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On November 2012, Waseda University announced the mid- to long-term plan “Waseda Vision 150.” This plan seeks to fulfill the great responsibility placed on our university today by further developing our past accomplishments to establish an unshakeable position as Asia’s leading university.

“Waseda Vision 150” consists of 4 visions: 1) Students who possess outstanding character/aspirations and will contribute to the world, 2) Research which contributes to realizing world peace and happiness in human society, 3) Graduates who will support society as global leaders, and 4) An evolving university serving as a model for Asian universities. Waseda University is proposing specific projects as well as 13 core strategies and implementing them sequentially.

What kind of professionals must be cultivated by Waseda University to serve as global leaders? To explore the concepts of “global professionals,” a round-table discussion was held among manga artist Kenshi Hirokane (School of Law graduate) , known for the series Shima Kousaku which depicts a super businessman who is active globally, Shuzo Sumi (School of Science and Engineering graduate) , Chairperson of the Board of Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.) , and President Kaoru Kamata (School of Law graduate) , all of whom entered Waseda University in 1966 and graduated in 1970. The discussion was moderated by freelance announcer Miyuki Sadakane (1996 graduate from School of Human Sciences) .

The manga character Kousaku Shima is portrayed as being born in Yamaguchi Prefecture and as having graduated from the Waseda University School of Law in 1970. Another similarity with Mr. Sumi is that he was promoted from President to Chairperson of the board this year. Mr. Hirokane and Mr. Sumi were both born in Yamaguchi Prefecture and have been friends since junior high school. President Kamata also attended elementary school and junior high school in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Moreover, although she is from a different generation, moderator Ms. Sadakane was also born in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The round-table discussion between these alumni with many similarities was extremely lively and covered diverse topics ranging from memories of school days, expectations towards today’s youth, and eagerness towards the manga series Student Shima Kousaku which portrays the student lifestyle of Kousaku Shima at Waseda University.

Manga Artist

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1947. Graduated from the School of Law, Waseda University in 1970. After working at Matsushita Electric Industrial (currently Panasonic Corporation) , debuted as a manga artist in 1976. Has received numerous awards such as the Excellence Prize for Manga at the Japan Media Arts Festival and the Japan Cartoonists Association Award. Awarded the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2007. Currently, writes the series Executive Director Shima Kousaku for the magazine Morning, Young Shima Kousaku for the magazine Evening, and Tasogare Ryuuseigun for the magazine Big Comic Original.

Chairperson of the Board, Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.

Chairperson of the Board, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1947. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering at the School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University in 1970. Entered employment at Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. in April 1970. Before assuming his current position in June 2013, held positions at Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. including Director of Overseas Business Division, Chief Representative of London Office, Executive Managing Director, Senior Managing Director and President.

President of Waseda University

Born in Shizuoka Prefecture in 1948. Attended elementary school and junior high school in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Graduated from the School of Law, Waseda University in 1970. Completed the Master’s Program at the Waseda University Graduate School of Law in 1972. Completed the Doctoral Program at the Waseda University Graduate School of Law in 1976. Before assuming his current position in 2010, held positions at Waseda University such as Professor at the School of Law and Dean of the Waseda Law School.

Freelance Announcer

Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1972. Graduated from the School of Human Sciences, Waseda University in 1996. Completed studies at the Graduate School of Language Education at J. F. Oberlin University. Before becoming a freelance announcer, worked as a flight attendant on Japan Airlines and an announcer at NHK Kitakyushu Broadcasting.

Mr. Sumi, you are always one step ahead of Kousaku Shima, the main character in the manga which I write.

When I talked with you in April, you told me that you would promote Kousaku Shima to Chairperson in May and asked me if I would take the same step forward, remember? When I told you that I was scheduled to become Chairperson at the end of June, you said that Kousaku Shima had won this time!

Actually, you were one step ahead again this time. Although Kousaku Shima was appointed as Chairperson at the shareholders meeting in May, the manga was sold in July. So the announcement of your promotion was first!

Why did the three of you choose to attend Waseda University?

My two older brothers attended Waseda University, so I wanted to attend Waseda ever since I was in junior high school. I boarded in Tokyo and studied at Waseda University Senior High School before entering Waseda University.

Although I was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, my father was frequently transferred by his employers to different locations. I lived in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture from the 4th grade of elementary school and in Ube City from the 2nd grade of junior high school. After graduating from junior high school in Ube City, I felt the desire to live alone and went to Tokyo by myself. While attending high school, I moved around between relatives living in Tokyo and boarding houses.

It’s good for children to live separately from their parents at a young age. It’s also good for parents to start living without their children at an early stage.

Actually, I also lived away from home starting from high school. Even though my parent’s home and high school were located nearby in Iwakuni, I left home and entered a dormitory.

It seems like all of you lived outside your family home starting from high school.

In my case, I dreamed of “becoming a manga artist” ever since I was a child. However, manga artist is not the type of profession where you can get certified and have a guaranteed career. Therefore, if I wasn’t able to become a manga artist, my backup plan was to become a newspaper reporter. My teacher advised me to enter Waseda University, which had a newspaper department. Even more, Waseda also possessed a manga research association, so I never hesitated to enter the university.

I knew that I was definitely not the type of person to study at Keio University! I admired the working-class atmosphere of freedom at Waseda University, as well as the anti-elitist philosophy.

What was your impression upon entering Waseda University?

Waseda University in the 1960s (Left) Students set fire to desks and chairs piled in front of the main gate. (November 1971) (Right) Student Union Building No. 2 occupied by the All-Campus Joint Struggle League (July 1969)

It was the time of student protests at Waseda University. The school was already surrounded by riot police when I sat for entrance examinations. Since I entered university at such a turbulent time, I had an extremely strong image of Waseda being embroiled in the midst of student protests.

Student protests were also at their height for the School of Science and Engineering. For some reason, I found myself taking a position directly opposite to the All-Campus Joint Struggle League and soon found myself leading the opposition. I had the experience of being charged by the revolutionary Marxist faction and beaten down. However, I held a student general meeting and succeeded in stopping the strike at the School of Science and Engineering. Anyway, thanks to the turmoil at university caused by student protests, I was able to graduate without any problem!

In my case, I was completely uninvolved in student protests—in other words, I was an apolitical student. While studying at university, I was living in a dormitory of the Yamaguchi Prefecture Citizens Association. Directors of the association included Eisaku Sato, who was Prime Minister at that time, and Nobusuke Kishi. Accordingly, I was told that I was free to participate in student protests and that I would have to leave the dormitory if I participated. To be honest, I never intended to participate in student protests in the first place, so I spent all my time playing mahjong in the neighborhood around the dormitory.

I wasn’t in the same classes as you, Mr. Hirokane, but we might have crossed paths when we were students. At that time, Waseda was filled with an electric atmosphere in which diverse students fully developed their individuality and pursued their dreams. During our time, there wasn’t the homogeneity which exists at university today. Even while studying at the School of Law, some students were devoted entirely to manga, some students spent all their time studying literature, and some students were engrossed in studying for certification examinations. Waseda had an appealing atmosphere in which everyone refined themselves and took action for personal growth.

Do you feel that being a student during a turbulent time in university history has affected your subsequent life?

There were few classes and I had a vast amount of free time—all of 4 years! Accordingly, I developed the independence to think about how to spend my free time.

When we were at university, society was much more tolerant towards students. In many cases, our behavior was tolerated just because we were university students. I believe that students at that time took full advantage of that tolerance to develop their individuality. The economy was soaring and, unlike today, students didn’t have to worry about their future or employment.

I lived in “Wakeijuku,” a dormitory which housed students from outside Tokyo. I enjoyed dormitory life much more than going to school. I roomed with students from a variety of backgrounds and undergraduate schools, making an extremely diverse atmosphere. However, since I neglected to attend classes, I was tormented by dreams for about 15 years after graduation. I would wake up in a panic after dreaming that I had a test tomorrow but hadn’t studied at all and didn’t even have a textbook!

I also lived in a dormitory for 4 years. My last year, I was a dormitory leader and organized events such as dinner with Nobusuke Kishi. Similar to Mr. Sumi, I often skipped classes.

During our time, it’s true that many people gambled on their own potential and repeatedly took on a variety of challenges in an attempt at self-discovery. The presence of student dormitories played a large role in this process. Even today, I know many people who continue to highly value friendships which were made while living at dormitories. Many of these people speak of how they were refined through dormitory life. As a result of time spent interacting with other people, Waseda produced a succession of graduates with refined human character. I believe that this is the finest tradition of Waseda University.

I have heard that Waseda University is currently implementing a plan to create a global dormitory which includes foreign students and Japanese students from outside Tokyo.

That’s right. Unfortunately, there is a trend in which universities in the Tokyo metropolitan area are becoming “universities for students from Tokyo.” In the past, at least half of classes were composed of students from outside Tokyo. This was the most prominent feature of Waseda. Today, students from Tokyo and the other 6 prefectures of the Kanto region account for approximately 70% of the students. In response, we are now establishing scholarship systems and constructing dormitories in order to attract more students from outside Tokyo. At the same time, we are working to enroll more foreign students and provide opportunities for interacting with many kinds of people. A symbol of these efforts is the “Nakano International Community Plaza,” a dormitory housing 900 students which will open in Nakano in 2014. This dormitory offers a communal lifestyle of 2 Japanese students and 2 foreign students living together in a 4-person room.

When I was a university student, I lived together with foreign students at the Tokyo International Exchange Center. Globalization is proceeding rapidly, isn’t it?

When discussing education for responding to globalization, language ability is the first thing which people tend to focus on. However, this is the minimal required skill. The real question is how to utilize that language ability. For example, when looking at the character Kousaku Shima as portrayed by Mr. Hirokane, the most important thing is the content of what is being said. Working together with people from different cultural backgrounds begins by gaining a certain level of trust. Qualities needed to gain trust are rich humanity, broad liberal education, presentation skill and the ability to understand. Such qualities cannot be cultivated simply by repeatedly providing model answers to problems which are presented.

I often attend meetings which are conducted in English together with Japanese, British and American members. If, midway through such meetings, I feel that I cannot skillfully articulate my point in English, I speak in Japanese and entrust the translator to convey my ideas. I do this because I feel that the content being conveyed is important. Although my English ability is relatively low, I have gradually improved by working to convey my ideas despite language difficulties.

In the future, Japanese corporations will have more opportunities to do business overseas. However, unless foreign language ability is acquired during school days, the ability to speak naturally in a foreign language is quite difficult to obtain, isn’t it?

Also, even within an environment that responds to globalization, I hope that Waseda will instill students with “qualities unique to our university.”

Since long ago, Waseda has provided an abundance of educational resources. Currently, the methods and paths for embracing challenges are becoming increasingly diverse, making it necessary to prepare numerous programs and curricula. However, fundamentally speaking, our university’s stance is to expect students to increase their own motivation and be conscious of taking on new challenges. Waseda has produced many outstanding graduates who can serve as role models for today’s students—Mr. Sumi and Mr. Hirokane are two such examples. I hope that students will carefully observe how Waseda’s prominent graduates continue to develop their skills throughout life.

Actually, the “Waseda Vision 150” announced by Waseda University is an almost perfect summary of what must be accomplished by the university. If Waseda focuses on implementing the plan, the school will cultivate many professionals who will be of use to society.

What is the view of corporations regarding outstanding personnel—in other words, the image of the ideal student for hiring? Mr. Sumi, what kind of students do you want at your corporation?

Actually, we are quite clear in our desire to hire “independent adults.” I spent a long time working overseas and thus had many opportunities to view Japan from the outside. When considering the characteristics of Japanese people, the word “childish” comes to mind. About 30 years ago, I talked with a local female employee in China and remember how shocked I was by the woman’s statement that “Chinese people hate children.” However, the woman didn’t mean that Chinese people hated small children. What she meant is that the Chinese hate people who look like adults but act like children; people who haven’t matured and lack independence. I feel the same way. In terms of global personnel, the same concept holds true. As long as a person is an independent adult, he or she can perform globally even when unable to speak the language of a certain country.

I see. The 4 years spent at university are perfect for cultivating independence, aren’t they? Until graduating from high school, children are always limited in some way. They are bossed around by their parents and are busy with many required classes. However, upon entering university, young adults are able to arrange their lifestyle in a way that suits them. It’s the ideal time for finding one’s path in life and cultivating independence.

Upon entering the society, people are limited by social position and family. In that respect, time spent at university offers true emotional freedom and is the most precious 4 years in a person’s life. During that time, it is vital that students embrace challenges in as many different fields as possible.

Currently, I’m writing the series Young Shima Kousaku, which portrays the 10-year period starting from entering a company until becoming a section chief. Once this series is finished, I want to go even further back in time and start Student Shima Kousaku, which will portray his time spent at Waseda University from 1966 to 1970. Through Kousaku Shima, I will portray student demonstrations and the youth of the baby-boomer generation.

I’m looking forward to that series! I wonder what facets of Waseda spirit Kousaku Shima will exhibit as a student.

As expressed by the lyrics “enterprising spirit” in the school song, Waseda spirit is embodied by living an active and bold life. When writing Student Shima Kousaku, I will focus on how a person becomes independent and acquires the ability to live on his own.

Everyone, what qualities do you consider as essential for global personnel?

It will soon be 30 years since I started writing the Shima Kousaku series. This manga has consistently focused on “what it means to work globally.” “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”—That’s the most important thing to remember when overseas. In my opinion, a global professional is someone who is “flexible” enough to quickly understand the customs in different countries and has mentality to acclimate to those customs.

There are 3 qualities which are essential for global performance. The first is a global perspective. The second is to completely accept the fact that diverse values exist. The third is specialized knowledge in a certain area. It can be said that an independent adult is someone who possesses these 3 qualities. Incidentally, in the case of Japan, business and education are just about the only fields which are criticized as lagging behind the rest of the world in globalization and thus requiring change. For example, in the field of art, the concept of globalization doesn’t apply to someone who is an outstanding piano player or a superb artist. The main party calling for globalization is businesspeople.

Speaking of the business world, your character Kousaku Shima goes to study in Asia in the Asia Risshiden [Success Story in Asia] series. Is the role of Japanese universities changing in terms of “Japan within Asia?”

Beginning with the arrival of Perry, Japan has seen an influx of culture from foreign countries. Indeed, Japan was the first country in Asia to actively absorb the good points of Western culture. For example, the Japanese Diet is modeled after France and the Meiji Constitution was based on Germany. Japanese people cut off their chonmage (topknot) , started wearing shoes and began eating beef. In other words, Japan has stood out from among Asian countries in terms of globalization. This is one of the strengths of Japanese people.

“Waseda Vision 150” raises the goal of becoming “Asia’s leading university.” This goal contains the message that becoming Asia’s top university is the first step to becoming the world’s top university. Furthermore, a theme of the goal is establishing a unique form as an Asian university, rather than simply trying to catch up to Western universities. The ability to respond to globalization is not only useful overseas, but is also an important quality when working in a small Japanese town. When performing any task, it is necessary to bring together people with a variety of values, to extract the essence of a problem and to develop solutions. Accomplishing this requires outstanding wisdom, a strong sense of purpose and the ability to get things done. In the future, “global professionals” who possess such qualities will be needed in all fields, from global to local.

I feel the same way. Our company is expanding our overseas business. In recent years, approximately 40% of our earnings come from outside Japan. I always tell our employees that we will become a global corporation originating from Japan. In other words, we will become a global corporation, but not a corporation without national affiliation. Even when working with domestic customers, about 70% or 80% of raw materials are imported. In this respect, small- and mid-sized corporations and store owners are all living within global society. Insurance companies like Tokio Marine must have the sensibility to provide appropriate advice to such businesspeople. Today, our employees have finally started to accept that the concept of globalization includes all of Japan.

Compared to the past, I sense a change in the structure of club activities and dormitories which foster hierarchical relationships. Today, there is an increase in clubs which offer more freedom and are a bit smaller, composed only of people who truly have a tacit understanding of each other. Compared to our time as students, there are fewer opportunities to exercise patience under an older student whom you may dislike.

However, upon joining the working force, it’s impossible to associate only with people whom you get along with. The person sitting next to you may be the type which you like the least. Also, there is usually a difference in age and way of thinking. University is the only time when you can spend all your time with friends. It would be best to start early in acquiring experience talking with people of different age groups.

Plus, once you enter the society, everything seems irrational! Students need to experience such irrationality while at university.

Waseda University provides opportunities for a communal lifestyle with other students of different ages, values and cultures. What are your thoughts on that role?

It’s extremely important. One point is to create many opportunities for interaction with people who possess individuality that you cannot predict. In addition to classes and club activities, it’s important to deepen mutual understanding through extracurricular activities and daily life. Another point is that enrolling foreign students will lead to mutual understanding between countries. Waseda has accepted foreign students since the 19th century. In the case of China, we have formed a broad network of personal connections. For example, a Waseda graduate was a founding member of the country’s Communist Party. Foreign students who study at Waseda gain in-depth knowledge of Japan, then return to their native country and become leaders. If this trend continues, then mutual understanding between countries will advance faster than if left to foreign policy of the government. I would be overjoyed if interaction between young people at Waseda would bear the great fruit of encouraging interaction between nations.

The CEO of Korea’s Samsung Electronics is also a graduate of Waseda. The enrollment of foreign students is also meaningful in terms of global response. I feel that Japanese students nowadays are undergoing a type of “Galapagos syndrome,” similar to how Japanese industry evolved by focusing exclusively on the domestic market and thus diverged from global standards. It seems that students today are content to stay in Japan and spend time with their friends—you could say that there is a trend towards complacency. I hope that students will travel overseas and interact with a wide variety of people. Currently, the number of Japanese students studying overseas is decreasing. In the past, Japanese composed the majority of Asian students at Harvard University. However, almost all of the Asian students at Harvard today are from China, Korea and Taiwan.

Right now in Japan, Waseda has the largest number of students who are studying overseas as part of their university education, as well as the largest number of enrolled foreign students. According to student questionnaires, about 70% of students want to study abroad or work overseas after graduation. However, in actuality, many students forgo leaving Japan due to financial difficulties, a disadvantage in searching for employment, or having to repeat another year in school. Waseda is taking a variety of actions to address such issues. For example, as long as students pay tuition fees at Waseda, they don’t have to pay any school expenses when studying abroad. Credits acquired at overseas universities are incorporated into credits at Waseda so that students don’t have to repeat a year of schooling. We also offer successful foreign study programs which allow students to go abroad at a time which doesn’t interfere with the search for employment. Furthermore, in the case of foreign students who lack sufficient Japanese language ability, all classes at Waseda can be taken in English. Thanks to results of such programs, there are currently about 4,500 foreign students at Waseda. What’s more, about 2,000 of those foreign students are enrolled at undergraduate schools.

Some corporations are making English the official company language. What about using English for about half of the classes at Waseda?

Currently, a degree can be earned in 6 undergraduate schools and 11 graduate schools by taking classes conducted only in English. We plan to conduct 50% of classes in foreign languages in 20 years. 50% is a vital figure—by no means will we ever conduct 100% of classes in foreign languages. It is important to have classes where Japan can be studied thoroughly in the Japanese language. We will continue to hold such classes.

I see. You’ve already started to hold classes in foreign languages. How about classes in which all students use computers?

Methods differ depending on the undergraduate schools and departments. For example, all students use computers during classes at the Waseda Law School. In the case of classes based on interactive and problem-solving style, results can only be improved if students prepare by reading a vast amount of material. However, it is impossible to prepare a collection of legal precedents for all students. Therefore, it is necessary to enable searching for all material via a computer. During classes, law students debate while viewing ordinances and judgments on their computers. This kind of infrastructure must be prepared for classes of interactive style. We will further enhance such measures in the future.

In today’s world, any kind of information can be found on the internet. Unfortunately, there are an increasing number of people who believe that the model answers found on the internet are their own ideas. It has become difficult to conduct training for exercising the imagination. Before entering university, students should read books from a younger age and work on developing their imagination.

Recently, I feel that while there are many intelligent people, there are few creative and imaginative people. According to scientists, “discoveries” are made only after repeating the process of forming a hypothesis, verifying the hypothesis, reforming the hypothesis to address any problems, and then verifying again. A “huge discovery” occurs when a certain hypothesis holds true at certain timing. I have heard that the ability to form a hypothesis is linked to creative ability. I hope that universities will fulfill the role of instilling students with such creativity.

Kousaku Shima finally got married in your recent series. Why did you decide to have him marry?

Currently, I portray Kousaku as a super businessman in the series, but my original intention was to write a story about office romance. The theme changed to business after I began writing. Still, since the series is published in a men’s magazine, it would be best for appealing women to appear in the story. If Kousaku was married, I would have to write about him having affair! That’s why I had him get a divorce so that he could have a free love life. However, at the age of 64, I married him to Kumiko Omachi, the heroine of the story. In short, I delayed his marriage so that I could introduce lots of women into the story.

I see. Are you going to further develop the story in terms of Kousaku as a businessman?

That’s a difficult point. Shima Kousaku is a series which realistically portrays companies and business. From this point, Kousaku will serve as chairman. Accordingly, his role is to entrust running of the company to the president, enter groups such as the Keidanren and the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, and negotiate with politicians, bureaucrats and businesspeople to improve the Japanese economy. As such, series will address themes such as lowering of corporate tax and quantitative easing. I worry whether manga examining the Japanese economy from such a broad perspective will be interesting to readers! Mr. Sumi, just like Kousaku, you hold the position of chairman—do you have any advice on how I should write the series?

Currently, I am a member of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives. I attend several groups to discuss the future of the economy. I also serve as an advisor for a variety of other groups and committees. I am gradually getting more and more offers for such work. In terms of the ratio between company business and external affairs, the majority of my work will probably be outside of the company in the future. I will entrust company business to other executives and simply watch over the company to ensure that we stay on the proper path.

Mr. Hirokane, your manga clearly represents social, economic and political conditions in each era. I’m sure that many of your fans enjoy reading such content. Currently, Japan has reached a major turning point in terms of our nation’s orientation in the future. I think it would be interesting if Shima Kousaku interpreted the future of politics and the economy.

I agree. That would certainly be a popular manga. Currently, the program Kousaku Shima’s Asia Risshiden [Success Story in Asia] is being broadcast on television. I empathize with many aspects of the program. There are many interesting anecdotes in the process of building business relationships with partners in Asia, the Middle and Near East, America and other countries. Actually, I have plans to visit a variety of countries including Taiwan, Australia, China and Saudi Arabia. Many interesting storylines could be found by delving into partner relationships and political conditions in such countries.

That’s a good point. There would be great meaning in introducing such content to readers. Some businesspeople who read my manga have said that it is easier to understand than a newspaper. I would like to contribute more useful information to such readers.

Mr. Sumi, you have been called the model for Shima Kousaku. How do you feel about that?

Employees often ask if I am the model for Shima Kousaku—but I always deny it. After all, I don’t have that kind of experience with women! I see Kousaku Shima as a representative of business people who were born in 1947 and have experienced the rapid expansion of the Japanese economy, the bursting of the economic bubble and the advance of globalization; in other words, members of the baby boomer generation. As far as the similarities between the timing of promotions for Kousaku and me, that’s because we are from the same generation.

All three of us are of the same age as Kousaku Shima. The manga will end if I stop writing. So I intend to keep writing the series until I am no longer capable. In the future, I have to decide whether to cast Kousaku in the role of consultant or advisor, or to start a series called Retired Shima Kousaku and examine life in an aging society. I feel that either path would be interesting. Still, for the time being, I want to continue depicting business in Japan.

Kousaku Shima is a character who can think and act independently, and who never wavers in his course. Also, he never flees from a challenge. I always tell our employees that “leaders never waver or flee.” Since we are all part of the same organization, I can’t tell employees to act totally independently. Even so, Kousaku Shima is able to act independently while being part of an organization.

That’s true; Kousaku doesn’t belong to any factions. In some ways, Waseda’s alumni association “Tomonkai” has weak cohesiveness and turnout for gatherings is sometimes rather small! Perhaps it can be said that the Waseda spirit means acting independently and not creating factions in companies.

In the first place, Waseda alumni don’t plot to use their affiliation with Waseda in order to gain promotions. Therefore, although there are a number of companies which are the cliques of other universities, there aren’t many companies which are the cliques of Waseda. Perhaps that’s because there are many independent people at Waseda.

Azusa Ono, the founding father of Waseda, stressed the importance of citizens with an independent spirit in all aspects of society in order to improve Japan. He also stated that academics must cultivate that independent spirit. Through independent academics not catering to authority, Azusa Ono viewed it as the mission of Tokyo Senmon Gakko (the predecessor to Waseda University) to cultivate independent citizens who would support all aspects of society.

President Kennedy’s inaugural speech contains the famous phrase “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” In the same way, I hope that Waseda students will consider what they can do at Waseda, not what Waseda will do for them.

Everyone, please summarize what you consider as Waseda spirit.

Enterprising spirit and, in a positive respect, a spirit of defiance. Also, the disposition of a lone wolf.

When it comes to being “independent” or “joining with others”, the majority of people actually want to join with other. Such people are constantly aware of maintaining equal relationships and are afraid of being thrown out of the group for acting differently. Such a way of thinking is no good. Instead, people must think and act by themselves. I believe that the essence of Waseda spirit is a truly independent spirit.

I agree. In addition to the business world, many Waseda graduates are active in artistic fields. In particular, an overwhelming number of authors who have won the Akutagawa Prize are Waseda graduates. This is because many Waseda alumni become engrossed in their own world instead of joining some organization. We must value this atmosphere. Waseda is a place where many people with enterprising spirit gather; where human character is refined through friendly competition. For that very reason, our school has produced numerous graduates who are trusted by society. It seems to me that more Waseda graduates are appointed as company presidents when the economy is weak rather than when it is strong. Waseda has produced countless graduates who can be counted on in times of crisis and who exert their individuality to open new doors. In that respect, I am very proud of our school.

Even as times change, I hope that students keep that Waseda spirit. Now, to end our discussion, I’d like you to give a message to our readers. Please start by addressing Waseda faculty and staff who are reading this interview.

Instead of waiting for the university to take action for you, students must blaze their own path in life. During the 4 years that students spend at university, I hope that faculty will instill students with an independent spirit.

I felt a little uncomfortable when reading the page of “Waseda Vision 150” which describes the role of faculty and staff. In addition to working with students, the page listed services which faculty and staff provide to parents. In my opinion, university students should be free of influence from parents. My children graduated from an overseas university and this point was made very clear. I would like Waseda University to proclaim that “our school is a place for developing independence in children and parents should not meddle.” What do you think?

That’s the original stance of Waseda. Traditionally, we haven’t sent grades to parents. However, such methods are no longer acceptable today. Other universities show grades to parents and provide advice regarding the risk of failing to graduate. We would be criticized if we failed to offer the same service.

Parents also have to make an effort to live independently from their children. At overseas universities, only about half of students are able to graduate according to plan, so parents attend the commencement and really celebrate their child’s achievement. However, that is basically the only time that parents are involved in university education. To me, it seems childish to meddle in their child’s university education at any time other than commencement.

Parent must also be more independent. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary to separate themselves from their children when making a decision. Moving along, would you please give a message to alumni?

Putting Simply, I hope that alumni will exert the Waseda spirit and be active in the world.

Although there aren’t many instances of creating factions or gathering together, all alumni have deep affection for their alma mater. I hope that they will value this pride in their school.

The number of Waseda alumni is said to have reached about 590 thousand. As President, I hope that alumni will support our school both spiritually and materially. Even more, I am so proud of alumni because it is their performance which has given Waseda such a fine reputation. In the future, I hope to use the outstanding ability of alumni to reform education, research and university management. I would like alumni to become actively involved at our school. For example, I would like them to give lectures and conduct classes, as well as to offer wisdom regarding university management from the perspective of top executives.

Now, how about a message for current students?

That’s easy—outperform Keio University! Unfortunately, among my acquaintances that have passed entrance examinations for both Waseda and Keio, all of them have chosen to enroll at Keio University. I hope that students will work hard and build an appealing university so that more people will choose Waseda.

In some respects, Waseda is poor at advertising our excellence. Actually, when looking at the number of students that passed the bar examination, more graduates from the Keio Law School passed the examination than those from Waseda Law School, but when looking at the undergraduate schools from which those law students graduated, Waseda is always first. After graduating from undergraduate school, many Waseda students enter a law school at other universities. This makes it difficult to see the number of Waseda graduates which passed the bar examination. Therefore, a future goal of Waseda is to ensure that our excellence can be perceived as such. To make a comparison with a company, I would like to establish something akin to a corporate image. In any case, Waseda students possess a strong spirit, so I have great expectations for their future performance.

Since long ago, I have told our employees that “people are equal after the age of 25.” By about the age of 25, people should be able to establish their personal philosophy and way of thinking to a certain extent. From that point forward, the only difference between people is their career and experience. When looking at prominent individuals from the Meiji Period, they had all accomplished great things by about the age of 25. Today’s students also have the same potential. My message to students is to become adults and not to let anyone call them timid.

In conclusion, would you please discuss your aspirations for the future?

I will work as hard as possible to make Student Shima Kousaku an interesting series. I am looking forward to writing the series and hope that everyone will enjoy reading it.

Until now, I have concentrated solely on our company’s business. In the future, I want to be involved in activities for contributing to Japanese society.

Today, Waseda is responding to globalization faster than any other university in Japan. I want to gain recognition for our university’s globalization on an international scale, as well as domestically. I also want Waseda to support the lifelong learning society of the future. It is not enough to learn only between the ages of 18 to 22 while studying at university. Waseda welcomes people who seek to continually improve their ability throughout life and to constantly absorb new knowledge. I want Waseda to proudly offer the opportunity for learning to people in all stages of life.

We will also work as hard as possible to fulfill the standard set by outstanding Waseda graduates like all of you. Thank you very much for your time today.