April 24, 2025
On April 9, Keio University invited North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte for a speech titled “NATO and Japan – Strong Partnerships in an Interconnected World” held at Mita Campus. Attendees included officials from the NATO headquarters, the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo, and the Embassy of Romania in Tokyo, as well as ambassadors and embassy officials from various countries in Europe and elsewhere. Keio University was represented by Vice-President Motohiro Tsuchiya, as well as many Keio students, faculty, and staff who also participated in the event.
Vice-President Tsuchiya delivered an opening address and gave a warm welcome to Secretary General Rutte on behalf of the university. This visit marks 10 years since his last visit to Keio University as the prime minister of the Netherlands. Vice-President Tsuchiya further mentioned in his speech the deep historical ties between Keio University and the Netherlands, which originated from the school for Dutch studies established by Keio’s founder, Yukichi Fukuzawa. He also alluded to the changes in global affairs over the past decade and security challenges in East Asia, before passing the baton to Secretary General Rutte for his speech.
In his speech, Secretary General Rutte discussed how the conflict and strife occurring in various parts of the world right now are not limited to any specific country or region, but constitute a global issue. He emphasized that it is paramount that we work toward maintaining peace, not merely securing it. He also expressed his belief that cooperation between NATO and Japan in technological development and innovation, including fostering future leaders, has the potential to safeguard common interests and shared values, thereby contributing to global stability.
Following this speech, Professor Hosoya from the Faculty of Law moderated a dialogue between Secretary General Rutte and students who attended the event. They discussed a wide range of topics, such as the situation in Ukraine and the impact of the new US national security strategy on cooperation between Asian and European nations with NATO, as well as the role Japan should play amidst a rapidly changing society.
Photo: Takeshi Kishi