2014 United Graduate School of Agricultural Science Entrance Ceremony

April 11, 2014
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Tadashi Matsunaga, Director

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology United Graduate School of Agricultural Science Congratulations to all of you who have enrolled in the new school. On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations. I would also like to extend my sincere congratulations to their families and other people who have supported them up to now. We hope that you will continue to watch over them warmly as they grow step by step.

This year's new students are Department of Biological Production Science 11, Department of Applied Life Science 5, Department of Symbiotic Science of Environment and Natural Resources 13, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering 7, and Department of Science on Agricultural Economy and Symbiotic Society 4, totaling 40 students, including 11 international students from 4 countries around the world. These 40 students will become reassuring colleagues who will engage in friendly competition toward their respective futures. Some of them may become lifelong friends through research or work after completing the Graduate School. We hope that you will help and encourage each other and build a good relationship.

I am sure that many of you who have chosen to enter United Graduate School of Agricultural Science have already set some clear goals for yourselves and are here with full of motivation to make efforts to achieve them. I would like to ask you to once again strongly depict your dreams and goals in your mind. At the same time, I would also like you to be aware of the mission of scientists. The situation on the earth in which we live today is by no means healthy and secure. Many problems that have arisen as a result of human evolution and the development of science, technology, and economics, such as the environment, resources, disasters, and health, are interacting in complex ways, and are endangering the survival of humanity and the entire planet at an accelerating rate. Innovation is necessary to change the vector and solve these problems, and it is the mission of those of us involved in science and technology to be the driving force of innovation. The field of agriculture, in particular, is the discipline that is most directly related to the healthy survival of humankind, whether in terms of the environment, resources, or food. Your research will lead to the creation of a sustainable, recycling-oriented society and a better future. With this in mind, I would like you to be aware of what kind of place you will be spending your time in at the Graduate School.

The United Graduate School of Agricultural Science was established in order to develop more sophisticated and more useful front-line agricultural research with an international flavor, while at the same time making use of and complementing the characteristics of each university's research, through cooperation with Ibaraki University and Utsunomiya University beyond the framework of the universities. The curriculum has a variety of unique features that are ideal for fostering human resources who will be the driving force in creating a sustainable, recycling-based society from a global perspective and contribute to the coexistence and welfare of humankind on a global scale. We hope that you will make effective use of these features while studying at United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, and that you will acquire flexible thinking that considers things from multiple perspectives and a positive attitude to take on any challenge. This will surely be a treasure for the rest of your lives.

However, it is also a fact that the path of research at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, which is a more advanced and specialized scientific and technological research path, presents many more severe and painful difficulties and barriers than those that you have faced in the past Campus Life. While enduring various emotions such as frustration, anxiety, and impatience during the days when our efforts are not rewarded, we still have to repeat experiments, squeeze out our wisdom, and continue to work on our research. In fact, this is the daily life of a scientist. We, too, suffer daily in order to promote our research. At such times, I would like you to remember the words of Shoin Yoshida: "If you write one character a day, you will gain 360 characters in a year; if you neglect one character a night, you will lose 36,000 hours in a hundred years. This is a saying. In any case, we must devote ourselves to our work day in and day out. Even if you feel like giving up and giving up when you fail, remember these words and just keep going step by step. Even if it seems like you are not making any progress at all, if you keep your feet moving, holding high the dream and sense of mission that now resides in your hearts as a light in the dark of night, you will surely reach your goal one day, and you will feel a sense of satisfaction and joy that is incomparable to anything else. Once you have overcome one difficulty, you will move on to the next goal, and eventually play a central role in solving global issues and contribute to building a bright future where humanity can develop beautifully and abundantly in harmony with the natural environment and with consideration for others. I hope that you will be active as scientists of truly high quality.

Finally, I would like to add one more thing that may seem obvious but is very important. The path of academic research is sometimes mentally and physically demanding. It is impossible to continue without a healthy mind and body. In particular, those of you who have come from overseas may be anxious about many things in an unfamiliar place. Please take good care of your health and enjoy a fruitful university life. We will continue to do our utmost to support you in every way we can. I would like to conclude my address by wishing all of you who are entering United Graduate School of Agricultural Science today to grow up to achieve your dreams without forgetting the feelings you have today, and by welcoming you once again to be a part of this university.