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The Eighth President's Council meeting was held at Kashiwa Campus on November 19.
In the main Council meeting on November 19, President Hamada and nine members had a vibrant discussion over the theme "University Finance - Funding Advanced Research in the Face of Tightening Financial Conditions". Participated members are Prof. Dr. HRH Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand, Dr. Un-Chan Chung(Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea), Professor Frederick G. Hilmer (Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of New South Wales), Mr. Hassan Jameel (Director, Abdul Latif Jameel Company Ltd.), Dr. Hiroshi Komiyama (Chairman of the Institute, Mitsubishi Research Institute), Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy (Founder, Chairman and Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies Limited), Dr. Kari Olavi Raivio (Chancellor Emeritus, University of Helsinki), Mr. Yoshinori Yokoyama (Managing Director, Social System Design Institute), and Prof. Yotaro Yoshino (Herman C. Krannert Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School). Before the Council meeting, members visited Hypersonic and High Enthalpy Wind Tunnel at Graduate School of Frontier Sciences and International MegaGauss Science Laboratory at The Institute for Solid State Physics.
After the meeting, members met researchers at the Institute of Physics and Mathematics of the Universe. On the preceding day, 5 students' sessions were held which were attended by more than 80 students and they discussed various topics with Council members.

The Ninth Council meeting will be held on June 2 and 3, 2011 in Geneva.

　President's Council

On Tuesday, November 30, 2010, over 200 people attended a lecture "Living with Developmental disability" at the Koshiba Hall, hosted by the Division for Counseling and Support (DCS). The lecture was held to commemorate the opening, on October 1, 2010, of the Communication Support Room (CSR). The CSR offers a consultation service for students, faculty and staff about any concerns they might have with communication and attention, and with thoughts or feelings that concern them. The lecture opened with a greeting from DCS Director Furuta Motoo and Vice President Kojima Norimichi, following which Professor Kato Nobumasa and Dr. Kataoka Satoshi gave lectures. The session finished with a discussion including members of the DCS staff, during which many questions were taken from the audience.


http://dcs.adm.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en



Lecture by Professor Kato Nobumasa


Lecture by Dr. Kataoka Satoshi

On October 6, 2010, in the main Administrative Building of the University of Tokyo, an agreement to establish an endowed chair, Sultan Qaboos Chair, to promote the education and research on the Middle East was signed between the University of Tokyo and the Sultanate of Oman.This agreement was signed by Her Excellency Dr Rawya Al-Busaidi, Oman's Minister of Higher Education, and Hamada Junichi, president of the University of Tokyo.

Concerning the agreement, President Hamada said that "Thanks to the kindness of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman, Japan's first center for research and education on the Middle East will be permanently established here in Tokyo and promulgate that research internationally. Through this center, we expect great strides to be taken in Middle Eastern Studies, not just in the University of Tokyo, but in Japan as a whole."

In response, the Minister in her address said that "this plan began for the purpose of promoting innovative academic exchange between Omani institutions of higher education and the University of Tokyo. I believe that the establishment of this Sultan Qaboos Chair in Middle Eastern Studies will prove a stimulus to further bilateral cultural ties. Internationalization is one of the most important objectives of the Ministry of Higher Education of Oman, and I hope that through AIKOM and this Chair more Omani students will have the opportunity to study at the University of Tokyo in the future."

On October 1, 2010, the University Tokyo's Division for Counseling and Support established the Communication Support Room.
The Center offers a consultation service for students, faculty and staff about any concerns with communication and attention, and with thoughts or feelings different to others. Consultation is also available for concerns about Asperger's syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).*
By listening to your concerns and if necessary through psychological tests we can help you develop your self-understanding and work out the best way to resolve your concerns. That is, rather than simply suggesting you overcome difficulties, we can help you find other ways of compensating for them. It isn't always possible to find a solution immediately, but we will provide all the support we can, including providing introductions to specialist centers.
Parents, guardians and academic staff can also contact us about how to approach students and any other concerns.

Photo: Kojima (Managing Director, Executive Vice President), Watanabe (Director), Furuta (Director General)

On Tuesday, October 5, 2010, the first University of Tokyo Fall Semester Entrance Ceremony was held at Yasuda Auditorium.
To date the University has held its entrance ceremony at the Nippon Budokan in April each year, but with an increasing number of international students enrolling each October, this year saw the inauguration of the fall semester entrance ceremony. Holding an autumn entrance ceremony is symbolic of advances in the globalization of Japanese society and the University, and as an indicator of the future direction of the University of Tokyo the ceremony was mostly conducted in English.
At 10:05 the university orchestra played the overture to Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks." After this performance, the University President, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Directors, Deans and Directors of the institutes of the University appeared on stage in their academic gowns, and the opening ceremony began from 10:18.
After the introduction of the University members on stage, President Hamada welcomed the new students, followed by an address from Kitamori Takehiko, Dean of the School of Engineering.
Then, freshman representative (Ms. Oomae Natsuki, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Ph.D. program) stated the the oath on behalf of the new students.
Finally, call the Chor Akademie and the female chorus Choro Letizia of the University of Tokyo Orchestra performed "Oozora to [with the open sky]," followed by all the attendees at the ceremony singing the University song "Tada hitotsu [only one]," after which the ceremony ended at 11:05.
About 210 students and 70 parents and relatives attended the ceremony. In total, 468 graduate and professional degree program students will join the University: 210 on the Master's program, 236 on the Doctoral program, and 22 on the professional degree program. The ceremony was also broadcast live on the Internet.
From the end of the ceremony until noon, Yasuda Auditorium was open for viewing to the students and their family.

2010 Fall Semester Entrance Ceremony President's Address(5 October 2010)

On Monday, September 27, 2010, the first University of Tokyo Fall Semester Graduation Ceremony was held at Yasuda Auditorium.
To date the University has held its graduation ceremony each year in March, but with the increasing number of international students completing their studies in September, from this year the University has begun to hold a fall semester graduation ceremony as well. Holding a fall semester graduation ceremony is symbolic of advances in the globalization of Japanese society and the University, and as an indicator of the future direction of the University of Tokyo the ceremony was mostly conducted in English.
At 10am the university orchestra played the overture to Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks." After this performance, the University President, Executive Vice Presidents, Executive Directors, Deans and Directors of the institutes of the University appeared on stage in their academic gowns, and the opening ceremony began from 10:15. After the introduction of the university members on stage, University President Hamada awarded diplomas to the student representatives. After a farewell address from President Hamada, student representative (Yelena Vachutinsky, Graudate School of Engineering doctoral program) made an address in reply. Next, the Chor Akademie and the female chorus Choro Letizia of the University of Tokyo Orchestra performed "Oozora to [with the open sky]," followed by all the attendees at the ceremony singing the University song "Tada hitotsu [only one]," after which the ceremony ended at 11am. The ceremony was attended by some 200 graduating students and 250 parents and relatives. In total 416 students graduated: 147 Master's program, 221 Doctoral program, seven professional degree program and 41 undergraduate program students. 163 international students were among the graduating students. The ceremony was also broadcast live on the Internet. From the end of the ceremony until noon, Yasuda Auditorium was open for viewing to the students and their family.

2010 Fall Semester Graduation Ceremony President's Address (27 September 2010)

Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST) is conducting a program (DO-IT* Japan) for high school students with disabilities, since 2007. 　 Its aim is to assist those students who wish to go to universities, but are facing various difficulties (barriers).
So, DO-IT Japan holds a 5-day seminar at RCAST to give them opportunities to experience academic lectures, visit corporations or learn how to present themselves.　 What is unique is that they are provided with a personal computer and other necessary equipments each to use the PC.　 During the program, they learn how to use these assistive devices and at the same time, try to find their way out of the difficulties they are facing.

* DO-IT: Diversity, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology

An exhibition of the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute(AORI) of The University of Tokyo is now on display at the entrance hall of the Administration Bureau on the Hongo campus.
AORI is The University of Tokyo’s newest institute established in April 2010. The Ocean Research Institute of the university was established in 1962 to conduct basic research on the ocean, and the university’s Center for Climate System Research was established in 1991 to conduct research on environmental fluctuations using climate models. These two organizations have merged and now form the new enhanced AORI research education center that develops basic knowledge and essential understanding of the earth’s systems and environment at the Kashiwa campus.
At the exhibit you will find:
1) panels describing AORI and its activities,
2) a one?hundredth scale model of the research vessel Hakuho Maru which is operated with the cooperation of Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC),
3) the silver axe and the “naming certificate” used at the launching ceremony of the research vessel and presented by the President of The University of Tokyo,
4) the university flag, and
5) a video program of the ocean observation and research conducted by the Hakuho Maru.
We welcome everyone to visit the exhibit and feel the beginning of a new field of “Atmosphere and Ocean Science” for our most precious Earth.

On Tuesday, June 8, 2010, the seventh President’s Council Meeting was held in NYC. The President’s Council was created in November 2006 as the global advisory board to the President. Its mission is to provide assistance and guidance to the President for developing comprehensive strategy and achieving specific actions of the University to help The University of Tokyo become more globally eminent. The meetings were held in London and New Delhi in the past and this was the third occasion for the meeting to be held abroad. Dr. Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation NY and Dr. Rita Colwell, Distinguished Professor, University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University (both of whom are members of the Council) gave speeches at the meeting. A special guest this time, Dr. Rebecca Chopp, President of Swarthmore College, also gave a speech on liberal arts education. The welcome reception was held on the evening prior to the meeting and it was attended by the University of Tokyo alumni, guests from academia and top management executives.

President's Council

President Hamada giving opening remarks at the reception


Welcome Reception

On May 28 (Friday) at 6:00 pm at the Gakushi Kaikan, a symposium was jointly organized by Hokkaido, Tohoku, Tokyo, Waseda, Keio, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Kyushu Universities, with the title "Academic Symposium ? radically strengthening the research and human resources infrastructure of universities as a national strategy for growth."

University of Tokyo President Hamada delivered the opening remarks at the symposium, followed by a guest address from Vice Minister of Education Suzuki and keynote address by Kyoto University President Matsumoto. Under the chairmanship of Mr Abe, editor at the Tokyo head office of the Yomiuri Newspaper, the presidents of the nine universities, President Mimura of Nippon Steel and President Oku of the Sumitomo Mitui Banking Corporation took part in a panel discussion. Waseda University President Shirai delivered the closing remarks. Altogether some 200 members of the nine universities, the business community and the press attended this highly successful event.

From Wednesday, May 12 to Friday May 14, "Tsinghua Week in Todai" was held over three days on the campus of the University of Tokyo. This was the second event in a program of exchange that began in May 2008 with "Todai Week in Tsinghua University."

For the event, some 160 Tsinghua University faculty, administrative
staff and students came to Japan, and held over 20 symposia and
workshops jointly with faculty from the University of Tokyo. The event
was an opportunity to introduce cutting-edge research being conducted in both universities, and was a great success with many visitors.

Currently in the first floor lobby of the General Administration Building is an exhibition sponsored by the Graduate School of Economics．

The collection of corporate materials at the Graduate School of Economics first began in 1913 as the Shogyo Shiryo Bunko (“Commercial Materials Library”), mostly compiling business reports. Since then, for nearly a century we have continued to acquire corporate materials which have now come to form one of the core pillars of our full library. For this exhibit, we would like to take you through our most prodigious collection, the Yamaichi Securities Materials Collection.

The spectacular downfall of Yamaichi Securities Company, Ltd. in 1997 is still relevant today. The exhibit reveals Yamaichi Securities’ business reports from the Shogyo Shiryo Bunko, as well as Yamaichi materials from the Securities Market Crisis of 1965 and internal documents from the time of their bankruptcy in 1997.

Many people were involved in making the acquisition of Yamaichi’s internal documents possible. 　
In their original form, the Yamaichi materials fill more than 700 boxes, of which some were recently made open to the public as microfilms. We believe the information will provide pertinent insight for future academic studies.

This exhibit is just a small sample of our extensive collection. We hope it will give you a taste of our efforts related to the acquisition, releasing to the public and maintenance of materials at our libraries.

May 1 (Saturday) from 10am in the Yasuda Auditorium and Engineering Building 2, the Life Sciences Network (network director: Professor Yamamoto Masayuki of the Graduate School of Science) held the tenth University of Tokyo Life Sciences symposium. The symposium was attended by a large audience of some 870 participants, including many students, faculty and staff from the university and members of the general public.
The symposium comprised lectures held in Yasuda Auditorium and poster presentations in Yasuda Auditorium and Engineering Building 2, and opened with a welcome address by University of Tokyo President Hamada.
Lectures presented the latest research eight of the 16 institutes and graduate schools that make up the Life Sciences Network, and the presenters and audience engaged in alively debate under the direction of the chairperson of each session.Each graduate school and institute set up a booth in the lobby of Yasuda Auditorium providing information about their research in the life sciences.
In the poster sessions, a total of 300 posters were presented in the two venues, which saw lively debate and successful exchanges between life sciences researchers.

Life Sciences Symposium website:
http://www.todaibio.info/

Forum Poster Session, Faculty of Engineering Building 2

On Monday, 26 April 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos met and talked with University of Tokyo students in the Faculty of Law.
After his speech, Ambassador Roos took questions from students on a variety of subjects.
In the short time available, topics included the US-Japan relationship and US relations with other Asian countries, and the ambassador also asked students for their impressions of study abroad in the United States and offered encouragement.
The lively question and answer session took place in a relaxed atmosphere.

The 2010 Tokyo Big6 Baseball League spring league championship has begun at the Meiji Jingu Stadium.
In the first game between the University of Tokyo and Meiji University on Saturday, 10 April, University President Hamada Junichi received a large round of applause from the crowd when his opening pitch was gathered squarely in the catcher’s mitt. Following the lead of the Sports Supporters Association, President Hamada and Vice President Maeda joined with the large crowd of students, academic and administrative staff in cheering on the University of Tokyo team, but despite a vigorous struggle the Meiji team, winners of last year’s league, proved too strong and won the game. The league continues until Sunday, 30 May.

Photo by Baseball Club former member Tawa Kazuhiro.

On Monday, 12 April 2010, the Unversity of Tokyo entrance ceremony was held at the Nippon Budokan. Some 8,500 people attended the ceremony, including 3,100 freshmen and 5,400 parents and relatives. The same afternoon, the graduate entrance ceremony was also held at the Budokan, attended by some 5,700 people, including about 2,600 freshmen and 3,100 parents and relatives.

Undergraduate entrance ceremony
President Hamada's welcome speech

Graduate school entrance ceremony
President Hamada's welcome speech

President Hamada

Video letter (Astronaut Noguchi Soichi)

On Thursday, April 1, the opening ceremony of the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute (Director: Mutsumi Nishida) was held in front of the institute's new Kashiwa Campus research building. The Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute is a progressive amalgamation of two separate institutions in the University of Tokyo: the Ocean Research Institute, established in 1962 for the purpose of conducting fundamental research relating to oceans, as a collaborative research institute and relocated to Kashiwa in March 2010; and the Center for Climate System Research, established in 1991 for the purpose of actively promoting research on global environmental change through climate models.

The Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute is aiming to promote understanding of the basic processes and their interactions in the atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere, and to lead cutting-edge research on global change on the earth's surface, focusing on the oceans which include the rich system of marine life. Through the training of the next generation of atmospheric and ocean science researchers with detailed scientific knowledge of their field, this new institute on the Kashiwa Campus will become a major center for research and education in the quest to understand the global nature of environmental systems.

The inauguration ceremony for the Atmosphere and Oceanic Research Institute is scheduled for Wednesday, July 21.

Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute homepage:
http://www.aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

On Wednesday, March 24, the academic year 2009/10 degree award ceremony and was held in Yasuda Auditorium, attended by 2,982 graduates receiving an MSc, 1,103 receiving a PhD, and 435 receiving a professional degree.

On Thursday, March 25, the graduation ceremony was celebrated at Yasuda Auditorium, at which 2,983 students graduated from the university.

Degree award ceremony
Farewell address from University President Hamada

Graduation ceremony
Farewell address from University President Hamada

President Hamada

Degree award ceremony

RCAST was established in 1987, which is aimed “to contribute to the development of science and technology by expeditiously taking on new challenges arising from the advancement of science and changes in society by exploring new areas of advanced science and technology for humankind and society”. It is located at Komaba ⅡCampus (Research Campus). RCAST’s founding principle is based on the following four mottos: interdisciplinary approach, mobility, international perspective and openness. Currently, its research domains are information, biology, environment and energy, material, barrier free and society and each lab dynamically undertakes its research activities separately and cooperatively.

This time, RCAST would like to mainly introduce three research units, barrier free, environment and energy, and systems biology, that uniquely promote interdisciplinary integration to each other. Some devices (*) which are certain outcome from the research will be displayed, as well.

(*) Artificial Electric Larynx having an Intonation Control Function, etc.

We would be happy if you would come and explore about our research that is focused on to humans and society.

　The University of Tokyo and the Boeing Company have signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate and potentially develop technology projects of mutual interest. The agreement, signed on February 4th by Matthew Ganz, Boeing Research & Technology vice president and general manager, and Yoichiro Matsumoto, University of Tokyo managing director and executive vice president, outlines the framework and processes for future technology collaboration.

Researchers from Boeing and the University of Tokyo are evaluating opportunities for potential collaborative work in areas such as robotics and technology related to modeling and simulation.

“We are reaching out globally to find the best talent and technologies that can be used in aerospace applications,” said Ganz. “We are very much looking forward to working with the University of Tokyo to not only help us meet the challenges of the future, but also to shape the future.”

“Industry-academia collaboration does not end just with the parties concerned,” added Matsumoto. “Our university, which is rich with talent and expertise in a wide range of research fields, hopes that the development of joint research projects with Boeing will contribute to the further cultivation of knowledge and be of benefit to society at large.”

Photo: Vice President Matsumoto (L) with Vice President Ganz (R)

Division of University Corporate Relations

Saturday, 27 February 2010. At the 22nd Ricoh Cup amateur chess
championship, Japan university representatives the University of Tokyo
shogi club, defeated the Japan companies representatives from NEC by
four wins to three.

This competition was a deciding match between the leading Japanese
university team and the leading Japanese company team. The
seven-member teams played for the Japanese amateur shogi title.

The University of Tokyo shogi team repeated their winning performance
of the last two years by defeating the companies representative team
and set a new record by winning three consecutive titles.

The University of Tokyo academic 2010 entrance examination (early examination) started on Thursday, February 25.

From before 8am, examinees formed a long queue in front of the University's main gate on the Hongo Campus in the warm and fine weather.

Noguchi Soichi, an astronaut currently visiting the International Space Station (ISS) and an alumnus of the Nagashima Toshio Laboratory in the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, has sent a photograph of the flag of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. The flag was part of the official flight kit launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the manned Soyuz spacecraft on December 21, 2009.

The flag contains the logos of the three main research divisions Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Transdisciplinary Sciences, Biosciences, and Environmental Studies, and of the Computational Biology Research Department.

Noguchi will stay on the ISS for six months as a flight engineer on the 22nd and 23rd crews. After its long stay on the ISS with Noguchi, NASA plans to return the flag to the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences.

Graduate School of Frontier Sciences:
http://www.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/news/200912iss-e.html

From Tuesday, January 26 to Friday, January 29, 2010, at the invitation of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the University of Tokyo attended the International Exhibition for Higher Education (IEHE) held in Riyadh. Vice President for International Relations Tanaka Akihiko, Department for International Relations General Manager Kishi Tatsuo, and three members of the Student Exchange Planning Group staffed the University of Tokyo's booth at the fair. In addition, Vice President Tanaka gave a lecture on ensuring quality in higher education, had a meeting with the Saudi Minister of Higher Education, and met with representatives of major educational establishments including from King Saud University and Al- Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University.

IEHE is an international event organized by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to promote and strengthen higher education. 353 universities from 35 countries, including 14 universities and institutions of higher education from Japan, alongside companies involved in the promotion of higher education, opened booths at the fair and organized a range of presentations related to higher education.
Further information: http://www.iehe.mohe.gov.sa/en/

The University of Tokyo booth received many questions about admission procedures and requesting information about the university. In addition, there was a healthy interest in Japan, indicated by the many general questions about Japan and Japanese culture. The number of students visiting the booth far exceeded expectations, exhausting the supply of printed materials, and staff had to respond verbally and in detail to individual questions by the end of the event.

The new research building of the National Institute of Space Physics and Mathematics (IPMU) has been completed.
As exemplified by the atrium cafe, a meeting place modeled on a European style, the internal space has been designed to promote exchange between researchers.
On the column in the center of the third floor interaction space in old Italian are the words of Galileo Galilei, which underlay the research of the IPMU: “l’universo e scritto in lingua matematica” (the universe is written in the language of mathematics).
Providing not only an excellent environment for researchers to focus on their work, the research building is also exquisitely designed.
The Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) Homepage
http://www.ipmu.jp/ja/node/582

On Saturday, January 16, the 2010 national university entrance examinations began.

On January 16, a queue of examinees formed outside the main gate in front of the examination hall at the Hongo Campus for examinations in civics, geography and history, Japanese, and foreign languages. As the gate opened, students headed to the examination room at a brisk pace.

On January 17, science and mathematics examinations will take place.

Photo (above): Hongo Campus Law and Letters Building No. 1 examination hall

Happy New Year!

In the wake of the financial and economic crisis that erupted in the fall of 2008, the past year has seen a number of historic changes and the future outlook for Japan remains uncertain. Aware of its public responsibilities, the University of Tokyo will continue steadily to apply the results of its education and research to improving people’s lives while, at the same time, amid the fierce competition in international academia, to promote its activities as one of the world’s finest institutes of higher education.

Many universities and academics in Japan have expressed strong concern that proposed cuts in funding for higher education and academic research included in the nation’s fiscal 2010 budget may weaken the foundations of national strength and endanger the future of today’s youth. Although the nation’s medium- to long-term strategy and direction remain unclear, today we are offered a unique opportunity to carve out the framework of a new era. The University of Tokyo is committed to the active expression of its views and taking action to create the kind of higher education and scholarship that will be the foundation of Japan’s future, and is determined to continue to invest energy into further improving our education and research activities and promoting streamlined management of the university.

Based on this commitment, I am spearheading the creation of “Action Scenarios” that will chart the course of the University of Tokyo over the next five years. The vigorous promotion of internationalization in particular is among our top priorities. Moreover, I am pleased that our students are responding positively to my message about developing “resilient Todai students.” The University of Tokyo is dedicated to meeting the challenge of leading the Japan of tomorrow as “an Intellectual Cornerstone to Shoulder Global Responsibilities.”

I wish you the very best for the New Year.