Greetings from President

Now, what kind of image do you have of our university? International exchange is thriving, baseball is strong, and so on. These are not mistakes. However, our university has a deeper and multifaceted aspect. I would like to introduce some of them here.

First of all, Asia University has an 80-year history (as of 2021). Its history began in 1941 with the establishment of Koa Senmon Gakko, which was established to foster "talented young human resources" who can play an active role in the East Asian region. After the war, Koa Senmon Gakko was transformed into Nihon Junior College of Economics, and in 1955 it was established as Asia University. At that time, Kozo Ota, the first President of the university, laid out the founding spirit of "the spirit of Self-help and Cooperation," and this spirit has been passed down to the present day. On October 1, 2021, I assumed office as the 12th President of the University counting from President Ota.

Now, back to history, I would like to tell you that the prosperity of international exchange at our university was also built up in history. I will give you two milestone events. The first was in 1954 when the predecessor school, Nihon Junior College of Economics, accepted 96 International Student from Hong Kong, China. It was the first major project in post-war Japan to accept a large number of International Student, and records of the rush of the people involved at the time and how the local Musashisakai shopping district welcomed them are recorded.

Another event was in 1988, when 60 students were sent to the United States for a five-month pilot program under the initiative of then-President Seikichi Ento. A new study abroad model was born here, which completely overturned the concept of studying abroad for a limited number of people and allowed anyone with a certain level of ability and a spirit of independence to study in the United States. Over the past five months, the number of participants in the study abroad program in the United States has increased year by year, and to date, a cumulative total of over 14,000 students have studied abroad.

The challenges of such new international exchange projects were later taken over to “ASIA YUME COLLEGE” (Career Development China Program), overseas internships at each department, and the establishment of an English learning program in Malaysia. Naturally, various obstacles and risks were anticipated in the realization of any attempt. However, the history of our university is that we have realized groundbreaking programs by taking various measures to reduce the risks, rather than stopping them because of the risks. I hope that you will understand that the current prosperity of international exchange at our university rests on that tradition.

Secondly, I would like to mention that our university has clubs and circles that engage in not only baseball but also various sports and cultural activities. Beginning with “Sepak Takraw (a volleyball game that uses the feet and heads that originated in Southeast Asia)” and “Gamelan (Indonesian folk dance music),” which are rarely seen at other universities, 30 athletic groups and 28 Academic and Cultural Clubs I am active. There are also many circles (reporting organizations) that students create themselves, such as "futsal" and "board games."

The reason why I mention these extracurricular activities is that college is not just about classroom teaching. Meeting seniors and juniors in extracurricular activities, preparing and practicing for school festivals, being moved by Lecturer speeches at special lectures, competing against other university students and participating in collaborative activities, all of these things are part of what makes a university. is. Asia University provides many opportunities and places for such encounters.

Thirdly, I would like to point out that the university offers a wide variety of classes based on deep academic research. Please take a look at the "faculty information" of each faculty. You can clearly see that high-level research is being conducted across a wide range of fields. It is precisely because of this foundation that we are able to offer interesting classes.
Of course, in order to enjoy the fun of learning, a certain amount of effort is required. Sometimes you are asked to memorize dull formulas or look up dictionaries. However, if we take baseball as an example here, just as we cannot experience the excitement of a home run or a great defense without repeated practice swings and catches, without basic training, we cannot gain the profound joy of learning.

​A minor program launched in 2020 at our university is a recent example of connecting such deep academic research with enjoyable learning. In the "Sports Science Minor," students can study sports systematically and academically by taking multifaceted subjects such as "First Aid and Prevention" and "Leadership and Coaching." On the other hand, the "Data Science Minor" is a program in which students learn mathematics, data science, and AI through practical Seminar in artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) after studying statistical analysis methods and programming for large amounts of data. It is also accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

What do you think? I hope that you have been able to gain a deeper understanding of our university. Together with Asia, Asia University is a university that continues to take on challenges, providing you with opportunities for deep learning, diverse encounters, and diverse activities. Finally, I would like to reiterate the following.
Welcome to Asia University.

Final education/degree
The University of Tokyo Graduate School Law and Political Science research First Class Doctor of Laws Credit
Degree: Master of Laws, March 1980, The University of Tokyo (Graduate School)

Brief personal history
April 1984 Asia University Faculty of Economics Department of International Relations Lecturer
April 1987 Asia University Faculty of Economics Department of International Relations Research Associate
April 1990 Asia University Faculty of International Relations Department of International Relations Research Associate
April 1996 Asia University Faculty of International Relations Department of International Relations Professor
April 1999 Hokkaido University Slab research Center Visiting Professor (until March 2000)
April 2001 The University of Tokyo Graduate School General Culture research Department Visiting Professor (until March 2003)
April 2007 Expert Member of Degree Examination Council, National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation (until March 2010)
April 2010 Asia University Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, Asia Educational Incorporative Director, Board of Directors (until March 2014)
April, 2049 Asia Educational Incorporative Trustee, Board of Trustees (to present)
October 2021 Asia University President (to date), Asia Educational Incorporative Director, Board of Directors (to date)

Academic Affiliations
International Political Science Association, Comparative Politics Association, Russian and East European Studies Association