University of Tokyo President Teruo Fujii delivers a speech at the matriculation ceremony on April 11, 2025, at Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. (Mainichi/Yoshiyuki Hirakawa)
TOKYO — University of Tokyo President Teruo Fujii stressed the importance of acquiring “minority literacy” in college life during his address at the entrance ceremony for fresh undergraduates held in the capital on April 11.
“Throughout your university journey, I hope you will cultivate not only your learning but also the strength to confront adversity and the compassion to support others,” Fujii said during the ceremony at Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, and cited minority literacy and how to deal with artificial intelligence (AI) as part of necessary education in new college life.
Referring to the fact that there are certain numbers of Japanese nationals who have not finished compulsory education and that many foreigners living in Japan face difficulty mastering the Japanese language, Fujii stated, “In this age of globalization and diversity, we must confront the reality that anyone can find themselves in the minority.” He added that students should acquire “an attitude of acknowledging and embracing the experiences and cultures of minorities.”
In regard to AI, which he said we will soon be living alongside, the president pointed out, “We must therefore cultivate the ability to critically evaluate the information and suggestions generated by AI from the standpoint of our own perspectives and expertise.” Acknowledging that generative AI still remains a work in progress, he said, “We must develop the ability to create new standards and frameworks from fresh perspectives.”
Kanae Doi, Japan director for Human Rights Watch, an international nongovernmental organization, recalled during her congratulatory speech as a guest at the matriculation ceremony that her experience of visiting Eritrea during her days as a University of Tokyo student became a turning point in her life. She called on attendees to “seize the opportunities to go abroad as much as possible” and to experience the “front lines” of society firsthand.
In the 2025 academic year, 3,122 freshman students ushered in their college life at the prestigious national university. Of them, 666 are females, making up 21.3% of all first-year students, slightly surpassing 646 in AY 2024 at 20.6%.
Starting this April, the University of Tokyo raised the tuition for new undergraduates for the first time in 20 years, from the previous 535,800 yen (roughly $3,730) to 642,960 yen (approx. $4,480).
(Japanese original by Maki Kihara, Tokyo City News Department)
AloJapan.com