2016 Entrance Ceremony

April 7, 28
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Cho Matsunaga Kore

Congratulations to all of you who have enrolled in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations. I would also like to express my sincere congratulations to my family and all those involved who have supported me so far. We ask that you continue to watch over them as they grow step by step.

This year's new students are 318 in Faculty of Agriculture and 610 in Faculty of Engineering, for a total of 928 students, and the graduate school consists of Cooperative Major in Advanced Health Science Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering four groups: Graduate School of Engineering, Graduate School of Agriculture, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, and United Graduate School of Agricultural Science. There will be 642 students in the master's, master's, and Specialist degree programs, and 132 students in the doctoral program. There are a total of 69 international students from Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, and other parts of the world, bringing the total number of new students to 1,702 for all Faculty & Graduate Schools. To all the new students, the days you spend at this university will have a great deal to do with your future. Please be mindful and decide for yourself how you want to spend each day.

It is said, "What is not sown does not grow." It is also said that "if you do not plant in spring, you will not bear fruit in autumn" or "the bell will not ring if you do not strike." "Harvest follows seed-sowing." and "You cannot make an omelet without breaking eggs." You've probably heard the phrase before. There is also a Chinese saying, "The road cannot be reached unless it is near" and "If you do not go to the jade, you will not make a vessel." The intention is the same: if you don't act and put in the effort first, you won't get good results later on like peony cakes off the shelf. Today, you have completed your exams and stepped into the new world of university. I sowed and nurtured the seeds of studying for exams, and reaped the fruits of passing. But, of course, this is not all that is fruitful in your life. There are still many dreams and ideals to be harvested. And right now, with these things in your mind, your heart will be filled with anxiety, anticipation, and motivation for the future. Just as there is a good time to plant seeds for different types of plants, there is also a best time for you to plant seeds for your future. That's what I'm going to do in college. First of all, plant the seeds yourself. And let's take care of it and let it bear fruit.

This Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology where you spend your time is also planting and nurturing seeds every day to harvest a bountiful harvest. Throughout its long history of more than 140 years since its founding, Waseda University has developed fields in addition to the two fields of agriculture and engineering, which are the backbone of industry, as well as the interdismal fields of agriculture and engineering, and has made every effort to realize a society that can consistently develop in harmony with nature and continue to develop in a cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability. In order to achieve this proposition, we have started a variety of new initiatives to strengthen our cutting-edge research capabilities that can compete with the world, collaborate with industry, and develop advanced innovation leaders, taking advantage of our characteristics of flexibly and boldly taking on challenges with conviction without being bound by preconceived notions and frameworks, and we are carefully promoting them one by one. In addition, we have established a number of innovative programs and consortiums to address the establishment of a Institute of Global Innovation Research to invite world-class professors in fields such as food, energy, and life sciences, a five-year Leading Graduate School program, a project to strengthen global expansion capabilities with ASEAN and Latin American countries, the development of high-level human resources, and support for young researchers and female researchers. A little further down the road, Iwate University is preparing to establish a graduate school Cooperative Division of Veterinary Sciences following the Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, we are actively reforming the organization of the university itself and collaborating with other institutions and universities in Japan and overseas to make the university's activities more efficient and socially changeable.

All of these efforts are seeds. "Building a sustainable society," that is, creating knowledge that will be useful for a healthy and beautiful future, and producing researchers who will play an active role in this process, in other words, allowing you to grow freely and bloom wonderfully, is the hope and fruit of our faculty and staff, as well as the families and society as a whole who watch over you. To that end, our university is cultivating the earth, providing water and nutrients, and creating an environment that protects it from cold, heat, and storms through various initiatives. And in the environment we provide, you should sow your own seeds, grow your own fruit, and harvest your own fruits, while enjoying it to the fullest. It is important to have fun, and you need to take a break, but I would like you to absorb a variety of nutrients through diverse experiences and grow a strong and thick stem that will not fall over in a storm. Then, with your efforts, you will be able to harvest any amount of large, abundant, and beautiful fruit. And it's not an exaggeration, and you can play an active role as a person who will save the future of the planet. There are still many problems in this earth that are difficult to solve, such as resources and the environment. It's not someone else's problem. You are the ones who have the ability to solve these problems and the potential to change in any way. I'll say it again. Seeds that are not sown do not grow. Let's sow, nurture and harvest each seed with us. I look forward to seeing great fruits from all of you.

And finally, I would like to add one more thing that seems obvious, but very important. The path of academic research can be mentally and physically demanding at times. You can't continue without a healthy mind and body. In particular, I think that people who come from rural areas and overseas often have various anxieties in an unfamiliar place. Please take good care of your health and have a fruitful university life. We will continue to do our utmost in all aspects so that we can provide even stronger support to you. I would like to conclude my remarks by expressing my hope that all of you who are enrolling today will not forget your feelings today and will grow greatly toward your dreams, and that you will once again welcome all of you to become members of our university.