iU President's Gachon. Mrs. Mutsumi Tsuzaki

■ iU President's Gachon. Mrs.Mutsumi Tsuzaki

A world-famous xylophone player. Her book "Tenshi Tokinuke Memo" is very interesting. Tenshi Tokinuke is a place name in Kyoto, a few blocks down from my house in Kyoto. And Michizaki is also an antique kimono collector, and I also wear only old clothes, so although I'm from a different world than iU , I'll go out of my way to visit him.

◆ Xylophone and Marimba

It is surprisingly little known that the xylophone and marimba are different. The xylophone is called a xylophone and is a European tool. The marimba came to Japan via Africa, Central and South America, and the United States. The way the bottom of the keys are carved is different, which changes the tone. Both marimbas and xylophones are made from a type of wood called rosewood from Honduras, which is the highest quality. The xylophone is light, bright, and gorgeous. The marimba has a slightly lower range and a softer, sweeter tone.

I've been playing the marimba since I was 5 years old. In 2005, I came across an old American xylophone made in 1935 that had been used by a xylophone player named Yoichi Hiraoka, born in the Meiji era, and it had a really nice sound. It had little reverberation and a clear sound. I thought that it was better.

I still give marimba lessons and will play if asked, but I've now moved on to the xylophone.

Even beginners can make sounds with the xylophone as soon as they pick up the drumsticks, so it doesn't take long for them to be able to play songs. It's easy to get used to it. If you dig deeper, you can delve deeper into it, and it has a wide range of possibilities.

The other day I held a xylophone concert for children (Mrs.Mutsumi Tsuzaki Concert: Xylophone Days for Children, Saturday, July 23, 2022). It was a concert that adults were welcome to attend too. Even elderly people came because they felt nostalgic. They wrote in the questionnaire that they had heard me perform there when I was in kindergarten (30 years ago), and that for a while they had dreamed of becoming a marimba player, and when they found out there was a performance coming up, they came for the first time in a long time. I was very touched.

◆Antique kimono

I saw the marimba when I was 5 years old and thought it was cool, so I started playing it. I also had a secondhand kimono that my aunt (my father's older sister, born in the Taisho era) had worn when she was young, and when I saw it, I thought it was cute and cool, and I wanted to wear it. I learned how to wear it and started wearing it. I started going to antique markets such as Toji Temple to buy obi that go with old kimonos and kimonos that go with old obi, because they are more lively than the beautiful komon that my parents had prepared for my dowry. That was the beginning. It wasn't so much that I was attracted to secondhand clothes, but rather that I started wearing old things that I had at home because I wanted to wear them, and as I bought more, I started to buy more, and so I created the world of antique kimono collection.

The starting point for anything is to try anything that seems cool or interesting. From there, you can learn about that field.

Interest in pre-war items

Kyoto was not burned down during the war, so there are many old things left. Not only old clothes, but even houses. It's an interesting place.

In the past, there was only a xylophone in Japan. After the war, in the 1950s, an American Christian missionary, Mr. Lacoure, came to Japan to spread the word about Christ through music. The Lacoures were marimba players. They are said to have brought the marimba to Japan.

Instead of the fun and light xylophone, the Americans brought the rich sound of the marimba, and when they played hymns and other songs with a resonant sound, the Japanese people during the period of high economic growth were touched by the idea that they were richer than the xylophone. People who played the xylophone became marimba players, and the xylophone was forgotten. I took over the instrument that had not been played for a long time and now I play it. I call myself a xylophone player because I like old xylophones and not marimbas.

During the postwar period of rapid economic growth, kimonos were replaced by Western clothing for active wear, and kimonos from beloved eras were forced to be abandoned.

The old tenement house is being used as a warehouse. With the advent of the age of reinforced concrete, wooden houses are being demolished. Since I bought this warehouse, I have come to understand the appeal of wooden houses.

I'm interested in pre-war things. My work and hobbies are all from the 1920s and 1930s, before the war. Not intentionally.

◆Spread

It's difficult to spread something as an individual. I'll do what I love and do my best, and I'll be happy if people become interested and spread the word.

It is quite difficult to have the ability to look inward and the ability to communicate with the outside world at the same time. However, it is possible to have people listen to what you have done.

◆School

I'm a teacher at school. I've always lived in Kyoto.

Just like temples, there are many things to protect and show, but it is not the statues or buildings that say it, but the presentation of the people who are protecting the place. Should they write "Don't throw away trash" in large letters, or create a clean space where people won't throw away trash without writing it, and if they do write it, what font and size should they put on the sign? It is the sense of the people who are protecting the temple.

It's the same in school. The teachers make it. When you go to a school performance, the way the teacher responds when they first come out tells you 90% of how the students will listen to that performance. Getting along with people is a big part of it.

◆ Pursue the path you believe in

I've thought since kindergarten that it's not always right. I always have a rebellious spirit. I wonder if what the teacher says is right. I find what is right for myself.

Just because someone tells you it's beautiful doesn't mean it's beautiful, but rather find something that you think is beautiful yourself.

I liked beautiful sounds. Since I was young, I was told for a long time that I was just beautiful, but nothing else. I thought that beautiful things were good. I wanted to polish a beautiful tone. When you polish it, something other than just beautiful will naturally come out.

It's important to listen to other people's opinions, incorporate them, and make an effort, but it's also important to forge ahead on the path you believe in.

◆ Unique

Your individuality will come out whether you like it or not.

I tell my students to play exactly as the score says. Play exactly as the score says, and what emerges from that is individuality. If you can't play exactly as the score says, then it's not individuality, so stick to the basics and do exactly what's written.

What is a school?

There is also resentment.

When I was in elementary school, I wrote a diary about morning glories. It was excellent and I was asked to rewrite it to enter a contest. My teacher came to my house to give me advice. While I was rewriting it, it got late and my mother served dinner. It came with white asparagus, which I hate. When I didn't eat it, my teacher told me, "Eat the asparagus."

I thought that the teacher could give guidance on school lunches, but whether or not the student would come to my house and eat what my mother gave me was not within the realm of school. When I was in the first grade of elementary school, I really wondered what school was.

I wondered if the observation of morning glories was just my observation or something the teacher was planning to present. There were many times when I wondered what it was all about.

There is an opportunity to think about anything.

◆Message for you guys

I think it's good to value your own feelings. I value what you like and dislike. I think it's good to go down that path. It's no good to be self-centered, so I also look around me.

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I walked around New York for 1 minute.

■ I walked around New York for 1 minute.

I feel depressed when I come to New York.

Going from Tokyo to Paris and then to New York feels like a decline for me.

Police sirens and horns were blaring nonstop.

A meal of grilled minced meat dipped in ketchup and washed down with sweet sauce.

I had no choice but to go into Ootoya and muttered how expensive it was.

It's good that there's MOMA.

They say New York is a melting pot of races, but it actually seems quite uniform.

Coming from Paris.

There were people with hijabs, Middle Easterners, Africans, and all sorts of outfits, and I blended in wearing a haori and hakama, but since New York fashion is the norm, I stood out and people called out to me, "I love your kimono." Leave me alone.

I came here for work, a job that requires me to walk around in a haori and hakama.

New York Fashion Week.

It's a job that only requires a one-minute walk.

Wearing the kataginu (shoulder garment) used in Kyogen (and everything else, from hat to shoes, is his own, which is revolutionary!), he walked back and forth down the runway.

taller than the other models , and her role was to lead them.

This year I had the opportunity to walk around in a kimono twice: once in Kyoto for the Gion Festival and once in New York for Fashion Week.

Sound of Ikebana.

A project by Professor Tosa Naoko of the Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute.

The fashion pieces are punk art and technology pieces that turn the sounds of babies crying into flower arrangement designs .

This time I'll be parading around as a special professor at Kyoto University.

I hope you understand!

It's been exactly 20 years since New York Fashion Week last took place.

I was working in Kyoto that time too.

fabric to an artist in New York to create a design, and in the end the uchikake that I brought in without any design work was the most popular.

It seems that the Kyoto side had no confidence in the value of Nishijin 's 500-year-old materials, colors, patterns, and designs.

This was two years after 9/11.

911. I got caught up in Manhattan.

The job was at a venture company founded in New York by a female MIT PhD student named Idit Harel .

This is one of the things that makes me feel depressed in New York.

I was 40 years old. I reset my life. It had been 20 years since I returned to Japan from the United States.

Coincidentally, it was September 11th that I walked around New York this time.

Once again, the woman was invited.

I think the goddess smiled on me on this job.

Jet planes in skyscrapers.

It pits cutting-edge 20th century tech against cutting-edge 20th century tech.

That was the beginning of the 21st century.

It was a terrifying yet magnificent piece of design that marked history.

Twenty years have passed. There have been earthquakes, epidemics, and wars.

its pursuit of digital transformation and is sinking.

I feel depressed when I come to New York.

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Cool Japan: Snow

 ■Cool Japan: Snow

NHK Cool Japan: "Snow" edition.

Approximately half of Japan's land area is subject to heavy snowfall.

It is rare for a country to have so much snow, especially in populated areas.

That's why there are so many cultures and ingenuity involved in living with snow.

"Big city"

Japan is one of the snowiest countries in the world, but because it is a small country, it is impossible to avoid it.

In some places, snow falls for as long as six months, from November to April.

Since ancient times, people have continued to use wisdom and ingenuity to find ways to live comfortably and enjoyably during the snowy season.

Snowball fights and snow huts. We had fun playing in the snow.

Even in cities, there is a long-standing culture of enjoying snow, such as snow viewing.

The book Edo Meisho Zue describes a snow-viewing banquet held at a high-class restaurant at Tomioka Hachiman Shrine in Fukagawa.

This culture of enjoying snow is surely what makes Japan, a snowy country, so appealing to foreigners, unlike anywhere else.

"Snow Removal Team"

Mastering snow removal. A truly Japanese style.

Not only Aomori Airport has White Impulse, but Akita Airport also has a snow removal team called Yuki Sentai Namahage.

Asahikawa Airport in Hokkaido also has a snow removal team, most of which is done by local farmers, providing an important source of income during the winter.

White Impulse also holds tours, and many people visit to see their tricks.

It also contributes to revitalizing the local community.

If we master snow removal, we can create new jobs and tourism, turning the severe heavy snowfall into an advantage.

"Japanese paper"

It whitens paper and cloth and sweetens vegetables.

This is wisdom and ingenuity that can only be discovered by living deeply in snow.

It was born out of a long relationship with harsh snow.

"Risetsu," which I introduced previously, is one of them.

Snow can be used for storage, as refrigeration energy, and for tourism and local development.

I'm familiar with snow.

I believe there is still a lot of potential hidden in Japan's snow.

I used to have the image that snowy countries were difficult and gloomy, but I feel like that has been turned around and is now becoming more interesting, more work-oriented and more positive.

I thought we might be able to discover more of the power that snow has.

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I walked around the Gion Festival.

■I walked around the Gion Festival. 

It accompanies the Yamahoko procession and Kamakiriyama mountain.

I designed a praying mantis hand towel and T-shirt.

tupera I walked with tupera Kameyama.

This is the first time since I turned 60 that I have gone from being a viewer to being a performer.

Congratulations!

It was 40 degrees. Five hours. A full round through.

From Shijo to Kawaramachi to Oike, walk down the middle of the road.

It was also my first time being bombarded with a barrage of tens of thousands of cameras.

I'm aiming for the praying mantis behind me so I don't need to be nervous.

Somehow, I managed to complete the walk.

There are 23 floats. Some are huge, others small.

A fleet of ships, including warships, destroyers, and patrol boats, along with their crews.

Slowly, slowly.

They march in an orderly fashion, circling left around Shijo Kawaramachi and Kawaramachi Oike.

The command and control and on-site response taught me a lot about management.

You'll only understand once you walk there.

Finally, on the way back from the wide Oike pond to the narrow Shinmachi area,

Local people overflowed on both sides,

He was enthusiastically rewarded with cheers and applause.

I was so moved.

This 1200-year-old festival is not something that aristocrats or temples or shrines hold.

It belongs to the townspeople.

Thank you.

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Cool Japan: School Events

■Cool Japan: School Events 

NHK Cool Japan: "School Events" edition.

In the past, this program has highlighted the unique aspects of Japanese schools, such as students cleaning their own schools, taking turns serving lunch, and being enthusiastic about club activities, but the events they hold are also quite unique and interesting.

"Opening Ceremony"

After the spring, summer, and winter holidays, the school opening ceremony begins.

School is public and holidays are private, so you have to draw a line between public and private. It's important to make a line.

Summer vacation is especially different from overseas.

In many parts of the world, school starts in September, and there is a long period of time without homework as the school year changes.

In Japan, where students start school in April, summer vacation is in the middle of the school year, so there is homework.

What's more, independent research is difficult because you have to think of topics, and it can be difficult because parents get involved too.

There are many products available, such as independent study kits that include lab tools and craft equipment, and these have become a business.

"school trip"

They choose their own destinations, act independently, and use tablets.

School trips have also evolved.

Before Japan entered its period of rapid economic growth, ordinary people had low incomes and rarely had the opportunity to go on family trips.

The basic purpose of the school trip was for everyone to broaden their horizons.

As people have become more prosperous, more families are traveling, including overseas.

But school trips will never disappear.

Because it is a shared experience of our parents' generation.

He believes that the experiences he had as a student, spending days and nights together with others, have been beneficial to him.

As with club activities, activities other than studying subjects are positioned as an important part of education.

"Sports Festival"

It has been going for 60 years and is a local attraction that attracts as many as 5,000 people.

And to do it by hand is amazing. Hats off to you.

Moreover, they are graded and evaluated not only during the actual performance, but also during practice.

In other words, this is an "education" that emphasizes not just a one-off performance, but the process of growth.

There are many purposes for doing this, such as sharing values as a group or learning the importance of cooperation, but what's valuable is doing it while having fun.

This significance has been recognized, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has received requests from over 20 countries to help hold sports days.

Japan's sports festivals may spread throughout the world.

Actually, school "events" are not something you have to do.

It is not something that is required by the school, but something that is done voluntarily.

This is why they value that kind of education. That's why Japanese teachers have a hard time.

Thank you for your hard work.

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Gachon to the Headmaster Mr.Yohei Sadoshima

■Gachon to the Headmaster . Yohei Sadoshima

As a legendary editor at Kodansha's Weekly Morning, he brought out works such as "Vagabond," "Dragon Zakura," "Hatarashi Man," and "Space Brothers," and from there he founded a manga editing company called "Cork," a model that had never existed before in the world. He is also an innovator model from iU .

What is a manga editor?

They are often producers.

In Japan, the job title of producer is not clearly defined, so it is possible for a manga artist to serve as both a director and producer, and for an editor to help them. The role of a producer in Japan is flexible. It depends on the team of people. I was an editor who acted like a producer in the US.

In foreign countries, the position of editor is limited to someone who creates books and magazines. Manga is popular in Korea and China, but the problem is that there are no editors. The Japanese editor profession plays a strange role worldwide. Korea and China are researching how to train editors.

◆Leaving the publishing company

Many people who leave publishing companies become freelancers, such as novelists or original authors. Or they leave publishing companies and start their own publishing companies (like Sadojima-san). There are probably not many people who are trying to create a business in the IT industry.

◆Why start a business?

Publishing, television, and other so-called media have a large influence on society as a whole, but are very small in the industrial structure. Society as a whole is driven by the principles of capital, including GAFA, and many things are decided, but the influence of the media has become limited. I think we are entering an era where things that previously influenced the whole of Japan will only be known by a few people. I wanted to know about the changes happening in society. I felt that publishing companies are good companies, they treat their employees well, and the problem is that they cannot feel the changes in society firsthand.

The Internet is changing everything. It's changing distribution. It's changing communities. It's changing the cost of connecting people.

◆Leaving the publishing company

The publishing industry in Japan is well-structured. Compared to the rest of the world, the Japanese publishing industry is well-structured. I think this is largely due to the fact that Japanese people love to read books.

I started the company thinking that I might be able to compete with the people who founded Kodansha and Shogakukan, but it wasn't that easy.

◆A company that changes society

I love books and got a job at a publishing company, so I thought that I had to go further into the periphery to innovate, but since I started my own company, I hadn't taken on any challenges that even a publishing company could take on. Revolutionary changes are also coming from the IT industry . If I don't get rid of my fixed ideas, I won't be able to become a company that changes society.

◆The future of cork

We place importance on stories. Our company mission is to "change the world for each individual with the power of stories." It is said that we are entering an era of greater compassion, but we are challenging ourselves to see whether a company that aims for something abstract and unclear can have an impact on society.

Although they are able to stand out in society, they are not able to do work that penetrates the social structure.

Migration

Online is fine. COVID-19 has made society more tolerant. It has made me think about how to spend the remaining time I have comfortably.

◆The existence of schools

I have never liked school. I went there because I thought I might not be able to fit in with society if I couldn't do that. School was a time for me to practice patience. That is not happening now. I endure things even though I shouldn't.

◆School of the future

Most jobs have clear objectives. If you meet people with clear objectives, the relationship will be closed. At school, you meet people with only loose common ground. There are chance encounters. Meeting people whose good points you can appreciate after just one conversation can only happen at school. Schools are valuable as a place where encounters cannot be fully planned. I feel that there is potential in chance encounters themselves.

What is a school?

School as a place of instruction is over. You just have to learn by yourself. In order to find your next question, you need to get suggestions from others until you have a certain level of academic ability and experience. I majored in literature at university, but I was interested in psychology classes and looked at the syllabus. There, I found that my interests were opened up to people I had never expected, and when I attended classes, I thought, "I see." University is an opportunity to ask new questions.

◆Message for you guys

How can we free ourselves from the preconception that we have to graduate from university? I think ( iU ) is a university that wants to install free thinking. However, it is not a message to live carelessly. I want students to explore how they can avoid being bound by prejudice during their time at university. It is good to come into contact with many people with different values.

★Postscript

Light-hearted. It was impressive that he started a company with a system from a famous editor, but he also handed over the president's position to become chairman with ease. And after the corona, he moved to Fukuoka. I sometimes imitate his style of taking a stroll every day and attending online meetings on my smartphone. He is much younger than me, but I admire him.

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Kyoto's Cultural Power Master Plan

■ Kyoto's Cultural Power Master Plan

I am currently serving as a member of the Kyoto Prefecture Council for Creating a Future through Cultural Power.

This is the second phase of the Basic Plan for Cultural Power, following the first phase in 2019.

I expressed my opinion.

After the first phase, the Agency for Cultural Affairs is moving to Kyoto and the World Expo is being held in 2025.

For Kyoto, the Agency for Cultural Affairs is a national opportunity, while the Expo is a global one.

How can we make use of this?

The two unexpected changes are COVID-19 and technology.

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digital transformation around the world.

Both cultural expression and entertainment will be centered on digital.

Live performances will also be a hybrid of real and virtual.

Then AI, the metaverse, and web3, three major technologies that were originally separate, arrived at the same time.

A new cultural realm is born.

There is also a lot of debate in the country.

The Council for Cultural Affairs' report identified globalization and digital transformation as important themes.

How to deal with inbound and outbound

How can we develop new areas such as cultural digital transformation and the metaverse?

Kyoto Prefecture's next plan will also be a response to this.

I am active in three areas: human resource development, base formation, and events.

iU , creating a digital cluster in Takeshiba, Tokyo,

This is an art and digital activity at the Kyoto International Film Festival. 

We will also work in conjunction with BS Yoshimoto to lead up to the World Expo in 2025.

We are working to create a community of industry, government and academia.

I would like Kyoto Prefecture to cooperate with this community.

I hope you will make good use of it.

Turning the relocation of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the digital transformation caused by COVID-19 into an opportunity,

We will take advantage of the upcoming opportunity of the World Expo and the opportunities of new technologies such as AI.

I would like you to move on to creating the next plan.

Thank you very much. I look forward to it.

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Cool Japan: Buddhist cuisine

■Cool Japan: Buddhist cuisine

NHK Cool Japan: "Shojin ryori" (vegetarian cuisine).

The biggest factor behind the worldwide increase in vegetarians and vegans is health consciousness.

Lifestyle-related diseases are becoming more serious, and more and more people are trying to improve their condition through diet.

Japanese Shojin ryori goes even further, being a strict vegetarian diet that not only avoids meat, fish and dairy products, but also spicy vegetables such as onions and garlic.

It is part of Buddhist training, but it has been rediscovered by people overseas and is now attracting attention.

"These days"

Since it originated from Buddhism, Shojin ryori cuisine is found in all Asian countries, but there are very few Shojin ryori restaurants that are open to non-monks, and this is rare in Japan.

Since ancient times, Japan has had a diet of one soup and one dish, with many vegetable-based meals, and it was only after the Meiji period that people began to eat meat, later than the West.

We use plain vegetables to create a deep flavor, which is why it's so delicious.

The important thing is that it's delicious. I think that's what's popular with health-conscious Westerners these days.

"Temple"

I'll enjoy having this.

This is a uniquely Japanese expression, and it means to be grateful for the life of the ingredients.

Not only meat and fish, but plants also have life. We should be grateful to eat them.

And shojin ryori is made with great care, all by hand.

This effort is an important time to give thanks for the ingredients, to think about the Buddha to whom we are offering them, and to think about the people who will be eating the food.

Shojin cuisine embodies more than just not eating meat or fish; it also embodies that spirit.

"ramen"

This is a restaurant that specializes in Shojin ramen. It's in my hometown, the home of rich ramen, and a highly competitive area.

Pork bones, chicken bones, and bonito stock, which are essential ingredients for ramen, cannot be used.

Only kelp and shiitake mushrooms can be used.

Ramen and shojin ryori are polar opposites.

that has led to more than 10 years of research.

Ramen is now popular worldwide, and is also popular among health-conscious vegetarians and vegans.

This multiplication of ingredients in Shojin Ramen is a revolution. I hope it spreads throughout the world.

Even for Japanese people, shojin ryori is an ancient food and is not commonly known.

If foreigners discover it, we will be able to rediscover it and it could lead to new evolution and development.

thank you.

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iU President Gachon . Mr.Hiroki Kimura

■iU President Gachon . Mr.Hiroki Kimura

President of MIXI. The creator of Monster Strike. Without compromising on the philosophy of MIXI, which is to connect people online, he has grown the company into a four-digit billion yen business and expanded its focus from games to sports. And he is studying at graduate school. That's amazing.

◆ Mixi

The company name will be changed from Mixi to MIXI. While retaining the importance of communication that the social network Mixi has cultivated, we will work to enrich communication in various fields, not just SNS. Mixi in lowercase has a strong image of a service brand, but MIXI in capital letters is a slightly larger concept.

What we are focusing on now

Sports business. I think sports has the most room for growth from both a business and social contribution perspective. By stimulating communication within sports, sports funds will be created. Business will also grow.

They are particularly focusing on sports betting. Sports are the subject of betting. In Japan, publicly-run sports such as horse racing and bicycle racing are growing. In the United States, betting on major sports has been legalized. It's all the rage.

Betting alone is no fun, betting with friends is fun. I'm obsessed with trying to create new sports funding while having fun with everyone.

◆School/Learning

I was a dropout. I didn't fit in at school. I didn't attend sports days or school festivals in junior high and high school. I couldn't fit in with the others. I felt uncomfortable. I didn't skip school and stay alone, I played with my friends. I wasn't a delinquent or an honor student. I dropped out of college. Even at college, I couldn't get used to the school environment.

Two years ago ( 2020 enrollment), I attended graduate school at Waseda University. I wanted to learn properly as an adult, so I took a sports-related course. I was finally able to experience learning in a classroom with other students, something that normally happens at university level, even though I'm over 40 now.

Due to COVID-19, many of my classes were online. It was easy to juggle my work as a CEO and my studies. I was also able to submit my papers online. Thanks to technology, it was easier to learn than ever before.

years old and I am learning properly. I am grateful to be able to learn as an adult. It was a very good experience. I studied hard.

◆Message for you guys

If you can find something you want to do or something you can be passionate about, you will win in life. I 'm over 40 now, and I'm passionate about running a company and creating services. Take your time and look for something you can be passionate about and like. You'll be lucky if you find it while you're young. Even if you can't find it easily, you might find it while you're working. Please keep looking.

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World Digital Summit @ Nikkei Hall.

■World Digital Summit @ Nikkei Hall.

The first time I participated was 24 years ago.

This time, the final panel featured Taniwaki, Natsuno, Ishido, Suzukan, and myself.

I'll take notes on what was said.

◇Problem proposal

Japan has recognized that it has lost out in the digital era due to COVID-19, and has created a digital agency to push ahead with digital transformation. However, the next big wave, web3 and generative AI, is coming, and if we make a mistake, we could lose again.

iU, which was hit by COVID-19 when the school opened, say that COVID-19 is an opportunity. The challenge is how to entrust this generation with deciding their future career paths.

◇web3

I'm excited about the disruptive power of blockchain. The power of decentralization symbolized by the DAO. Just as the Internet has turned the media into a garbage dump, it may turn companies and governments into garbage dumps.

On the other hand, the spread of the Internet, which reduces communication costs to zero, was inevitable, but this is not yet evident for BC. Another issue is that energy-rich countries have an advantage.

◇The rise of GAFA

The economy and society have become more autonomous and decentralized. Giants have collapsed and dispersed in many fields, including media and finance. Individuals have also become more powerful. The nation vs. GAFA battle is also a decentralization phenomenon in which a power that rivals the nation has emerged.

Meanwhile, in the Internet itself, companies with business models that concentrate resources such as data have become powerful.

◇AI

The singularity has come. Things you think you can't do will eventually become possible.

People worry about losing their jobs, but production won't decrease. GDP won't decrease. There's nothing to worry about.

However, when that wealth is concentrated in certain countries or organizations, it leads to riots and war.

Distribution, rather than production, becomes the most important issue.

◇Government

I support the Digital Agency. It should be commended for making AI an important issue at the G7 Summit and playing a coordinating role.

However, it is questionable whether Web3 should be considered a growth strategy. Rather than increasing GDP, the Internet and SNS have brought about a convenient, comfortable and enjoyable social culture, and have increased consumer surplus. It would be better to position Web3 as a social and cultural strategy.

◇DX Human Resource Development

That's why I created iU . I take it personally and work hard.

The thing that will change the most with AI and web3 is universities. There is a theory that half of universities will disappear in 10 years because of the Internet and AI, but with the emergence of ZEN universities, it seems that this may happen even sooner. This is a chance to make a big change in education.

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NHK Cool Japan: "Swords" edition.

 ■ NHK Cool Japan: "Swords" edition.

The most common national treasure is the sword.

Japanese sword sections are also popular in art museums overseas.

Although there are swords overseas as well, Japanese blades are particularly popular.

There is a history boom in Japan as well, and the number of history-loving girls is on the rise.

His gaze towards the sword is heating up.

"Ginza"

The first sword specialty store opened in Ginza 40 years ago.

After that, the number of sword shops began to increase.

Ginza is a place where many people have money to spare.

During the peaceful Edo period, awareness of "what does it mean to be a samurai" grew, and the sword came to be said to be "the soul of the samurai."

Swords became gifts and beautiful works of art that expressed the soul of the samurai, and when a shogun took office or inherited the family headship, a valuable sword was presented to him. Shoguns also gave swords as rewards to daimyo when they returned to their home provinces on alternate attendance or when they made donations.

It's something that's been refined for a long time.

"Sword Girls"

The idea of becoming interested in history through games was also a hot topic when the Ninja chapter was released.

The program also discussed how Japan has created many different characters that don't exist overseas, such as mascot characters and monsters, but the personification of swords and fleets is particularly unique to Japan.

I don't feel strange about giving birth to living things and turning them into people, and I like it.

Moreover, Touken Ranbu is a game about raising characters, rather than fighting. Very Japanese.

"Impersonation sword"

Koshirae is a general term for the part of the sword that is held, the sheath that holds the blade, and the guard that connects them.

Since each sword has a different curvature and width, an original sheath is required.

The tsuba acts as a stopper to prevent the hand holding the tsuba from slipping onto the blade, and also serves to balance the weight of the blade and the tsuba.

These features, including both practical and decorative aspects, are important factors in determining the value of a Japanese sword.

When a sword changes hands, it is often remade to suit the new owner's preferences.

Since it deteriorates more easily than the blade, it is passed down through the generations while being frequently repaired.

"Higo Preparation"

In the techniques that artisans have passed down through the generations, every step and every material has meaning and is imbued with wisdom.

We create things with an understanding of that meaning, and find value in it.

Nowadays, it may be foreigners who can do that.

Foreigners will rediscover the value of cool and it will develop again in Japan.

Isn't this the formula for Cool Japan?

Whenever I arrive at London's Heathrow Airport wearing a kimono, I am always asked at immigration, "Are you carrying a sword?"

I think you wouldn't be able to get on a plane if you had it, and I don't know if they're serious or joking, but people ask me that all the time.

Swords are recognized as a fundamental part of Japanese culture.

We too would like to recognize the value of this.

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I went to the G7 Digital Ministers' Meeting.

■ I went to the G7 Digital Ministers' Meeting.

The G7 Digital Ministers' Meeting was held in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, where they discussed the development and regulation of generative AI.

The timing of the rampant AI threat sweeping the world is an important issue on which opinions differ between Japan, the US and Europe.

Japan will host this conference, which will serve as a link to the G7 Summit. This will have great significance.

(It seems to be Daruma, not Pigmon.)

I went to the venue.

Digital Policy Forum G7 Open Conference

"Achieving Global Collaboration in Digital Policy" was held.

Thank you to Docomo and au for your help.)

Greetings.

The Digital Policy Forum is a policy platform for industry, academia, and government launched in the fall of 2021 to coincide with the launch of the Digital Agency.

We have held various symposiums and made recommendations for a data-driven society and on the invasion of Ukraine.

We have also established an incorporated foundation called the Digital Policy Foundation to strengthen our activities.

In conjunction with the G7 Digital Ministers' Meeting, we will propose "Achieving global cooperation in digital policies," and will also liven up the ministers' meeting and send a message from the private sector to the leaders of each country.

https://www.digitalpolicyforum.jp/rgcidp_jp/

At the conference, I spoke at the first session, "The World and Digital."

Hirofumi Yoshida, Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, clarified the government's stance on "promoting the use of AI," he spoke with Gunma Prefecture Governor Ichita Yamamoto, House of Representatives member Takuya Hirai, and Keio University Professor Nanako Ishido.

It started with Governor Yamamoto introducing me as the "Producer of Shonen Knife" lol

The first Minister of Digital Affairs, Representative Hirai, has stated that he sees a winning strategy for Japan through the use of multiple AI technologies and is opposed to regulation.

Governor Yamamoto, a former Minister of IT, also takes the same stance.

On the other hand, Governor Yamamoto expressed concern about the delay in opening up data, and Councilman Hirai pointed out the power issues for AI and data, which are resources issues.

the former IT Minister and former Digital Minister are powerful and inspiring.

The ministerial meetings held in public tend to be low-resolution due to the exchange of official answers, but we would like to also convey the straightforward voices of politicians who are knowledgeable.

The national response to AI is a highly political issue. I felt that it was important for the government, industry, and academia to come together to tackle the issue.

Session 2: "Tech and Security"

Professor Esaki Hiroshi of the University of Tokyo, CSO Maeda Yoshihiro of Deloitte Tohmatsu, Professor Kokuryo Jiro of Keio University, Professor Sudo Osamu of Chuo University, Chairman of NICT Tokuda Hideyuki, Advisor to the Digital Policy Forum Taniwaki Yasuhiko, and Director of the Digital Policy Foundation Kikuchi Naoto.

Session 3: "Public and Future"

Professor Shishido Tsunehisa of the University of Tokyo, Professor Hayashi Hideya of Nagoya University, Professor Uchiyama Takashi of Aoyama Gakuin University, Sugawara Takehiro of SOKO LIFE TECHNOLOGY, Deputy Governor of Kyoto Prefecture Yamashita Akimasa, and Editorial Board Member of the Yomiuri Shimbun, Wakae Masako.

Closing remarks.

the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated digital transformation around the world , digital has become the main battlefield in the war in Ukraine.

At the same time , AI is exploding and reshaping the world.

this moment to recognize the significance of Japan hosting the G7 Summit and use it as an opportunity.

I would be pleased if this symposium helps in that regard.

(An acquaintance from Rakuten and an acquaintance from NF)

The theories of civilization, publicness, and diversity. It was a big discussion.

The symposium also made us think about how we should approach solving global problems as the divide between democratic and authoritarian nations becomes more serious.

We would like to continue working together as a forum.

( Work I was previously involved in: NICT's automatic translation and Imagica's 4K8K transmission)

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President's Gachon . Mr.Kensaku Fukui

■President's Gachon . Mr.Kensaku Fukui

He is the head of an entertainment lawyer firm. He is also a New York State attorney, and is always there when we have big entertainment-related discussions, such as the copyright business related to Hollywood, and he is also in the foreground at government meetings and on TV news. I often work with him on issues such as copyright protection period extension, AI intellectual property issues, and anti-piracy measures.

◆Entertainment Lawyer

I was acting. I didn't want to get a job. It was hard to make a living from acting, so I wanted to have a side job as a freelancer. I thought being a lawyer was a good way to earn money as a freelancer. It would be a good way to continue acting.

of university . I went to a training center for two years. When I graduated, the theater company disbanded, about half of the members were replaced, and we co-hosted a new theater company. While I was at the training center, I performed about 100 times. During the training, I was on the scene. I interrogated suspects, drafted verdicts, and negotiated settlements. I saw firsthand how tough it is to do both. At the same time, I realized that being a lawyer is interesting. I quit acting when I registered as a lawyer.

I wanted to work hard as a lawyer, but I had regrets. My friends had become professionals. I felt lonely. At that time, I heard that many executives of movie and record companies were lawyers, and that there were many entertainment lawyers in the United States who supported artists, so I thought I would become one of them.

◆Study Abroad

There was not a single book on entertainment lawyers in Japan. I knew that America was flourishing, so I had been thinking about studying abroad from the beginning. The classes I took at Sundai when I was a repeater and at Columbia University were the most interesting classes I have ever taken in my life. I had been studying abroad for 4 and a half years, so I was craving knowledge. I was able to learn everything I wanted to know.

◆School as a place

I didn't really appreciate the classes at Japanese universities. They didn't suit me at the time. But the university environment was amazing. The Komaba campus was really interesting.

Elementary school was the most boring. It's not interesting to have to sit at a desk and listen to lectures all the time. In junior high school, I had a little more freedom, but it was still boring. In high school, it got more interesting. In college, I could do whatever I wanted. Every day was interesting. Everything I experienced there shaped me more than any class ever could.

Humans retain knowledge when their minds are working. When you are tied to a desk and thinking it's boring, but you're taking classes, your mind isn't working. It's better to make that time as short as possible. Some kids concentrate on reading manga, while others concentrate on soccer. It may be true that you can't appreciate the fun of something without basic knowledge, so I don't have the courage to say that primary and secondary education should be eliminated, but we need to increase the time when our minds are working at full speed. It's fine to go to college after working, but since we have become an affluent society, is n't it okay to have a few years of time to do what you like, whether it's high school or college? Also, if you start working and want to learn something, it will be good if there is a place where there are teachers who can give you the knowledge you want.

◆Message for you guys

For me, college was the most interesting time of my life. I want you to treasure that. Rather than focusing on grades, I want you to spend those four years in a way that you can say at graduation that you had the most fun. The winner is the one who has fun in college and in life.

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Cool Japan: Nakano Koenji

■Cool Japan: Nakano Koenji 

NHK Cool Japan "Nakano Koenji" edition.

"Live House"

Young musicians and artists choose cities with low rent and low living costs.

At the same time, I don't want to move away from the city center, where information is sourced.

Nakano and Koenji are perfect places.

When people of these kinds of races come together, individuality and culture are born, and they begin to attract many different kinds of people.

This creates a virtuous cycle as it attracts foreigners and the number of accommodations catering to them increases.

Hostels are wall-less, sharing economy-like places, and they also serve as a receptacle for such new values.

"Secondhand clothing store"

There is probably no other town in the world with 150 stores gathered together.

I usually wear second-hand kimonos and I love second-hand clothing, so I thoroughly search for cheap, high-quality items.

The charm of second-hand clothing is the unique items you find there, making them a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Koenji is a town of individuality where mass production doesn't suit it.

You can search there and find a unique item that you like. It's fascinating.

"Restaurants"

I like the friendliness of the many shopping streets.

It's not a chain store, but rather a tightly packed collection of independent shops.

It's full of individuality. This is also the charm of being a one-of-a-kind item.

They offer a wide variety of cuisines from around the world, including Japanese, Western, Chinese and Asian cuisine, and the quality is very high.

We make it even more delicious than the original.

The great thing about Japan is that there are no bad stores, even if they are cheap.

"Broadway"

I'm interested in plastic models. I want to go.

The reason why Nakano and Koenji have such a strong affinity with subculture is because they are close to the city center and have low land prices.

This is largely due to the fact that there are many anime production companies and many young comedians, musicians and other people who are sensitive to subculture live there.

With this in mind, a secondhand bookstore specializing in manga opened in Nakano Broadway in 1980, and at the time it was just a six-story store.

It gradually expanded, and then specialty shops aimed at enthusiasts began to open one after another around the store, until it came to be known as a mecca for subculture.

Its geographical conditions and accumulated history have nurtured this miraculous city.

There are also plans to turn the former Nakano Sun Plaza site into an even larger Otaku City.

The number of inbound otaku will continue to increase.

Just right.

It's not too big a city, but it's not too rural either, and it's compact.

The food, music and art are all high quality,

The warmth of people still remains.

A lovely town with just the right amount of charm.

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Intellectual Property Planning Content Strategy Working Group

■ Intellectual Property Planning Content Strategy Working Group

I served as chair of the Content Strategy Working Group for Intellectual Property Planning .

We introduced the discussions that were considered by the Keidanren Creative Economy Committee.

Keidanren commissioned Human Media, led by his ally Ono Uchie, to conduct a survey that has compiled an overview of the current state of the content industry.

the past 11 years, China has shown outstanding growth of over 20%, while the US, UK and South Korea have all grown by 6%, while Japan has grown by 2%.

Japan's growth forecast is also the lowest among 53 countries.

On the other hand, in terms of IP revenue, 12 out of the top 25 in the world, or half, are from Japanese content.

1st place is Pokemon, 2nd place is Hello Kitty. Anpanman, Mario, Gundam, Dragon Ball, One Piece, etc.

It is an IP powerhouse, but it is not making the most of it.

Keidanren is said to be placing emphasis on manga, anime, games, music, and movies, and is considering taking measures to promote 1. production capabilities, 2. overseas expansion, and 3. inbound tourism.

This should be in line with the intellectual property plan we put together.

it suggests establishing a comprehensive government organization similar to the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).

The Japan Business Federation once proposed a "Ministry of Information Economy and Society," and this is the same idea. I agree.

However, since the intellectual property plan is a government document, there will be no consensus. We will not make any proposals to the government.

During the discussion, Committee Member Fukui Kensaku made the fundamental point that in addition to the fragmentation of government ministries and agencies being a hindrance, the budget is small and fragmented, and tax measures are weak.

This is due to the weakness of the policy compared to South Korea, which has a government budget, and the United States, which has a private donation-based system.

, added that the government budget is 8 billion yen, which is on par with that of mid-sized European countries, while South Korea and Germany have 30 billion yen and the UK has 10 billion yen. Is this sufficient or insufficient?

since the content policy was launched , but how do you evaluate the government's stance?

WG should not only plan policies but also evaluate and verify them.

Additionally, Commissioner Uchiyama pointed out that the situation and discussions are the same as they were 10 years ago.

It may be that Japan's policies are now playing catch-up.

It may be worthwhile to use the Korean state-led model and the American private sector-led model as benchmarks. I will abandon the "Japanese model" dream I once had.

The main points of discussion are

1. The impact of AI-generated explosion

2. Platform orientation

3. Building a creator-driven economy

was emphasized.

1. Regarding AI, the Intellectual Property Headquarters led the world in extensive discussions and amended the law, making it OK to train AI without permission, but it is now prohibited if it unfairly infringes on rights.

The reality has finally emerged and the situation has changed. How to operate it is an important issue.

2. Platforms have the power to decide the life or death of content. While there are growing calls to return profits to content and creators, they are also important in terms of providing production opportunities and securing sales channels to the world. We need to be prepared for how to deal with this issue from a policy perspective.

3. Regarding the creator-led economy, compensation as a means of returning compensation is no longer functioning properly, and the key point is how new technologies such as Web3 will function.

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Cool Japan: Udon

■ Cool Japan: Udon 

NHK Cool Japan: "Udon" edition.

Following ramen, the era of udon has come.

It's healthy and has more toppings and soup options than soba.

And in Japan there are many different kinds of udon, from hard to soft, hot to cold.

"Local udon"

Cold noodles are a unique Japanese culture in that they can be made with plenty of water.

There are many different types of udon, including hot and cold noodles.

I'm from Kyoto and I love tanuki.

In Tokyo, tanuki means fried tempura bits, while in Kyoto it means chopped fried tofu and ginger on top of thickened udon noodles. In Osaka, tanuki means kitsune soba.

There is that much diversity within just the tanuki.

Tokyo has a strong soba culture, and udon was just one of the dishes on the menu at soba restaurants. However, about 20 years ago, Sanuki udon became a hit, and udon specialty stores began to appear in Tokyo, and then spread throughout the country.

"world"

Unlike soba or ramen, udon is more like rice or bread and does not have a strong noodle flavor.

This means it can accommodate a variety of flavors and soups.

As people come to understand the appeal of udon, it is now expanding into the world.

I was also surprised by the extremely long lines when I tried to go into an American store of this VTR chain.

in Vietnam, the home of pho , and 50 stores in Indonesia, and the restaurant is expanding throughout Asia.

Since it can be incorporated into the food culture of any country, it is likely to become more and more popular.

"Frozen"

The craftsmanship and relentless pursuit of technology are typical of Cool Japan.

The best thing about it is that you can just thaw it and eat it.

It seems more suitable for freezing than ramen or soba.

Easy and delicious.

It may even spread to the rest of the world.

This program often deals with food, and many of the items featured are imported or foreign products that were developed in Japan, such as ramen, gyoza, curry, and sandwiches.

In comparison, udon is a purely Japanese dish. I'm glad that it's being recognized as such.

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The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

■The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

An unprecedented worldwide hit. We interviewed him before the film's release in Japan.

◯Why is it a hit?

1. Characters ranked 8th in world IP revenue (1st is Pokemon)

2. A fan base spanning 40 years and three generations. (That's why Abe Mario appeared at the closing ceremony of the Rio Olympics.)

3. Visual and musical footage featuring legends Shigeru Miyamoto and Koji Kondo.

4. The evolution of CG technology that can express the world of games. (It's different from the live-action version of Mario in 1993.)

◯What ecosystem will games create?

・Pokemon also comes from the game. The game itself is just under 2 trillion yen, but character merchandise and other products make up a total of 10 trillion yen.

・Nintendo alone has Zelda, Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Kirby, and Splatoon. For PlayStation , there's Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Resident Evil, and many more.

-There are many uses for smartphones, streaming, metaverse, web3, and stage.

◯How widespread is Japanese content?

・Half of the top 25 IPs in the world in terms of revenue are from Japan. Pokemon, Hello Kitty, Anpanman, Gundam, Dragon Ball.

- Popular culture that can be enjoyed by both adults and children, and expression that is not bound by religion or class, in other words, freedom. - Good art and music classes so that anyone can draw, in other words, education. These two are the infrastructure.

◯What are the challenges?

- Securing human resources capable of doing business in the global market and how to deal with international platforms (GAFA and Netflix).

・Demonstrate IP power by making full use of explosive new technologies such as AI, metaverse, and web3.

Will Mario be a hit in Japan?

・Yes I will.

(I said it decisively, but I was nervous until it landed. I'm glad it hit.)

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President Gachon : Mr.Kunihiro Tanaka

 2025/08/31

■ President Gachon : Mr.Kunihiro Tanaka

President of Sakura Internet. He has also held many public offices, including as chairman of the Computer Software Association of Japan (SAJ) and chairman of the Japan Data Center Association. He is a graduate of Maizuru National College of Technology and a star of the college. He has succeeded in starting a technology-driven business and is a young leader who is driving the Japanese economy. He is a role model for iU students. Welcome.

The current situation in Japan

With the establishment of the Digital Agency, momentum has finally been created for change. The Digital Agency has two meanings. One is the execution force. The other is the momentum created by the establishment of the Digital Agency. With these two things, digitalization will progress and the number of people using it will increase. Now is the time for a large rate of change.

◆ Impact of COVID-19

Sakura Internet's situation is flat. In terms of the rate of change, Japan has always had a low degree of digitalization. As the lows rise, Sakura Internet itself will not benefit immediately, but the number of users is increasing as regular customers, so in the medium to long term things have improved a lot.

◆Sakura Internet's Challenges and Japan's Challenges

The big story is how a software company can change its current state to become a hardware company and get back to being a software company.

Sakura Internet was a disruptive innovation that arose in the early 1990s. At the time, there were almost no businesses in Japan that sold servers online by installing an open source OS on personal computers. Internet companies focused on the idea of ensuring trust with software, rather than with hardware.

To increase reliability, hardware must be constantly improved, and the tendency to place more importance on hardware than on software is a challenge in Japan, and also for Sakura Internet. We built a data center in Ishikari, Hokkaido, to run our software under the best conditions, but as the hardware gained recognition, it became a business in itself. Our essence is to create good services using the power of software, even if it is cheap.

Japan is a manufacturing nation, so whether they make things or software, they want to deliver it as if it were a contract development project. It's an extension of the analogy of things. Sakura Internet should have had an identity of making software and providing services, but it inevitably becomes about how to strengthen the hardware. How do we turn it into a software- and service-based nation? That is the challenge for Sakura Internet, and for Japan as a whole.

◆Starting a business

I thought about starting a business when I was 18. The purpose of starting a business is twofold: "means" and "ends."

I was running a server at school, which I lent to a friend. The content became popular and traffic increased. As a result, it was becoming a nuisance to have it at school, so I had to remove it. Increasing traffic means that the content has value, so my friend should be able to make a profit and pay the server fee. In fact, my friend asked me if there was any way to keep the site running, even if he was willing to pay for it. That's when I started a business as a "means."

◆School

An important step in my life without which I wouldn't have gotten to where I am today.

School is a place to meet people, things, knowledge, and careers. I hope that in five or ten years, students will look back and say that they would never have encountered these things if they hadn't come to iU .

◆Challenges facing education in Japan

The challenge is to keep looking for issues. How do we count what the school is doing well? As is the case with local governments, in communities where the public sector is stronger in contributing to society than for-profit companies, we often start with issues. However, I think it's a set of two things: developing what you can do and making it possible to do what you can't do. The educational environment will change if we take into account how to develop what the school is doing well.

◆Message for you guys

Always search for what you want to do. It's like a digestive organ. If you look for it, you will find it right away. However, I haven't seen one yet today. Humans can only see what they want to see. Even if they see something or encounter it, they often don't acknowledge it. The focus you have enriches your life. People who are willing to search for what they want to do will find more and more of what they want to do.

Another important thing is that there are things you have to do in order to do what you want to do. You can endure the things you have to do that lead to what you want to do. However, many people don't have anything they want to do, or they are bored doing what they have to do. If you can clearly find what you want to do, you will surely make an effort if it is something you have to do to get there. As a result, even if it doesn't lead to what you want to do, if you have created the next thing you want to do, you can enjoy the things you have to do.

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Cool Japan: Showa Retro

■ Cool Japan: Showa Retro 

NHK Cool Japan "Showa Retro" edition.

"Retro Cafe"

The Showa retro era overlaps with Japan's period of high economic growth.

Before the bubble burst, there was a lot of admiration for the West and the momentum to catch up and surpass it.

And the last of the analog era is Showa retro.

It was a time before the automation and computerization of today, when people were not as wealthy, and still felt the warmth of handmade items.

I think it's these aspects that attract young people who have no knowledge of the Showa era, and that make the area appealing to foreigners as well.

"fair"

This doesn't exist in other countries, does it?

"Ennichi" festivals, which create ties with temples and shrines, are a way to confirm local ties while also being connected to religion, but they are also packed with entertainment.

When I was a kid, I also went there with excitement.

It's a special space where only children can come at night, wear yukata in the summer, and enjoy food and games that can only be found at festivals.

I'm glad that it still remains even now, when the building is still an apartment building.

I want the important thing, the community ties, to be preserved.

"Showa Pop Songs"

They are all masterpieces. People are just now discovering that there are so many great Japanese songs that have connections to J-POP.

And in those days, everyone watched TV together in the living room.

Everyone was listening to the same song, everyone was facing the same direction and working hard.

That's how we all grew up.

There are no longer any songs that everyone in the country knows.

Portable music players became popular, music went digital, and music changed from "everyone's music" to "personal music."

It's an evolution, but there's also a sad side to it, and I think people are wanting to sing those songs from back then again.

Showa retro is not as old as traditional Japanese culture, but it's not cutting-edge technology either; it's the perfect middle ground between old and new Japan.

Savoring its goodness is a meaningful act of discovering a new Japan.

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President Mr. Usubi Sako

 ■President Mr. Usubi Sako

The former president of Kyoto Seika University, originally from Mali. He studied architecture in China before coming to Kyoto University. He speaks French, English, Chinese, and the Kyoto dialect. Before I became president, I went to the senior president to ask for his advice. Then he asked me to attend M1 with him, and I am doing this as homework.

◆New facility: Kyoto Seika University Meisokan

It will open in February 2022. It is scheduled to be completed in July. It was created based on three keywords: global, liberal arts, and expression. Students will be able to feel these elements through these. For example, what is global? Global lounge. IC3, an exchange hub where you can interact with people from various countries. Writing center, which provides support, especially for international students who have trouble with Japanese, and English support. There are many exhibition spaces and open spaces where students can have discussions.

The name of the room is Discussion Space. Students usually receive information one-sidedly in classrooms, but here it is not the case. I think it would be good if the process of consuming and turning that information into knowledge could take place here. This building was planned with the concept of a place where people can express themselves, encounter the global world, and consume and turn information into knowledge. When I was the president, I launched the Facilities Improvement Association and served as its chairman.

◆Experience of the President

He is the first African-born university president. It was unfortunate that there was no successor until he finished his term. Fewer than 2% of people from other countries hold university president positions in Japan .

While teaching at Kyoto Seika University, I served as dean for two terms before being elected president. I didn't have many difficulties working with everyone. However, Japanese communication has a unique style, so I sometimes felt cultural differences while communicating with others.

◆Kyoto

I've been in Kyoto for 31 years (as of 2022). Kyoto is a very interesting city.

Human scale. A graspable scale. Many things are connected. It has a rich history. But Kyoto also has a unique culture. The way people communicate and relate to each other. It's also a very innovative city, and I love new things.

You would think that a place with such a long history would be good at accepting all kinds of people, but that's not the case. When you come to Kyoto, you have to adapt to the Kyoto way. There are difficult hurdles. I made many mistakes. In terms of language. There was a gap between what was said and what was done. On the other hand, there is also depth to it. The language, the town, the houses. It's a place where there is always something to discover. It's a town that curious people will never get bored of.

◆Schools and Education

The environment surrounding education is changing. Demands on schools are becoming stricter every year. The evaluation of schools is changing. Demands from not only the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, but also parents are changing. Schools have become targets for investment.

On the other hand, I believe that schools should be learner-centered. Kyoto Seika University has a philosophy of respecting people. Students do not receive education one-sidedly, but rather help build the school together. Students develop their character based on the school.

What is required in the field of education today is something like making standardized products. But a school should be like a field. We sow seeds, look forward to seeing what sprouts will emerge, and pour love and water into them. That's what we teachers do. As teachers, we learn a lot from our students. We stay close to our students and always make eye contact. We listen to their opinions while drawing on our own experiences.

Education exists for the benefit of those who receive it. However, today schools are acting as if they exist for the benefit of educators. I want to create an educational environment that eliminates this gap.

◆Message for you guys

There are many uncertainties about the future of this world. In school, we have been taught as if there are answers to everything, but that is not the case. What we must focus on teaching is the ability to question things. When you are stuck on something, ask questions properly. Return to the basics and reset. I want you to be people who are not afraid of change. You create your own future.

★Postscript

Mari's predecessor was the legendary manga artist Keiko Takemiya. It is a university of creative expression and liberal arts. I look up to them as a missing piece of iU and as an organization that produces amazing presidents. I'd love to work on a project together.

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