I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings to you all as we welcome the new year. In the sexagesimal zodiac calendar, 2025 is a year of the Snake, or Kinotomi, which is said to be a year of growth and change toward the next stage of development. Looking back sixty years ago, 1965 was the first anniversary after the Shinkansen bullet train began operation, and Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics. Japan was in the middle of a transformative period of rapid economic growth. I hope that this year will similarly be one of brightness and swift progress, both for you and for our university, as we advance together toward greater achievements.????
Looking at the world, security issues and other pressing concerns have become immense social challenges. Nearly three years have passed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict between Israel and Palestine persists. In the United States, Mr. Trump is set to return to the presidency. There is much concern over the conflicts and divisions between countries and regions, as well as those within the borders of various nations. Meanwhile, the rapid advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence have come with controversial aspects that seriously threaten the foundations of democracy. The sustainable global environment, which all living creatures on Earth have relied upon, now faces a critical crisis. As members of the global community, we must continually ask ourselves what we can do and take proactive steps to implement feasible solutions. To achieve this, it is essential to cultivate an understanding of multiculturalism, embrace tolerance, and learn to live harmoniously within diverse societies. In these circumstances, it is a profound honor to recall the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations’ recognition with the Nobel Peace Prize. I sincerely hope that this year will be one of peace and tranquility, filled with hope and light, as we focus on overcoming various conflicts and divisions.??
Last year, the Noto Peninsula faced significant challenges, beginning with a major earthquake on New Year’s Day. And, as recovery efforts continued to progress, the area was struck by devastating rainfall in September. Many of those affected by these disasters are still far from regaining normalcy in their daily lives. Words fail to capture the depth of sorrow I feel. I extend my heartfelt condolences to all those affected. On this past January 1, the anniversary of the earthquake, I attended the Memorial Ceremony for the Victims of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and the 2024 Oku-Noto Heavy Rains. I sincerely pray that the affected communities will swiftly return to normalcy and achieve a full recovery.????????????
At Kanazawa University, the Disaster Control Headquarters was set up in one hour after the earthquake occurred. We promptly worked to confirm the safety of students and staff and to assess the damage to our facilities. On January 4, we resumed classes remotely, striving for the rapid recovery of our educational and research functions. Despite the intermittent aftershocks, we successfully conducted the Common Test for University Admissions, including the makeup day. In addition, our affiliated hospital put forth every effort to provide medical support. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude for everyone’s understanding, support, and cooperation. On the Noto Peninsula, safety conditions remain insufficient, and some of our facilities remain unusable. Seeking to advance recovery, reconstruction, and revitalization, we have adopted the guiding principle of developing “culturally rich communities and towns that are resistant to earthquakes and other disasters, safe, secure, and comfortable for everyone to live in.” We aim to preserve Noto’s intrinsic value while adding new value, embodying the concept of "fueki ryuko" (adapting to change while preserving core principles). Under this philosophy, our Noto Resilience and Revitalization Center was established and has been actively engaging in diverse initiatives. Moving forward with the belief of “ungai souten” (after the clouds, the blue sky lies ahead), we will continue dedicating ourselves, as an academic institution, to the recovery, reconstruction, and revitalization of the Noto region.
Kanazawa University is founded on its core philosophy of being a research university dedicated to education, while opening up its doors to both local and global society. Based on this principle, we updated our future vision, “ Kokorozashi,” in September 2024. In this revised vision, we reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to contributing to society through future-oriented intelligence, taking an all Kanazawa University approach. With dialogue and collaboration at the forefront, we are actively promoting various initiatives to further advance Kanazawa University. I believe that we’ve made good progress in building a strong and effective team. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your understanding and continued support. ????
In “Kokorozashi,” we have prioritized the strengthening of our research capabilities by expanding our network of world-class research hubs. Needless to say, we are a research university. Under the framework of the Interfaculty Institute for Frontier Science, we are committed to advancing fundamental research, promoting interdisciplinary research that bridges the humanities, sciences, and medicine, and creating new value through future-oriented intelligence. J-PEAKS, which was approved in December 2023, is now in full swing. Our 10-year vision is to establish and develop world-leading interdisciplinary research hubs that will drive societal transformation in this unpredictable era. By redefining the axis of value, we aim to foster innovation that goes beyond conventional paradigms. The TeSH Platform for creating startups in the Hokuriku region was also approved around the same time as J-PEAKS, and the venture capital initiative Vision Incubate is operating robustly. Building on this momentum, the direction of new research hubs is already beginning to take shape. The Experimental Research Center for Envisioning the Future building, serving as the engine for promoting practical research, is also underway. A key part of these efforts is to enhance the sophistication of fundamental and interdisciplinary research while accelerating social implementation. Our ultimate goal is to become an international research university that houses multiple world-class research hubs. Following this Polaris, we will vigorously invest in people and advance critical projects. In tandem, we will further enhance the Hokuriku Future Co-Creation Forum to drive forward collaborative innovation with society. ??????????
In the field of education, we will further build up undergraduate and graduate education under the framework of the Interfaculty Institute for Future Education. Additionally, we have leveraged our five affiliated schools to establish a comprehensive educational model that spans from pre-enrollment education to development of self-dependent researchers. Despite the challenges posed by depopulation, we received approval for increasing the fixed enrollment numbers of the School of Tourism Sciences and Design, the School of Smart Technology and Innovation, and the School of Electrical, Information and Communication Engineering from FY2024. At our College of Transdisciplinary Sciences for Innovation, we will soon send off the first graduate students from the School of Entrepreneurial and Innovation Studies. The ongoing reform of graduate education, one of the most important missions of “Kokorozashi,” is also underway. We have also enhanced the support program “HaKaSe+.” The number of researchers who continue their work at Kanazawa University as Promising Researchers after earning their doctoral degrees has increased. As the number of applicants to our university continues to rise, I strongly hope that students admitted will feel the excitement, enjoyment, and fascination of learning and conducting research. I look forward to seeing you grow as individuals, continuously learning and enhancing your human potential, and achieving great success as Kanazawa University Brand talent. ????????
In May 2023, we hosted an excursion program on our campus for the G7 Education Ministers' Meeting in Toyama and Kanazawa. Together with students from our affiliated schools, university students, graduate students, international students, faculty, and staff, we welcomed the participants, and the event was a great success. It was a rare and invaluable opportunity. During the event, we engaged in discussions about the future of education, and our students were able to powerfully present the Kanazawa University Youth Declaration. We received many words of praise from the participants, including the ministers of various countries, for our students, faculty, and staff. I personally take great pride in all these members of our university. I would like to once again express my gratitude for the ability to pursue our work with an all Kanazawa University approach. I am deeply moved by the sight of our students working with high aspirations and engaging in post-disaster volunteer work and educational initiatives such as Future Design Practices and Power Chit-Chat.????
Internationalization is a crucial cornerstone for the further development of our university. In November 2024, we were selected for the Multicultural Campus Project toward Social Impact, which is the successor to the Top Global University Project. As a global research institute, our university naturally should always have an international campus environment. And, as a university that contributes to society by generating new value for the future through future-oriented intelligence, it is vital for us to maintain a globally diverse environment. Through this project, we will further enhance international research and foster human resources in the form of Kanazawa University brand talent who will become leaders both in Japan and abroad.????
As we reach the midpoint of our fourth periodical assessment, we are accelerating and steadily advancing our reforms and initiatives. To succeed in these efforts, it is essential to build mutual understanding and trust with our diverse stakeholders. On the financial side, the Cabinet approved the FY2025 government budget plan. In addition to these budgetary measures, we will continue to reform our own financial structure by strengthening the acquisition of external funds. Through these efforts, we aim to further enhance the university’s research and educational capabilities while establishing a solid management foundation.??
I believe that the year 2025 will bring about an early recovery, with a strong focus on environmental measures, social and economic activities, and the advancement of science and technology. The international circulation of students, foreign scholars, and researchers will continue to expand. The transformation of social activities and lifestyles will progress further through the continued development of digitalization and artificial intelligence. As Kanazawa University, we are determined to renew our commitment and work towards realizing “Kokorozashi,” which is grounded in our fundamental philosophy. Our goal is to create the future by driving innovation from Kanazawa University. To achieve this, it is important for each and every one of us to join forces and make Kanazawa University a university that shines on the world stage. I firmly believe that people are our greatest assets and treasures. Together, we will continue using the All Kanazawa University approach to drive the rapid development of our university and its contributions to society in Japan and abroad. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you this year.????
WADA Takashi, President of Kanazawa University
January 6, 2025
- President's New Year Address for 2025（Video）(For internal use only)
PAGE TOP