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On May 15, 1868, while Edo (present-day Tokyo) was in a state of turmoil in the midst of the Boshin War, Yukichi Fukuzawa remained unperturbed and continued to present a lecture as usual on an economic text by the American economist Francis Wayland. A memorial lecture has been held at Keio University on May 15, designated the "Yukichi Fukuzawa-Francis Wayland Lecture Day," since 1956 in order to pass down to posterity the spirit of Fukuzawa who esteemed learning and education over any social change that took place.

This year, on Thursday, May 15, Professor Keigo Komamura from the Faculty of Law gave a lecture titled, "Moral Backbone of the 21st Century—Fukuzawa's Philosophy of Freedom, Happiness, and the True Duty of the Maggot" at the Mita Public Speaking Hall (Mita Enzetsu-kan). The event was so highly anticipated that advanced reservations had to close when registration reached maximum capacity, leading to a hugely successful event.

Professor Komamura contrasted the moral spirit of Yukichi Fukuzawa, who taught about being a "paragon of intellect and morals for the entire nation," with the "moral backbone" espoused by Shinzo Koizumi, the seventh Keio president who succeeded him.

He explained that the present age of information overload has become an age in which "freedom begets unhappiness." In the 21st century, the question is whether people can act with a "moral backbone" in times of emergency.

The audience members listened attentively to the entertaining lecture given by the professor, and at times, the hall was filled with laughter. After the lecture, there were many people taking photos of the Mita Public Speaking Hall, a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan. This year marks the 150th anniversary since its establishment.

A transcript of the lecture is scheduled to be published in the July edition of the Keio University publication Mita-hyoron.