On December 14, Waseda University hosted a visit by a group of international affairs graduate students from Canada, on a government-sponsored study trip to Japan.
The students, from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, were invited as part of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs program “KAKEHASHI“, meaning “bridge”, which promotes mutual trust and understanding as a basis for friendship and cooperation between people in Japan and North America.
As part of the program’s objective to investigate Japanese institutions, the students learned about the history and ongoing programs behind Waseda’s status as a key location for international research and education. They also spent time with Waseda students, who gave a presentation about the university and joined in a lecture and discussion about the role of religion in Japanese culture, led by Waseda Professor Paul B. Watt.
Many students were new to Japan, but some also found direct relevance to their major studies, like Katheryne Ruel, who found inspiration for her research on nuclear non-proliferation in the conversation with an atomic bomb survivor in Nagasaki.
Already leading Japan with over 5000 international students enrolled and 4000 going overseas every year, Waseda will continue its role in bridging Japan with the world by hosting another KAKEHASHI group in January, from the United States, and also sending a delegation of its students to Canada in March.
