Honorary doctorate awarded to Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita

On March 26, 2025, Waseda University conferred an honorary doctoral degree upon Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita, founder and CEO of Quality Electrodynamics (QED) and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Ohio State University. 

Dr. Fujita enrolled in Waseda University’s School of Science and Engineering in 1987 and graduated in 1992 from Monmouth College in Illinois, USA, with degrees in Physics and Mathematics. He later earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio in 1998. In 2006, he founded Quality Electrodynamics (QED) and led the company as CEO, guiding its growth until its acquisition by Canon in 2019. Following the acquisition by Canon, he was appointed Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the CT-MR Division at Canon Medical Systems Corporation. Since 2022, he has also served as Chairman of Canon Healthcare USA. 

In addition to his success as a business leader, Dr. Fujita has contributed significantly to the advancement of higher education in the United States and Japan. He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of The Ohio State University in 2016 and became Chairman in 2022. In Japan, he was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) in 2020. Furthermore, since 2018, he has served as the inaugural Honorary Consul of Japan in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Dr. Fujita’s steadfast dedication to the advancement of American society, not only in his home state of Ohio but across the United States, along with his commitment to fostering a better future for his homeland of Japan and strengthening U.S.-Japan relations, embodies the ideal of a “global leader contributing to humankind throughout the world” that Waseda University strives to cultivate. His accomplishments serve as an inspiration not only to Waseda students but also to many young people in Japan, making him a fitting recipient of this honorary doctorate. 

The conferral ceremony took place during Waseda University’s March 2025 graduation ceremony held at Waseda Arena on the Toyama Campus. The ceremony was attended by many graduating students, faculty, and staff. In his congratulatory address, Dr. Fujita reflected on his journey from Waseda to the United States and encouraged the graduates, saying, “Do not be bound by fixed ideas—believe in yourself and take the first step. Forge your own path, one step at a time.” 

About Waseda University’s Honorary Doctorate

This degree is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to academia, the arts, society, or humanity, and who Waseda University deems appropriate to honor. It is the highest honorary title at Waseda University, and has been awarded to 149 people from Japan and overseas, including Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita.