President Clinton of the United States visits Waseda University

Delivers speech at Okuma Auditorium and engages in dialogue with students

On July 7, Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, visited Waseda University. At Okuma Auditorium, he delivered a speech and participated in a dialogue with students. It was the first time in history that a sitting U.S. president had visited a Japanese university—a truly historic day for Waseda.

President Clinton’s visit was arranged in response to his own desire to engage in dialogue with Japanese students, coinciding with his trip to Japan for the G7 Summit (Tokyo Summit) held from July 7 to 9.

Okuma Auditorium was packed with an audience of approximately 600 students, selected by lottery from various departments, as well as numerous members of the press from both Japan and the United States. Although her attendance had not been announced, First Lady Hillary Clinton made a surprise appearance in the audience. Amid the excitement, President Clinton entered the hall together with Waseda University President Chumaru Koyama, about twenty minutes behind schedule.

Before the main speech, President Koyama addressed the audience, recalling the visit of the late U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to Waseda, and stated that “the role of the university in society remains unchanged.” President Clinton then opened his remarks with humor: “I forgot to put on my simultaneous interpretation headset, so all I understood was ‘Robert Kennedy’ in President Koyama’s speech. I must study Japanese more.”

“Let’s make change our friend,” he emphasized.

In his speech, President Clinton spoke about the creation of a New Pacific Community, strengthening the role of APEC, correcting the U.S.-Japan trade imbalance and establishing new trade rules, and promoting democratization in Asia. He also advocated for building a partnership rooted in the shared interests of both nations. Echoing the slogan from his presidential campaign, he frequently invoked the word “CHANGE,” urging the audience to “make change our friend.”

After his speech, the President stepped down from the podium and sat in a chair placed at the front of the stage for a student dialogue session. He responded to questions from students on topics such as the Japanese Royal Family and U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, sometimes with serious expressions and expressive gestures. In particular, when asked about the First Lady, he stressed that “it benefits the United States to have such a talented woman fully utilizing her abilities,” revealing a glimpse of their partnership.

After the event, guided by President Koyama, the Clintons strolled along the path in front of Okuma Garden House, where they viewed the Peace Monument and traditional Tanabata decorations displayed in honor of the day. They also visited the Okuma-dori shopping street, which stretches from the East Gate of the main campus toward Shin-Mejiro Street, where they interacted with local residents before departing.