{"id":87845,"date":"2026-04-16T11:10:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T02:10:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/?p=87845"},"modified":"2026-04-16T11:45:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T02:45:15","slug":"spring-2022-entrance-ceremonies-2-2-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.waseda.jp\/top\/en\/news\/87845","title":{"rendered":"Spring 2026 Entrance Ceremonies held at Waseda Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"

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On Wednesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 2, 2026, the entrance ceremonies for undergraduates, graduate students, and students from the Art and Architecture School were held at the Waseda<\/span> Arena on Toyama Campus.<\/span> 8,949 new undergraduate students and 2,983 new graduate students were welcomed at this year\u2019s ceremony (as of April 1, 2026).<\/span><\/p>\n

*To watch the archived videos of the live broadcast, please scroll to the end of this article.\u00a0<\/span>
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Aiji Tanaka, President of Waseda University
\nPresident\u2019s Address (excerpt)<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

Dear Incoming Students of Waseda University, Parents and Guardians,<\/p>\n

On behalf of Waseda University, I am delighted to welcome all incoming students today. Congratulations on your entrance to Waseda University. I extend my heartfelt congratulations also, of course, to your parents, other family members, and friends.<\/p>\n

Today, I would like to speak to you about three things. Firstly, I would like to talk about what kind of a university Waseda University is aiming to be.\u00a0Secondly, I will talk about what I wish for you to learn at Waseda University.\u00a0 Thirdly, I will talk about what kind of student life you should enjoy at Waseda.<\/p>\n

Firstly, Waseda is aiming to become \u201ca university that shines on the global stage.\u201d Waseda University would be recognized by intellectuals throughout the world as the university offering the most effective educational environment to anyone who wishes to contribute to humankind or to the development of Japanese society. This should not be an impossible dream to achieve.<\/p>\n

Over the past 25 years, the quality of research and education at Waseda has steadily improved, and we have become able to provide students with education of the highest level in Japan.<\/p>\n

Secondly, I would like you incoming students to proceed in your studies at Waseda while cleaving to an aspiration. As the president, I am now advocating three ideals. They are \u201cintellectual resilience,\u201d \u201cflexible sensitivity,\u201d and \u201cresponsive reasoning.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

What does \u201cintellectual resilience\u201d mean?\u00a0 Most of the issues human beings are facing today do not have one correct solution.\u00a0 Think, for example, of the COVID-19 pandemic, global warming, the growing gap between the poor and the rich, or the wars and armed conflicts that have killed and continue to kill so many people all over the world, you name it.\u00a0 No one has a single \u201cright\u201d answer to solve any of these problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I hope that at Waseda University you will develop the \u201cintellectual resilience\u201d to think through your own solutions to problems for which the way forward is still unclear.\u00a0 However, finding a new solution does not mean simply allowing a new idea to pop up in your mind.\u00a0 Such ideas will not be accepted in the real world.\u00a0 It is essential to learn from the scholarship of thinkers who have come before us.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is scholarship?\u00a0 Ever since the invention of a writing system over 5,000 years ago, human beings have recorded and compiled the essence of their experiences in the form of scholarship.\u00a0 Scholarship may not provide answers to unknown new problems, but it records how human beings confronted unfamiliar problems in their own day.\u00a0 By learning about these human efforts at Waseda, you will gain relevant knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another important ideal is to foster \u201cflexible sensitivity.\u201d\u00a0 Under the concept of \u201cflexible sensitivity,\u201d we encourage our students to accept, understand, and respect people of different nationalities, ethnicities, languages, religions, creeds, genders and sexual orientations.\u00a0 If you can respect and understand people with a different background from you, you will have flexible sensitivity.<\/p>\n

The third ideal is \u201cresponsive reasoning.\u201d\u00a0 This ideal suggests the importance of listening to others and understanding their reasoning. As a consequence of this practice, you will enhance the level of thinking of both yourself and others.\u00a0 You should have confidence in your own intelligence as a student at Waseda, which is a major research institution.\u00a0 At the same time, you should respect the intelligence of others as well.<\/p>\n

The reason I have been talking about \u201cflexible sensitivity\u201d in addition to \u201cintellectual resilience\u201d and \u201cresponsive reasoning,\u201d which emphasize more academic aspects of human intelligence, is related to an ideal of Waseda University\u2019s founding father.<\/p>\n

In a famous speech, Okuma Shigenobu, who is the founder of Waseda University, told the students of Waseda, \u201cDo not think only of your own interest, your family’s interest, or the interests of your country alone, but be ambitious to contribute to humankind throughout the world.\u201d\u00a0 This statement was offered to explain what \u201cfostering good citizens\u201d meant.\u00a0 Okuma advocated this ideal as one of founding spirits of Waseda University.<\/p>\n

In order to allow our students to understand the ideals of our founding father, starting in April 2022, I decided to give a book titled Okuma Shigenobu and Waseda University to all incoming students.\u00a0 Please read this book and understand the tradition and ideals of Waseda University.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Let me now change the topic of my speech.\u00a0 I would like to speak to you about what kind of student life I wish you to spend at Waseda.<\/p>\n

At Waseda, anyone can find her\/his own place to be comfortable.\u00a0 In other words, Waseda has a tradition of accepting the diversity of students.\u00a0 Members of the Waseda community accept anyone from anywhere and respect each other.\u00a0 In today\u2019s parlance, this tradition embodies \u201cdiversity\u201d and \u201cinclusion\u201d.<\/p>\n

If you wish to accomplish something or are facing difficulty, you can consult with your teacher (professor), administrative staff, or fellow students.\u00a0 You will surely find a way to overcome any problem and achieve your objective.\u00a0 We believe that Waseda provides an environment that can respond to all kinds of aspirations of our students.\u00a0 A student at Waseda can be devoted to academic research, athletic activities, circle activities, or volunteer activities, according to her\/his desire.\u00a0 Please try anything you wish. But, DO NOT forget also to study hard to master scholarship.<\/p>\n

Before I close my speech, I would like to encourage you to make many good memories while you are here.\u00a0 One thing that can easily leave you with a good memory is Waseda sports.\u00a0 In particular, please go and cheer for the Waseda baseball team playing against Keio University at Jingu Stadium in late May and late October every year.\u00a0 You will enjoy yourselves and experience the enthusiasm and love for Waseda on the part of upperclassmen and our alumni.<\/p>\n

\u00a0You can also watch and cheer for the Waseda Rugby team playing against Keio University on November 23 every year.\u00a0 Additionally, you can enjoy the University Rugby Tournament match in January as well as the Hakone Ekiden long-distance relay race on January 2nd and 3rd every year.\u00a0 Please enjoy sports events and participate in the Waseda Student Festival, known as Waseda-Sai, as well.<\/p>\n

I also hope you learn how to sing our school song \u201cMiyako no Seihoku\u201d while you are at Waseda.\u00a0 It will strengthen your ties with Waseda alumni in your future life.<\/p>\n

Study as hard as possible and enjoy yourself.\u00a0 It is my earnest hope that you will spend a fruitful student life.\u00a0 In four years, we will see you off when you are even more brilliantly shining at Waseda than you are now.<\/p>\n

Congratulations once again on your entrance to Waseda!<\/p>\n

Link to the President\u2019s full speech<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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First Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n

School of Political Science and Economics; School of Law; School of Education; Graduate School of Political Science; Graduate School of Economics; Graduate School of Law; Graduate School of Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congratulatory Address by Chie Toriumi<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Link to Chie Toriumi\u2019s full speech (TBA)<\/span><\/p>\n

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Second Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n

School of Culture, Media and Society; School of Humanities and Social Sciences; School of Sport Sciences; School of International Liberal Studies; Art and Architecture School; Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Graduate School of Sport Sciences; Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies; Graduate School of Japanese Applied Linguistics; Graduate School of International Culture and Communication Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congratulatory Address by Noriko Chibayashi<\/h2>\n

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Link to Noriko Chibayashi’s f<\/span>ull speech (TBA)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n

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Third Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n

School of Commerce; School of Social Sciences; School of Human Sciences (including the Online Degree Program); Graduate School of Commerce; Graduate School of Social Sciences; Graduate School of Human Sciences; Graduate School of Accountancy; Graduate School of Business and Finance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congratulatory Address by Hiroki Totoki<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Link to Hiroki Totoki’s \u00a0full speech (TBA)<\/p>\n<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n

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Fourth Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n

School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; School of Creative Science and Engineering; School of Advanced Science and Engineering; <\/strong>Graduate School of Fundamental Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering; Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering<\/strong><\/p>\n

Congratulatory Address by Akio Negishi<\/span><\/h2>\n

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Link to Akio Negishi\u2019s full speech(TBA)<\/p>\n

*All of the above speeches are translations based on the original Japanese transcripts.<\/p>\n<\/dt>\n<\/dl>\n

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Gallery<\/h2>\n