UTokyo President’s Log

I attended the UTokyo Foundation activity report meeting 2026. It is an annual meeting where we express our gratitude to donors who support UTokyo as well as report our activities and achievements to them.

After reporting everything, I presented special certificates of appreciation to those who made particularly significant contributions and had an opportunity to speak directly with them and ask them what kind of activities they expect UTokyo to engage in. In addition, poster sessions presented by the coordinators of each activity highlighted many achievements made possible through the generous support we have received, and reminded us once again of how much that support means to us.

I held a press conference regarding the launch of AI Innovation Research Center. It is an endowment-type research organization established with a donation from TOPPAN Holdings Inc., comprehensively taking on basic research of AI as well as research and development of applied technology for social implementation.I feel extremely reassured that the groundwork has been laid to address social issues through AI in a long-term and stable manner in an era when technological innovation is accelerating. I hope that activities at the center will serve as the driving force behind the realization of social well-being and a prosperous future in the age of AI.

We welcomed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia at UTokyo.

Prime Minister delivered a lecture titled “Humanity in a Human-Machine Civilisation.” His thought-provoking lecture which focused on future society where human beings and AI coexist was attended by many students and researchers from both Malaysia and Japan. They had a valuable opportunity for meaningful dialogue and interaction across borders and disciplines. I hope that Prime Minister’s visit this time will further deepen academic exchange as well as mutual understanding between the two countries.

I attended the Relocation Ceremony of the University of Tokyo New York Office. The office was opened in 2015 as a base for UTokyo’s education, research and community engagement activities in North America. It has since been utilized as a place for interaction among UTokyo researchers, graduates based in New York and local companies and universities. In order to further enhance UTokyo's presence there and accelerate global collaboration, UTokyo New York Office was relocated in May.

During the ceremony, to which we invited UTokyo graduates working mainly in New York, local companies and officials at diplomatic missions abroad, we had a conversation about the education that UTokyo College of Design, scheduled to open in autumn 2027, should aim at. We will press ahead with our global activities toward our 150th anniversary next year.

I spoke at a leadership dialogue in New York which was co-hosted by Japan Society, Daikin U.S. Corporation and UTokyo. The event was titled “The Future of Global Education and Workforce in the Age of AI.”

Having business leaders based in New York as the audience, we discussed how work and education should be in the age of AI. At a session which Professor Miles Pennington of UTokyo also attended, we had an opportunity to talk about UTokyo College of Design, of which Professor Pennington is scheduled to serve as the dean. We had a very meaningful time.