Commencement Address for the 2019 Academic Year at Kochi University
To all of you who are graduating or completing your programs today, congratulations!
I imagine this must be a particularly emotional moment for all of you parents and guardians.
I offer my heartfelt congratulations.
Starting today, each of you will set out on your own new path—whether it be entering the workforce or continuing your education. You hold great potential to become the driving force behind innovation at the heart of society. It is said that the very nature of professions will have changed dramatically 30 years from now, and that the future is difficult to predict. However, there is no doubt that you, the younger generation, are the ones who will lead the next era.
I’m sure many of you still remember when Professor Akira Yoshino was awarded the Nobel Prize.The year before he received the award, Professor Yoshino visited our university and gave a lecture at a special collaborative seminar organized by the Center for Hope and Innovation. He was an approachable and cheerful person. In his lecture, he defined innovation as changing the world; in other words, he said that we can only call something an innovation when a new technology or concept becomes a term shared worldwide. He also stated that, above all else, what matters most is the power to pioneer.
Professor Yoshino revolutionized the conventional concept of batteries by developing the lightweight, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones and other devices; today, nearly everyone around the world benefits from this innovation through their use of smartphones. Innovation is neither a magic word nor a pipe dream. It is the reality that is unfolding before our eyes.
Well, the era of AI and IoT is already upon us. At the same time, however, we must also prepare for catastrophes—such as the Nankai Trough earthquake and the recent spread of the coronavirus—that pose a direct threat to our way of life and our very existence. I urge you all to keep your antennae tuned to the world at all times. And please do not forget that, when it comes to fostering innovation, it is essential to connect with others on a human level and maintain the determination and mindset to evolve together.
I know it’s not easy to imagine what your future will look like five, ten, twenty, or thirty years from now, but I hope that each of you will continue to build a solid foundation while envisioning your future. Today is the day you take that first step toward it.
Let me say it again. Congratulations on your graduation.
March 23, 2020
Katsutoshi Sakurai, President, Kochi University