Spring 2022 Entrance Ceremonies
Mon, Apr 4, 2022-
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On Friday, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, 2022, the entrance ceremonies for undergraduates, graduate students and students from the Art and Architecture School were held at the Waseda Arena on Toyama Campus.
As in the previous year, preventive measures were taken to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection during the ceremonies in consideration of the health and safety of all students and their family members. Besides limiting the number of participants and duration of the ceremonies, other measures such as splitting the ceremony into numerous installments were utilized for a safe experience. Only incoming students were invited to attend the ceremonies, and for those who were unable to attend in-person, live broadcasting was made available online.
*To watch the archived videos of the actual day live broadcast, please scroll to the end of the page.
Approximately 8,800 new undergraduate students were welcomed at this year’s ceremony, as they embark on their university journey as new members of the Waseda community. Additionally, approximately 3,000 new graduate students will further their education and strive to make great contributions to the university’s scholarship.
Aiji Tanaka, President of Waseda University
President’s Address (extract)
I know that all of you incoming students must have many special thoughts, because you suffered from the coronavirus pandemic over the last two years before entering Waseda University. You have our sympathy and respect because you overcame those very difficult circumstances and gained this opportunity to enroll in Waseda University today.
Most of the problems human beings are facing today do not have correct answers. Think, for example, about the Covid-19 pandemic, global warming, the recent invasion of Russian military forces into Ukraine, you name it. No one knows a single “right” answer to solve any of those problems. Among them, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all of us, therefore providing a clear example of how to tackle an unknown new problem. The tough-mindedness that impels us to think through a problem to arrive at a solution is what I call “intellectual resilience”.
Another important ideal is to foster “flexible sensitivity.” Under the concept of “flexible sensitivity,” we encourage our students to accept, understand and respect people of different nationalities, ethnicities, languages, religions, creeds, genders and sexual orientations.
For example, let us imagine how fearful and uneasy those students from Ukraine studying at Waseda feel now. At the same time, let us imagine how those students from Russia feel as they look at what their own country is doing, and how scared they feel about other people’s perception of them. It is important to empathize with how other people feel and to be considerate of people different from yourself. This ability is exactly what I mean by “flexible sensitivity.” I believe that you can foster “flexible sensitivity” well at Waseda.
Please study hard and devote yourself to whatever you find interesting to do at Waseda. I hope you will enjoy your student life at Waseda. In 4 years, when you graduate from Waseda, you will be even more exceptional and admirable than you are already.
Link to the President’s full speech (For Undergraduate students)
Link to the President’s full speech (For Graduate students)
Undergraduate School Entrance Ceremony
First session: School of Political Science and Economics and School of Law
Congratulatory Address by Tadashi YanaiChairman, President and CEO of FAST RETAILING CO., LTD,and a major benefactor of the University
Tadashi Yanai graduated from Waseda University’s former School of Political Science and Economics I, Economic Department, in 1971. He spent some time at JUSCO Co., Ltd, after which he joined FAST RETAILING CO., LTD in 1972. In 1984, he became the President and CEO of the company. In 2002 he advanced to become the Chairman and CEO, and from 2005, he took on the title Chairman, President and CEO of FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.
Link to Tadashi Yanai’s full speech
Second Session: School of Education, School of Sport Sciences, and School of International Liberal Studies
Congratulatory Address by Miwa Fukuhara
Recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service in Sports, Manager of Waseda University’s Skating Club Figure Skating Division, Head Coach of Meiji Jingu Gaien Figure Skating Club
Miwa Fukuhara graduated from Waseda University’s former School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II (Evening Division), Major in Social Sciences in 1968. While in school, she participated in the World Figure Skating Championships where she placed 6th for three consecutive years. She competed in the women’s singles event during the 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics and the 1964 Innsbruck Winter Olympics, where she placed 5th. In 1964 and 1966, she won two consecutive gold medals in the Winter Universiade Games. Since her retirement from competitive skating, she has been active as a professional skater while involved in the creation of ice show entertainment in Japan, and training top level world-class figure skaters such as Junko Yaginuma. At the University, she is the Manager of Waseda University’s Skating Club Figure Skating Division, and Vice Committee Chairperson of Tomonkai (Alumni Network) where she actively promotes sports at the University.
Link to Miwa Fukuhara’s full speech
Third session: School of Culture, Media and Society, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Congratulatory Address by Hirokazu Koreeda
Film Director, Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering
After graduating from Waseda University’s former School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I in 1987, Hirokazu Koreeda joined TV Man Union, Inc., where he worked mainly on production of documentary programs. In 1995, he made his debut as a Film director with the film Maborosi. In 2004, his film Nobody Knows, made history as Yuya Yagira became the youngest actor to be awarded with the best actor award in the Cannes Film Festival. In 2013, Like Father, Like Son won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2014, he decided to become independent and founded his own production company, named BUN-BUKU, together with Nishikawa Miwa. In 2016, he won the 8th Juzo Itami Award and was highly praised for his work as a film and video producer. In 2018, his work Shoplifters took home the prestigious Golden Palm Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. In 2019, a collaborative Japan-France production The Truth (La Vérité), which was filmed entirely in France, was chosen as the opening for the Venice International Film Festival competition. This made him the first Japanese person to achieve that. Koreeda was given the Waseda University Tsubouchi Shoyo Award in 2019. He has been a Professor at Waseda University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering since 2014.
Link to Hirokazu Koreeda’s full speech
Fourth Session: School of Commerce, School of Social Sciences, School of Human Sciences (including Online Degree Program)
Congratulatory Address by Koizumi Fumiaki
President of Mercari,Inc and CEO of Kashima Antlers F.C. Co., Ltd.
After graduating from Waseda University’s School of Commerce, Koizumi Fumiaki supported a number of startup companies through freelance work with Daiwa Securities SMBC and mixi, Inc. Afterwards, in 2013, he joined Mercari, Inc., and by the next year assumed the role of Director. In 2017, he was appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, and then as President in 2019. He also became Chief Executive Officer of Kashima Antlers F.C. Co., Ltd., during the same year.
Link to Koizumi Fumiaki’s full speech
Fifth session: School of Fundamental Science and Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Art and Architecture School
Congratulatory Address by Kazuyuki Inoue
President and Representative Director of SHIMIZU CORPORATION
Kazuyuki Inoue graduated from Waseda University’s School of Fundamental Science and Engineering in 1979 and went on to complete his education under the University’s former Graduate School of Science and Engineering in 1981. He joined Shimizu Corporation during the same year, and was appointed as Operating Officer in 2013, and then President in 2016.
Link to Kazuyuki Inoue’s full speech
Graduate School Entrance Ceremony
Sixth session: All graduate schools
Congratulatory Address by Mina Ishiwatari
CEO of Hoppy Beverage Co., Ltd.
Mina Ishiwatari completed her MBA at Waseda University’s Professional Graduate School (formerly Waseda Business School) in 2011. Previously, she worked for both Nisshin Seifun and an advertising agency before joining Hoppy Beverage Co., Ltd., in 1997. After holding positions of advertising officer and Vice President, she became CEO in 2010.
Link to Mina Ishiwatari’s full speech
*All of the above speeches are translations based on the original Japanese transcripts.
Photo Gallery
Waseda Live
*The actual day live-broadcast (full video) of the ceremonies can be watched from the URLs below.
April 1, 2022 (Fri) Location: Waseda Arena, Toyama Campus
Live Broadcast URL: https://youtu.be/f8K1z_CkTjo
April 2, 2022 (Sat) Location: Waseda Arena, Toyama Campus
Live Broadcast URL: https://youtu.be/BT_RvVvF-iI
April 1, 2022 (Fri) 10:00 JST First Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/UlibmYNeKIM
School of Political Science and Economics
April 1, 2022 (Fri) 13:30 JST Second Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/ercxkvWsA0E
School of Education, School of Sport Sciences, School of International Liberal Studies
April 1, 2022 (Fri) 16:30 JST Third Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/BiFgRiV2-Pg
School of Culture, Media and Society, School of Humanities and Social Sciences
April 2, 2021 (Sat) 10:00 JST, Fourth Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/n8cDDjnQ_oQ
School of Commerce; School of Social Sciences; School of Human Sciences (including Online Degree Program)
April 2, 2021 (Sat) 13:30 JST, Fifth Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/4DpwHxspA5A
School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; School of Creative Science and Engineering; School of Advanced Science and Engineering
April 2, 2021 (Sat) 16:30 JST, Sixth Session
Video URL: https://youtu.be/OrINjdkBqU8
All graduate schools: Graduate School of Political Science; Graduate School of Economics; Graduate School of Law; Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Graduate School of Commerce; Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Education; Graduate School of Human Sciences; Graduate School of Social Sciences; Graduate School of Sport Sciences; Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies; Graduate School of Japanese Applied Linguistics; Graduate School of Information, Production and Systems; Waseda Law School; Graduate School of Accountancy; Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering; Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies; Graduate School of Business and Finance
