2022.04.14
The AY2022 SFC Kickoff Lecture was held on April 6.
The Kickoff Lecture is held annually for new SFC students with the aim of helping them broaden their perspectives, learn the importance of making their future student life meaningful, and develop an attitude toward their studies and an ability to accurately perceive changes in society by inviting distinguished speakers from various fields to give lectures.
For AY2022, Mr. Hiroyuki Habuchi, Commander of the Oceanography ASW Support Command, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and Rear Admiral, gave a lecture titled "The Story No Longer Told: The Sleeping Owl."
Mr. Habuchi was a member of SFC's first graduating class. During his time at SFC, he belonged to the research group of the late Professor Tomoyuki Kojima (former Dean of the Faculty of Policy Management). After graduating from the Faculty of Policy Management in 1994, he served in the JMSDF while also pursuing research at the Graduate School of Law at Kyoto University and the U.S. Naval War College. With his broad perspective and deep insight into society, he shared episodes from his time at SFC and delivered a message to the new students based on three stories.
The first story, titled "The World of Make-Believe," unpacked the political commentary "When the World of 'Make-Believe' Ends" by the late Professor Jun Eto (former professor at the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies). Describing a single ideology as a "story," he emphasized the following two points.
▶ Stories are eventually no longer told directly, so do not miss the opportunity to learn.
▶ Even if a story seems to be no longer told, its essence may be passed down, so never stop learning.
The second story, titled "The Unseen Power," explained that even important things that should be discussed are sometimes left unsaid because people hold each other in check. He illustrated this through an introduction to "A Japanese in the Philippines (Ryojin Nikki)," which formed the basis of Shichihei Yamamoto's book (Why Japan Loses: 21 Causes of Defeat), and pointed out the importance of the following two points.
▶ Since some stories are never told, make it a habit to start telling them yourself.
▶ It is important to consider and protect truly free discourse and to maintain a society that accepts mutual storytelling.
The third story was titled "The Arrival of Twilight." He spoke about the differences in interpretation between the "Owl of Minerva" as described by the late Professor Hiroshi Kato, the first Dean of the Faculty of Policy Management , and the "Owl of Minerva" mentioned by Hegel in his "Philosophy of Right," and pointed out the following two points.
▶ While stories may be told freely, there are always things left unsaid behind them, so you must seek the ability to discern what is not being said.
▶ "Twilight" is not something that arrives someday; it is constantly happening "now" with the passage of time. The effort to identify and solve problems must begin from this very moment.
Finally, he stated that it is the new students themselves, the "sleeping owls," who must acknowledge the arrival of twilight, take flight, and weave their own stories. After reciting "SFC no Uta" (SFC Song) by Professor Naoyuki Agawa (former Dean of the Faculty of Policy Management) , he concluded with the words, "Welcome to SFC!"
In the Q&A session that followed, many questions were asked by inspired students, and students could be seen gathering around Mr. Habuchi even after the lecture.
◆ Hiroyuki Habuchi
1994: Graduated from the Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University
1994: Joined the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) (entered the 45th Officer Candidate School course)
2006: Completed Master's Program at the Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University (Master of Laws)
2009: Commanding Officer, Submarine JS Takashio
2014: Graduated from the Command Course, U.S. Naval War College
2016: Commander, Submarine Training Squadron 1
2017: Head, Defense Planning and Policy Division, Defense Department, Maritime Staff Office
2019: Inspector, Inspector General's Office, Ministry of Defense
2021: Current position (Commander, Oceanography ASW Support Command)
Posted by: General Affairs Section, Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) Office