At this 67^th Commencement Ceremony and Graduate School Commencement Ceremony for AY 2018, 1,261 undergraduate students and 534 graduate students leave Gifu University and will blaze a new path to the future. Of these including the undergraduate and graduate students, 61 are international students and 42 are adult students. Let me start my address by offering my sincere congratulations to the students who are graduating from Gifu University today, as well as to the faculty members who have guided and instructed the students toward this day. We are also pleased to welcome those who have supported the students during their lives as students. Seeing such a truly outstanding scene at the commencement ceremony gives me an especially happy feeling.

The number of parents and guardians who attend the commencement ceremony has been rising in recent years. The ceremony is broadcast in real time on the screens outside the hall for the audience, as seats are limited within the hall. Allow me to announce that from this 67th commencement ceremony onward, the commencement ceremony will be streamed live on YouTube.

Gifu University was founded in 1949; its history goes back to the Gifu Prefectural Normal School, established in 1873. Thus, our university has a history of more than 140 years and has produced many outstanding alumni. They lead active roles in various fields, including educational institutions, private corporations and governmental organizations, both in Japan and overseas. Some of our alumni have assumed such prominent posts as mayor and university president overseas. The faculties and graduate schools of Gifu University are highly rated not only in Japan, but also internationally, because of the activities of our alumni. All of you who have earned your diplomas today will also play a part in these activities, but your true evaluation will depend on the roles you play in society in the future. Therefore, I would like to emphasize the following two points: one is to have both global and regional perspectives and the other is to have the courage to be pioneers in all sorts of areas, exploring them and making progress on your own.

Regarding global and regional perspectives, I feel increasingly that no matter where we are or no matter what development stage we reach, education provides the basis for the support of a country, particularly a country that has scarce resources, such as Japan. Of course, the focus of education in each academic field changes with time. Furthermore, the weight of each field within the entire academic landscape will continue to change in the future. Such movement applies not just to education but to a wide range of industries. Therefore, it is essential to publicize the fields we excel in widely, identify a position on matters that require collaboration, and determine how to share our work, not only from the viewpoint of one local area or one country, but also from an international perspective. I want all of you to consider the social contributions you can make on a global scale, without limiting yourselves to your own research themes or future plans.

Next, I would like to mention that among the most serious problems facing Japan are the decline in the birth rate and the increase in the aging population, and the relationship of these issues with regional communities. These are problems that developed countries will confront sooner or later, and Japan is leading and serving as a model for their future. There are various criteria for evaluating whether the results of the initiatives in this model are recognized as successes or failures. In other words, there are diverse points of view on how to evaluate the happiness of individuals living in a certain region. For instance, some people in Japan prefer to live alongside their families in the region where they were born and raised. To meet their needs, it is essential to provide them with job opportunities, medical services, and public welfare. Additionally, educational enrichment is a prerequisite for encouraging lifelong learning habits among residents in a region. Once again, I would like to repeat the importance of looking at various situations from both international and regional viewpoints.

As you proceed to the next stage of your long lives, do not be afraid of failure; decide what goals you wish to attain, and go forward. A great business leader in the Showa era said, "Even if you experience a failure, if you ultimately attain your goals, that will not have been a failure." Let me also quote a passage from my favorite novel. A man asked his junior who suffered a great setback, "What will you do next?" "I will start it all over again and again." His resolve is a real embodiment of the aforementioned comment by the great business leader. It is, however, important to observe those around you comprehensively and properly think through factors. Using research as an example, a British scientist taught me, "Thinking, thinking, thinking, and one experiment." I want you to have an intrepid fighting spirit, but also mature, well-considered ideas that are backed up by it. The message from Professor Toshihide Masukawa, the theoretical physicist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics, was especially directed toward university students. I had the honor to talk with him in 2017, and he told me, "Young people should have aspirations, dreams and hopes. Your constant, strenuous efforts to attain them will be a driving force for growth." Let me affirm that inspirational message for those of you here today.
Those of you who are graduating today have studied basic and applied sciences in the various departments and graduate schools of Gifu University. Remember that the ways of thinking acquired here are not limited to the fields of your respective departments and programs. Rather, they can be applied broadly to the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as a whole and developed further. With the wisdom you have gained at Gifu University, I encourage you to maintain lofty goals and a pioneering spirit and begin to make contributions to society, the international community, and humankind at large. Whether in the near or distant future, I hope that somewhere on this planet, I am able to witness all of you enjoying a measure of success toward achieving your respective goals. Again, I extend my sincere congratulations to you.

March 25, 2019
Hisataka Moriwaki
President of Gifu University