely sympathize with your hardships" (Conversation with Maki, Tomoo Maki, "The Duty of Defense," Chuo Koron Shinsha, 2009, p. 303).

So, what kind of feelings did Mr. Maki have toward Mr. Koizumi? Mr. Maki recalled the famous "President's Instructions" that President Koizumi used to give to students and confessed that he had unknowingly been influenced by these words.

"1. Make your will strong and your appearance upright. 1. Be courteous to teachers and friends. 1. Protect the sanctity of the classroom and the cleanliness of the campus. 1. Yield to the elderly, the young, and women on the road" ("The Duty of Defense," p. 296, partially modified).

At the NDA, Mr. Maki used to tell students things like: when you get on a train or bus, you must not sit down. Especially when wearing a uniform, be mindful of proper etiquette. And set an example for others. Looking back, he confessed that he was merely practicing what President Koizumi had said.

Furthermore, Mr. Maki said: "President Koizumi during his time as President held himself high, had a strong temperament, was logical, and had a sharp way with words. People respected this. However, regarding the President in his later years, he reminds me of the English word 'mellow'" ("The Duty of Defense," p. 299). Does "mellow" mean "enjuku" (maturity/ripeness)?

So, what did Tomoo Maki do at the NDA? Reading Mr. Maki's various writings, there are many philosophical expressions. I think this was largely due to what he learned from the British political philosopher Ernest Barker. At the same time, it is clear that he had read Fukuzawa extensively and was also significantly influenced by Mr. Koizumi. One can also feel the influence of his college life in England and the influence of people like Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue. Inoue was known for taking a liberal stance within the military and lived a very simple life on the Miura Peninsula after the war. Mr. Maki visited Inoue several times.

Mr. Maki served as President for about 13 years from 1952 to 1965. From age 60 to 73. I would like to introduce some of his words.

To the first class of students, he said: "First, your mission requires you to be unbiased and balanced individuals; second, your mission requires you to have a precise understanding of the democratic system" (Address at the 1953 Entrance Ceremony for the 1st Class, "The Duty of Defense," p. 21). He conveyed these two things to the new students. Regarding freedom and discipline in NDA life, he said: "There is no true freedom without discipline, and no true democratic system can exist without a law-abiding spirit or the will to obey justice. (...) While we emphasize the development of individuality, we also place great expectations on it. (...) Individuality is not something to be left unchecked, nor does individual freedom mean self-indulgence. (...) The development of individuality exists only in aiming for what is right, and freedom exists only in right action" (ibid., p. 23).

In fact, during the early days of the NDA, "Freedom and Discipline" by Kiyoshi Ikeda, a scholar of English literature at Keio, was required reading. It seems it was also required reading for the NDA generation around my age.

"An officer and a gentleman" (ibid., p. 27), "'High rank brings obligations' Noblesse oblige" (ibid., p. 29), "Discipline, autonomy, trust" (ibid., p. 30)—these words are engraved everywhere in the school, and the phrase "Noblesse Oblige" is particularly present on the bust of Mr. Maki. Also: "We generally consider three goals. One is to be a fine member of society and a useful citizen, another is to be a fine unit leader, and yet another is to be a person of fine scholarship" (ibid., p. 46). He spoke in this way as well.

Regarding the student corps and clubs I introduced earlier, he said: "We consider the student corps and clubs to be training grounds for the character of SDF officers, just like the classrooms for intellectual skills, the training grounds for drills, or the various exercise fields" (ibid., p. 181). This also leads to the cultivation of the spirit of independence and self-reliance.

"This unique and distinctive educational system emphasizes science and technology, but we strictly avoid considering this as specialized or vocational education; rather, the educational principle flowing through the whole is one with a strong general or liberal color. We have maintained that we must strictly refrain from losing what must be acquired during your age period in the rush for specialized education. It is preparation for life, and we believe that considering your whole life is for your benefit and also benefits the Self-Defense Forces" (ibid., p. 90). In other words, the essence lies not in rushing into specialized education from the start, but in how to create that human foundation. It is believed that building the foundation of humanity also benefits the SDF.

The students studying at the NDA will not stand at the top of a unit right away. It will be about 20 or 30 years later when they truly take on the core role of protecting this country and its people. In other words, we must provide education now by thinking about what kind of situation they will be in and what will be needed 20 or 30 years from now.

Therefore, we spend every day repeatedly re-reading Mr. Maki's teachings. A phrase Mr. Maki liked very much is: "Has your heart fallen behind, has the strength left your arms?" It appears many times in his books. This means the fusion of intellect, morals, and physical health. Also, he was very fond of Pascal. Mr. Koizumi tended to quote more from Confucius and the Analects. However, Mr. Maki overwhelmingly quoted from Western thought. It is said that Mr. Koizumi told Mr. Maki, "You should read the Analects," but Mr. Maki mainly drew from Western thought.

"[Pascal] said, 'Justice without power is helpless, and power without justice is tyranny.' Justice must always be a companion to the defense organization. Without it, the power of defense is either morally helpless or will degenerate into abominable violence" (ibid., p. 290). "Peace is an indispensable factor for progress. However, peace that loses sight of the country's independence has no meaning. Also, basic individual freedom is important for the happiness of the people and the realization of their ideals. However, this does not release the people from the responsibility to protect the country" (ibid., p. 213).

What I am reminded of here are Yukichi Fukuzawa's words: "The independence of a nation springs from the independence of the individual," and "Those who lack the spirit of independence do not care deeply for their country." In his later years, Mr. Maki told Washichi Konno, who was a staff member of the Juku: "What I couldn't do at the Juku (Keio University), I did once more at the National Defense Academy" (Washichi Konno, "Reminiscences of Mr. Tomoo Maki," in "Maki no Mi: Collection of Reminiscences of Mr. Tomoo Maki," 1972).

In other words, under President Koizumi, Mr. Maki probably wanted to create a college through the construction of Hiyoshi and other projects. He tried to teach general education as a human being in the university's preparatory course and create a proper human foundation. With that thought, he probably built Hiyoshi while envisioning Oxford, but it ended up being covered in the scars of war. I think Mr. Maki felt regret that his wishes were not fulfilled.

And because former President Koizumi probably knew that, when he himself was approached by Shigeru Yoshida to be the President of the National Defense Academy, he first recommended Tomoo Maki. We can understand that this kind of history existed.

Returning to the origins of the National Defense Academy—Shigeru Yoshida, Shinzo Koizumi, and Tomoo Maki—and looking at the transition of their thought and history, I cannot help but feel the historical ties with Keio University. In a word, it leads to the spirit of Fukuzawa. The origin lies in "The independence of a nation springs from the independence of the individual," which also connects to why many SDF officers like Fukuzawa. Through the two figures of Shinzo Koizumi and Tomoo Maki, the spirit of Fukuzawa was injected into the NDA.

Actually, my mentor, Tadao Ishikawa, was once asked to be the President of the National Defense Academy. I think it was around 1976 when I was going from undergraduate to graduate school. I heard rumors that Professor Ishikawa would move to the NDA and was worried since I had just entered graduate school. At that time, Professor Masamichi Inoki of Kyoto University was the 3rd President of the NDA, and it is said that Professor Inoki also faced opposition movements at Kyoto University when he took office. One of the scholars Professor Inoki trusted most was Tadao Ishikawa. I have heard this from his son, Professor Takenori Inoki, as well.

However, in the end, in 1977, Professor Ishikawa became the President of Keio and declined the NDA presidency. Later, in the 1990s, Professor Ishikawa might have been consulted again. Professor Saburo Matsumoto of the Juku was recommended. Professor Matsumoto had contributed to the development of the Juku as the Vice-President in charge of academic affairs for 12 of the 16 years of President Ishikawa's term. I think the construction of the Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) would have been difficult without Professor Matsumoto's efforts. That Professor Matsumoto took office as the 6th President of the National Defense Academy and served from 1993 to 2000.

The spirit of Keio can also be felt in Professor Matsumoto's work at the NDA. In particular, regarding valuing alumni, he considered measures for graduates such as Home Coming Day and Home Visit Day, and also thought about how to utilize private funds. When Professor Matsumoto was a Vice-President of the Juku, I watched from below as he and President Ishikawa struggled to collect donations for the 125th anniversary from the Mita-kai and others. Professor Matsumoto later worked hard to establish a support organization called the National Defense Academy Cooperation Association nationwide, centered on local Yokosuka, and devoted himself to collecting a certain amount of funds to promote various support for school events and support activities for international students. In a sense, I feel that Professor Matsumoto also inherited the spirit of the Juku since Fukuzawa.

I suspect some of you may have never heard the name Tomoo Maki. You may also be unaware of the history I spoke about today. However, as I introduced today, history is created through the crystallization of the passionate thoughts of various people, and we can see that history exists within such an overall structure. Having worked at the National Defense Academy for five years already, I feel that I am growing significantly as a person as I look back into its history.

The original meaning of the word "Gijuku" is a school that provides education to anyone. In other words, it is a place that provides education equally through various donations without taking money. This is actually a difficult thing for a private school, but fortunately, our NDA is national, and the students receive a small salary, so in that sense, it could be said that we are creating a "Defense Gijuku."

As I said at the beginning, I am now reconsidering at the NDA what I did not think about deeply during my time at Keio—what education is—and I am involved in the project of creating a one-of-a-kind school in Japan. There is no final form for such a thing, so I think it is an eternal challenge, but I intend to continue taking on challenges while keeping the spirit of the Juku since Fukuzawa as my starting point. And eventually, I intend to pass the baton well to the next person and connect the NDA spirit, namely Maki-ism.

Thank you very much for giving me such a valuable opportunity today.

(This article is based on the 703rd Mita Public Speaking Event held on December 13, 2016)