President's Gachon : Mrs.Maiko Ito

■President's Gachon : Mrs.Maiko Ito

A top idol who is known to everyone in our generation. And then a researcher. A true science major, he went on to study medicine and robotics, and while writing his doctoral thesis, he was also appointed as a fellow at ExWizards, an AI startup. So cool.

From performing arts to academia

I debuted and worked as an idol, but after five years, I quit because I was often stripped naked. It is common knowledge in this industry that if you quit because of a fight, you will no longer be able to work, but I was able to survive without losing my job. It's all thanks to everyone involved. I wanted to give something back.

However, I entered the entertainment industry right after graduating from high school, so I was ignorant and uneducated. I had no way of giving back. I thought I would go to a university where everyone else was going, and hope to find something. I took correspondence courses at Waseda. My bachelor's and master's seminars were robotics. I originally wanted to study preventive medicine and become a messenger of the importance of prevention, but that didn't work out, so a 20-year-old student asked me if I wanted to take a popular seminar, so I went to robotics.

I thought I would not be able to give back to my parents if I did not go from master's to doctorate, but since my robotics professor did not have a doctorate, I went to consult with my biology professor, who I took a class from during my master's. He said he would accept me if the robotics professor and the faculty council agreed. I did not go to the doctoral program because I wanted to get a doctorate, but because I could not see a way to give back to my parents at the master's level, my main goal was to continue my research at the doctoral level.

◆ Successes and failures

I was lucky to just get into the entertainment industry and land a leading role. It was a success. I think I failed because my personality wasn't suited to being an idol. I hated it so much. Friction arose and I quit. I fell into hell.

But it is because of that failure that I am where I am today. Without that failure, I might have become an arrogant celebrity by now.

What we are focusing on now

Write a paper about the experiment and research you are doing and get a doctorate. A professor once told me that a doctorate is like a grain of rice on the bottom of your foot. You can't eat it if you get it, and it's disgusting if you don't, so why not just get it? I think the professor was probably being sarcastic, saying that just because a celebrity went to a doctoral program doesn't mean they can get it easily. But I hate to lose. So I'll get the grain of rice on the bottom of my foot.

◆What is school and learning?

When I was in elementary school, I went to school without thinking about it. My parents wanted me to go to an all-girls school for the junior high school entrance exam, so I started studying for the exam. When my homeroom teacher handed back my social studies test, I got about 76 points, and he told me in front of everyone that I wouldn't pass with a score like that. When I was in fifth grade, I thought it was strange that you were deciding my life . I didn't particularly want to pass, but I did because I didn't want to get on the path that this person had decided for me.

I went to an all-girls school for middle and high school, and those six years were spent just having fun and not thinking about anything .

I entered university at the age of 45. It was quite interesting. I learned in a way that I had never done before. I thought life is a role-playing game. The best part of role-playing is gaining experience points in your own way, getting weapons, and defeating enemies. This is true for university studies and life as well. Ignoring emotional arguments, it's fun to always gain experience points, get weapons, and defeat enemies. There is a constant sense of accomplishment. It's a repetition of that, is what I learned at university.

When you enter university, there are a lot of things you want to do and things you don't want to do but have to do. When it comes to choosing what to do, students usually choose something easy, something with a kind professor, or something you can easily get credits for. That's normal, but I chose to try something difficult, something people don't want to do, or something that would never be recommended. By doing that, you will be able to see something. Carefully observe what the professor is trying to say and what kind of students he or she would give a good evaluation to. If you put together something that the professor seems to like, you will definitely get good credits. If you do that, life is easy.

When I entered university, the three professors who interviewed me said they didn't want me to enter because people in my profession would definitely quit soon, but I was admitted because I was here for a purpose! When I went to the master's course, they saw the device I made in the seminar and said there was no point in going to graduate school because no one would want something like that, but I was forced to go. When I went to the doctoral course, they opposed me, saying that robots are great, but it was a completely different field, so it wasn't something I could overcome with what I had done up until then. However, they asked me questions about the classes I had taken for the past two years, and when I answered all of them, they said I knew a lot about it and admitted me.

There is always a wall. Nothing has gone smoothly. If you try hard, you can always overcome the wall that appears in front of you. If you use your abilities, there will always be a wall that you can just barely overcome. Always choose what seems fun. Don't try anything that you think you absolutely hate. You might like overcoming the wall of whether you can enjoy it or not.

◆Message for you guys

There are many things you don't know when you're young. You may not know which path to take. Gather up your courage and take a step forward into something that you think is fun. If you think it's impossible, just give up. You can start over in life as many times as you want.

★Postscript

When he says "You can start over in life," I can only nod in agreement. Since coming to academia, he has already made two mountains. When I asked him what he plans to do in the future, he said he is interested in well-being. I think he will make another mountain.

Read More

Cool Japan: Sandwiches

■Cool Japan: Sandwiches 

NHK Cool Japan: "Sandwich" edition.

It's a Western thing. It's bread, and the fillings are mostly Western.

This food developed in Japan and became a unique Western cuisine.

Cool Japan, similar to spaghetti Napolitan and crepes.

Will such Japanese sandwiches take off around the world?

Can it create a boom similar to that of sushi or ramen? We want to explore that possibility.

"Popular Sandwich"

Last week, I spent the whole week in England eating nothing but sandwiches.

Cucumber sandwiches or sandwiches with just cheese on brown bread are so much tastier in Japan.

This may be because I am Japanese, but Japanese people like soft textures and consider them luxurious.

That's why I use white bread for sandwiches and discard the tough crust.

White, soft bread is rice.

Because it's white and doesn't have a strong flavor, it goes with anything and can also be used to sandwich Japanese side dishes.

It's easy to eat, like a rice ball.

"Moe-dan Housewife"

Appearance is important. Japanese people enjoy food with their eyes.

Unlike overseas, they don't use a variety of breads, but stick to white bread.

It makes the colors of the ingredients stand out, just like white paper.

The triangular sandwich is said to have originated in Japan, but it was invented at Korakuen Stadium in 1961, the year I was born, after a customer said it would be convenient to have a sandwich that allowed you to see what was inside.

Triangular sandwiches are also becoming more common overseas. I think fun-looking sandwiches will become more popular.

"Portable Sandwich"

Here too, technology and development challenges abound.

In Japan, where bento culture is strong, developing food that can be carried around is what makes it a hit.

Because the humidity is high, it is also important that it can be preserved.

It can be used as a lunch alternative to rice or rice balls, is portable, won't spoil, and the contents are less likely to spill when eaten outside.

A typically Japanese product that has been the result of extensive research and development.

To be honest, I think Japanese sandwiches are delicious.

However, it is still not well known overseas.

People from all over the world, please come to Japan and try our sandwiches.

Read More

Cool Japan: Girls' Manga

■ Cool Japan: Girls' Manga

NHK Cool Japan: "Shojo Manga" edition.

Manga is a representative form of pop culture, and girls' manga in particular has fostered a world of rich expression.

In recent years, it has been adapted into a TV drama and a movie, and is gaining attention overseas.

"Genre"

Many girls' manga are romance-themed, but there are also many other genres, such as school stories, hero stories, sports, and music, and many works are read by adults as well as girls.

Nowadays, manga magazines aimed at men also carry a lot of girls' manga and works by female manga artists.

Simple manga for girls developed into various genres.

The fact that culture that was originally aimed at children has diversified as it is enjoyed by adults as well is a characteristic of Japanese pop culture, both in anime and games.

In other countries, people graduate from children's culture when they become adults, but in Japan, adults tend to be childish, and the line is unclear, so adults of a certain age continue to have fun.

This is why certain cultures are born. Girls' manga is a prime example.

"The wall-bang makes my heart flutter."

Girls' manga is a fantasy of girls' ideals. In reality, there are no men in Japan who do things like kabedon or chin-grabbing, and if they actually did it, it would be a turn-off. But modest girls long for this fantasy.

The world of girls' manga is actually best suited to dialogue, but this is expressed not through dialogue but through psychological depictions and gestures. That's why a wide variety of gestures appear.

Gestures like the kabedon have been around for a long time, but what has become popular recently is the naming.

The secret to its popularity is its clever naming, which makes people want to imitate it and even turns it into a joke.

"Foreign Writers"

Girls' manga depicts the real world as fantasy.

Even more so than boys' manga, the richness and delicacy of facial expressions, gestures, and backgrounds are essential.

Japan is good at expressing itself through images rather than words, which is why we have emojis and stamps for smartphones.

Visual expressions such as anime and manga have become popular overseas, and girls' manga has also spawned passionate fans overseas, especially in Asia.

Whether or not such expressions will spread around the world will depend in part on how many foreign artists emerge.

I want foreign writers to be more active.

Originally, girls' manga was drawn by male artists, but as female artists grew in popularity, there were no male artists in women's magazines, and now many female manga artists are serializing their works in magazines aimed at men.

It was also a history of women becoming stronger.

Please become even stronger and continue to create a richer culture.

Read More

President's Gachon . Mrs.Karen Makishima

 2025/6/8

■President's Gachon . Mrs.Karen Makishima

The Minister appeared. At the time of the interview, he was the Minister of Digital Affairs. He came to iU .

About the Digital Agency

It was launched on September 1, 2021. The first class will join in April 2022, bringing the total to 700 people. 250 people are from the private sector. There are also part-time staff, making this a very rare ministry in Kasumigaseki.

◆ Mission of the Digital Agency

"People-friendly digitalization that leaves no one behind." No one will be left behind. The SDGs' "No one left behind" is often translated into Japanese as "no one left behind," but the Digital Agency's mission is to create a society in which citizens feel that no one is left behind, and they were particular about including the single character "re" in their mission.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed Japan's delays in digitalization. Japan is also struggling in international competitiveness rankings, and there is a sense of crisis that other countries are overtaking it. In this situation, the Digital Agency's role is to meet the expectations that it can break down the vertical divisions between ministries and agencies and act horizontally.

What is school?

I got my undergraduate degree and PhD from ICU, a liberal arts university, and my master's degree from George Washington University. Although my education was a little different from the typical Japanese university, I learned critical thinking, not just accepting the status quo, but having a critical mind, and a way of learning and an attitude of challenging new things.

What prompted him to aspire to become a politician?

I was in Washington DC in 2000 and 2001. The 2000 US presidential election. There was a recount in Florida, and it was a tough time. On September 11, 2001, I was very close to the Pentagon. As a Japanese who witnessed that crisis on that day and in that place, it made me think about how my homeland, Japan, can continue to be a country that is resilient to crises. That day was a big turning point for me to decide to enter the political field.

◆Message for you guys

The future is unpredictable, so some people may feel anxious, but that is exactly why I want people to challenge themselves in new ways.

It is our generation and our role to lay a solid foundation for your future. I look forward to seeing you all soar high into the sky.

★Postscript

iU . We share the same mission of nurturing digital talent. I hope that iU will produce a politician like Minister Makishima.

Read More

iU 's three missions: Frontier, Creative and Social.

■ iU 's three missions: Frontier, Creative and Social.

iU is based on ICT + Business + English.

1. Frontier: Pioneering the Future "Advanced Testbed"

2. Creative: Expression Creation "Information Station"

3. Social: Social reform "SDGs Platform"

We have set three missions:

Through this, it will function as an incubator for human resources and projects, and foster innovative talent.

iU will enter its fourth year in the spring of 2023, with a full complement of students from first to fourth year.

A single-discipline university with 800 students .

However, 80% of the 28 full-time faculty members are from the business world, and the school has 1,000 affiliated companies and 1,000 visiting faculty members.

The community is growing.

While nurturing talent in an environment where there are more professors than students,

This is a university that creates innovation through industry-academia projects.

"Everyone is starting their own business."

Students will attempt to start a business once every four years, and if all are successful, the employment rate will be zero.

However, it is a university where many people fail and learn from their mistakes.

In the meantime, we'll find a way forward.

Based on the philosophy of "enjoying change, learning on your own, and creating innovation,"

1) Information = ICT, 2) Management = Business, 3) English = Global Communication

With a simple pillar of

the Digital 1st + Project 1st approach,

Cultivate innovative talent.

We have been proceeding with this basic structure, and it will remain unchanged in the future.

moreover,

B Lab" is a research institute where we can all work together to create an interesting future .

Sumida Media Lab, where BS Yoshimoto will occupy its main studio

It also houses a research center, providing three tools for education, research, and communication.

We also established i Inc. as a business entity and Z Fund to support entrepreneurship.

iU group and are putting incubation functions in place.

This is all we have achieved so far.

Based on this, we have defined three priority areas as fields for projects and entrepreneurship.

iU students, faculty and staff aim and demonstrate their strengths have become more clearly visible.

This is where we will focus from now on.

1. Frontier: Pioneering the Future "Advanced Testbed"

Developing digital technologies such as AI, IoT, web3, XR, 6G, Robotics, etc.

Designing food, clothing, shelter, education, the economy, and cities.

Plan and implement an interesting future that lies just a little ways off.

Expected fields: Future engineering, super education, metaverse, body augmentation

2. Creative: Expression Creation "Information Station"

Internet, broadcasting, campus.

We will collaborate with the media and content industry and artists to transform the university into a media entity.

We create expression and communication by fusing art and science, and pop and tech.

Expected fields: Cool studies, digital aesthetics, manzai studies, festival studies

3. Social: Social reform "SDGs Platform"

Regional revitalization, aging, epidemics, disasters, the global environment...

Identifying social issues and developing solutions.

, including political and economic issues , and become a hub for international networks.

Expected fields: web3 sociology, super happiness studies, cyber disaster prevention studies, post-modern studies

We will clarify which of the three areas the educational curriculum and research projects will focus on. We will also begin recruiting faculty members to strengthen this system.

iU has been praised for being edgy, but it is not yet well known, and securing sufficient funding is also a challenge.

Because he's always acting out a lot, some people are questioning the i in iU .

will be determined 20 to 30 years from now , when its graduates will become the core of society .

But in order to achieve this, we will continue to sharpen our edge and continue to evolve.

Read More