Making the Most of SFC | Soichiro Yamasaki (Graduated from the Faculty of Policy Management in 2016)

2022.03.31

Soichiro Yamasaki

Author of "Kodomo Roppo" / Musical Actor / Representative of Art&Arts LLC

Graduated from the Faculty of Policy Management in 2016

Failing to get into my first-choice university.

My life at SFC began with the setback of failing my university entrance exams.

I originally had no intention of going to SFC, but due to my family's strong wishes, I reluctantly enrolled. What made it difficult was that even though it took three hours one way from my family's home to SFC, I was not allowed to live alone for financial reasons.

"A six-hour round trip, meaning one of my four years at university would be spent commuting. Having failed to get into my first choice, I wondered why I was living this kind of university life."

Unable to bear such a miserable commute, I began staying over at the homes of friends who lived near campus or sleeping in my research lab using the Six Codes as a pillow. However, I believe this helped me develop the "independence" that had been swayed by my "family's wishes."

I had to find my own meaning in coming to SFC. Since I had gone to the trouble of enrolling, I decided to make the most of SFC. After renewing my resolve, my world began to expand.

My research theme has consistently been "solving the problem of bullying through legal education." Since SFC had no research groups that dealt specifically with "legal education" or "bullying," I pursued my research by belonging to two groups: the Fumio Shimpo Seminar, which deals with "information law," and the Ikumi Waragai Seminar, which deals with "learning environment design." I feel that it was precisely because I was conducting hybrid research in these two groups that my interest in "developing educational materials" like "Kodomo Roppo" grew.

In my third and fourth years, I received the "Study and Research Grant" from the Education Encouragement Fund and produced "Kodomo Roppo" and "Kodomo Roppo Sugoroku." These were later published by Kobundo and Gentosha, respectively, with a total circulation of over 750,000 copies. People who came to know me through these books began to request lectures at schools, on-site classes, and teacher training sessions.

"Kodomo Roppo" has become more famous than my own name, and like a business card, it supports my activities. However, the origin of "Kodomo Roppo" is undoubtedly at SFC. This is thanks not only to the support in the form of research funding and the presence of collaborators, but also to the culture of creativity that made the very idea of "Kodomo Roppo" possible.

After graduating from university, I had opportunities to work as an actor, including performing on stage in musicals with the Shiki Theatre Company. I am currently creating new musicals and planning and managing concerts and live performances at a company called Art&Arts, and my experiences in the musical circle and with the Keio University Wagner Society Male Choir, for which I commuted to Mita, have been invaluable.

The friendly competition and collaboration with my classmates from university are always stimulating experiences for me. My connections have also expanded: a senior from my research group was assigned to a post near my wife's family home, whom I married through music, and the managing director of a bookstore my wife had frequented since childhood turned out to be an SFC alumnus, which led to us holding a symposium on school education and school regulations/rules. In addition, Professor Kenichi Shimomura, who was a great help to me in my classes during my university days, has participated as a lecturer in the "Kodomo Roppo School," a legal education Juku that I am promoting as a new initiative. My current activities are built on making full use of the connections I made during my time at SFC.

To all SFC students and prospective SFC students. In fact, not just to those at SFC, but to all high school and university students: I want you to have the audacity to greedily make the most of your current environment. How much you have done and how deeply you have delved into it in your current environment, and how many unique relationships you have been able to build with how many people—these things will surely be valuable even after you graduate from university.

Reference URL (Soichiro Yamasaki Profile)