Final Lecture at Keio University
March 14 (Wednesday) 2007
In addition to my position as Chairman of the Fujitsu Research Institute Economic Research Center, I have for a long time been a professor at Keio University. This April, however, I will become president of Chiba University of Commerce, and as such have decided to retire from Keio University in March. My final lecture at Keio was held on March 3, effectively ending my 40 year tenure at the university. This final lecture was attended not only by current students but also by "Shimada seminar" alumni spanning the last 30 years, as well as many close friends and seniors. In all over 300 people were in attendance, helping the final lecture to be a successful one.
Wanting to impart a message to the youth who will shoulder the responsibility of society in the future, I entitled this graduation from professorship lecture, "Keio University and I: To the Youth". The following is a summary of the speech.
1. I have lived in the period of Japan's rise from the charred fields of war defeat to becoming a developed nation after a long period of high economic growth. This was, personally speaking, an "era of accomplished dreams". However, while the youth are being born and raised in an affluent period, given the presence of serious global problems such as environmental degradation and grim prospects for high economic growth, it may be a time when it is difficult to hold the same kind of dream.
2. On the other hand, a host of problems and issues could translate into new and challenging opportunities, and the upcoming period could be a quite interesting one depending on how these problems are faced.
3. Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of Keio University. The founder of Keio University, Professor Yukichi Fukuzawa, was man whose lifetime spanned the transition from the feudal period to the Meiji Restoration, a time of rapid change as Japan began to modernize. Despite the fact that this was an era when information concerning the changing times and mega-trends was extremely limited, he was able to clearly describe the best path for Japan from an international perspective.
4. The path that Professor Yukichi Fukuzawa described was one where Japan would become a civilized nation that would not get trampled on by the world powers. The essence of a civilized nation, he asserted, is "a mental state of citizens refining knowledge and virtue".
5. To transform Japan into a civilized nation, Professor Yukichi Fukuzawa made it his mission to educate the youth towards this mental state. He established Keio University and dedicated his life to education.
6. The lesson we can learn from Professor Yukichi Fukuzawa is to diligently observe changes in society, confirm the meaning of these changes from a broad perspective, be aware of one's role, and then endeavor to fulfill this role.
7. The society which awaits today's youth is one where the advance of digitization will continue and information will become increasingly abundant and available instantaneously. However, it will also be an era of deepening environmental concerns, of increased economic disparity in the midst of population explosion, and of chaotic ideas where terrorism and other immeasurable dangers are latent. In the case of Japan, it will be a time when serious problems such as a financial difficulties, labor shortages, capital shortages, and regional impoverishment will surface.
8. It will be a time to diligently observe and understand the essence of these transformations, and think about the most effective strategies to deal with them both as individuals and as a nation. If these strategies are implemented, it could be an era of new and great opportunities.
9. Instead of drifting through everyday life without purpose, it is important to focus on the problem at hand and make full use of information, practice self-discipline, make friends both at home and abroad, and realize your dreams.
10. Difficult problems lay ahead, but the more problems there the greater the achievement and joy will be when these personal goals are accomplished.
11. With advances in digitization we are now in an age of limitless access to information. However, it is important to have the academic ability to understand the meaning of this information, and to be enthusiastically aware of the issues.
I proposed to the audience, "When you wake up in the morning, think about what you can accomplish that day. Let’s lead the kind of life where, when it’s all over, you can say you have left something behind for the next generation."
The auditorium was wrapped in a sense of excitement, and as I received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the speech I once again felt that the choice I made when I was young to be an educator was one that I do not regret.
I intend to continue and expand on my position as Chairman of the Fujitsu Research Institute Economic Research Center, while at the same time endeavor to create an atmosphere of growth for the young students at Chiba University of Commerce starting in April.