In this volume of “Office Hours,” we visit Katsujiro Koga from the Faculty of Social Sciences.
“I usually don’t open the curtains, but today’s a special occasion so why not.”
Professor Koga opened his office curtains for us
-Thank you. You have a nice view. What do you generally use your office for?
“There are two types of professors: those that study at home and those that study at university. I am the type that studies at university. That means I am here every day from around 9am to 6pm. This has been my routine ever since I became a professor at 30 years old. I am now 65.”
-I see. You must be very enthusiastic about your research.
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not because my wife is home that I don’t want to leave the office. New things come up every day so I have to come here and get familiar with them. This is why my office is messy.”
Professor Koga’s multipurpose bags used for class and for hiding things from visitors
-Where did you buy this book?
“I got this from a used book store in Kanda.”
Kanbuntaikei, a compilation of information on classical Chinese thought, history, literature, and art
-It’s quite thick. How long did it take you to finish?
“This took me about one year to finish. For the past 35 years, I have focused my research on Hayek, Hume, and Yasui Sokken. As a university professor, I am required to conduct this type of long-term research. Even among these three people, exploring one topic reveals all types of new information. I enjoy making these new discoveries and that’s why I am here every morning from 9am.”
Professor Koga up close and personal with one of his many books
-What led you to become a researcher?
“A hot topic during my time as a student was the economic debate between socialism and liberalism. From there I grew interested in Hayek, an advocate for neoliberalism. I found a suitable academic curriculum based on reading classical tests and studying history. I really enjoyed my life as a research student.”
-Before we go, can you please share a few words for students?
“I am still using the critical thinking skills I developed during my time as a student. I would like everyone to develop these skills when they’re young and become individuals capable of solving the many problems our world faces.”
Professor Koga has been involved in the translation of many of Hayek’s books
Original article from August 2013
