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On October 28 and 29, 2025, President Aiji Tanaka visited The Ohio State University, a partner institution of Waseda University. President Tanaka was invited to deliver a lecture as part of a series of lectures celebrating the accomplishments of the late Professor Bradley Richardson, an instrumental figure in the development of Japanese studies at OSU. In addition to being the 10th year of this lecture series, 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of The Ohio State University’s Institute for Japanese Studies as well as 40 years since President Tanaka earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from OSU under the supervision of Professor Richardson.

President Tanaka, during his time as a graduate student, with the late Bradley M. Richardson

Memorial Lecture: “Reflections on Professor Bradley M. Richardson and the Legacy of The Ohio State University”

On the night of the 29th, President Tanaka delivered the lecture “Reflections on Professor Bradley M. Richardson and the Legacy of The Ohio State University” (organized by The Institute for Japanese Studies, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, Department of Political Science, and the Mershon Center for International Security Studies). The lecture was attended by special guests including Hajime Kishimori, Consulate General of Japan in Detroit; David Cook, Honorary Consul of Japan in Columbus, Ohio; Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita, Founder and CEO of Quality Electrodynamics (QED), former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Ohio State University, and recipient of an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Waseda University, along with his wife Mikiko; as well as OSU faculty and staff, students, the family of the late Professor Richardson, and many other attendees.

The lecture was hosted by Naomi Fukumori, Director of the Institute for Japanese Studies, and included opening remarks from Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita. In his lecture, President Tanaka praised Professor Richardson’s many academic achievements, incorporating personal anecdotes that demonstrated the character of the late professor, who had accepted President Tanaka during his study abroad years like a member of his own family, and had always warmly supported him while providing rigorous guidance as a researcher and mentor. After completing his Ph.D., President Tanaka returned to Japan and embarked on his career as a researcher. Building on the training he received in the Department of Political Science at The Ohio State University, he introduced quantitative approaches to Japanese political studies, which had traditionally focused on qualitative research, and became active in various international academic communities, including the International Political Science Association (IPSA). During the lecture, he reflected on how his education at the university’s Department of Political Science had a decisive influence on his growth as a researcher, and noted that the period of his doctoral studies, the late 1970s to early 1980s, coincided with the period when the department was establishing itself as one of the top-ranked in the United States. He also affirmed that the experiences he cultivated within the exceptional research environment at OSU greatly shaped the way he approached leadership roles, such as serving as President of IPSA and holding leadership positions at Waseda University.

In the second half of the lecture, President Tanaka discussed the current institutional reforms and global strategies at Waseda University, which continue to be guided by the founding ideals of Shigenobu Okuma: “independence of scholarship”, “practical application of scholarship”, and “fostering of good citizens”. The lecture closed out with a lively question and answer session with the audience moderated by, Kaya Şahin, Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs.

With Honorary Consul David Cook, Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita, and Consul General Kishimori

Exchange with OSU’s Japan and East Asia Researchers

This visit also provided an opportunity for Waseda University and The Ohio State University to reflect on their long history of exchange and discuss plans for further cooperation. On the 28th, President Tanaka met with Patricia Sieber, Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures; Naomi Fukumori, Director of the Institute for Japanese Studies; Mineharu Nakayama, Vice Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures; and Etsuyo Yuasa, Head of the Japanese Program in a meeting to discuss future avenues for cooperation between the two universities.

At a luncheon on the 29th, attendees were shown a slide presentation covering 40 years of Japanese studies at The Ohio State University and highlighting the achievements of the late Professor Richardson. Professor Mineharu Nakayama (a Waseda University graduate), Professor Emeritus Richard Moore (who studied at Waseda through the GLCA program), and Associate Professor Keita Moore (who studied at Waseda as an exchange student from Colorado College) spoke about their connections with Waseda, and testimonials from recent study abroad student were shared. Director Fukumori concluded the event by presenting President Tanaka with a jersey emblazoned with the number 85, commemorating the year he completed his Ph.D. program.

With the other attendees of the luncheon

With Naomi Fukumori, Director of the Institute for Japanese Studies

With Stephanie and Sasha Estice, the late Professor Richardson’s daughter and granddaughter

With the gifted jersey 

Dialogue with OSU Leaders about Future Cooperation

Furthermore, President Tanaka participated in discussions with OSU officials regarding future collaboration between the two universities. He exchanged views on strengthening collaboration in the humanities and social sciences with David Horn, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Kaya Şahin, Vice Provost for International Affairs; and Rita Koryan, Director of International External Engagement. He also visited the office of Associate Professor Yasuyuki Motoyama at the Knowlton School of Architecture to discuss innovation ecosystems and urban planning and explore the potential future collaborations with researchers from The Ohio State University.

On the night following the lecture, a dinner reception was held attended by Ravi V. Bellamkonda, Executive Vice President and Provost; John M. Horack, Vice President for Research: Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge (ERIK); Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita; Vice Provost Kaya Şahin; Rita Koryan, and other guests. Topics of discussion included university governance, leadership, and the research ecosystem.

With Dean David Horn, Vice Provost Kaya Şahin, Rita Koryan, and others

With Associate Professor Yasuyuki Motoyama

With Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda, Vice President John M. Horack, Dr. Fujita and his wife Mikiko, Vice Provost Kaya Şahin, and Rita Koryan

Reconnecting with OSU during the 40th Anniversary

This visit was a significant occasion for President Tanaka, as it coincided with the 40th anniversary of completing his doctorate at The Ohio State University, which he considers his second alma mater. On this occasion he was able to meet with Professor Richardson’s daughter, who was a teenager during his doctoral studies, and granddaughter, and share memories of the late professor with them. President Tanaka also reunited with his former professors from the Department of Political Science: Emeritus Professors Richard Gunther, Richard Hermann, Bill Liddle, and Herb Weisberg. Throughout the visit, President Tanaka emphasized that he owed all his achievements as a researcher and university leader to his education at The Ohio State University. The visit reaffirmed the profound impact that higher education can have on an individual’s life, as well as the importance of the academic and personal connections that can be formed across cultural and national borders.