Latest news with #KeioUniversity
CNBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNBC
No swift end to US-Japan tariff dispute regardless of Japan's Prime Minister: Expert
Keio University's Tomohiko Taniguchi — also a special adviser to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — says the weekend Upper House election in Japan complicates tariff negotiations with the U.S., but thinks it is unlikely that Tokyo will yield to Washington's terms.
The Mainichi
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Japan to name Defense Ministry policy chief as its top bureaucrat
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government plans to appoint Taro Yamato, who leads the Defense Ministry's policy bureau, as its next top bureaucrat, sources familiar with the matter said Monday. As a specialist in strategic affairs, Yamato promoted measures to fundamentally strengthen Japan's defense capabilities under the National Security Strategy and two other related key policy documents updated in late 2022. Yamato will replace Kazuo Masuda as vice defense minister, the sources said, adding Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet is set to approve the appointment soon. After joining the Defense Agency, the predecessor of the ministry, in 1990, Yamato, a native of the western prefecture of Osaka and a graduate of Keio University in Tokyo, held positions such as director general of its local cooperation bureau. The government is also considering appointing Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, chief of staff of the Air Self-Defense Force, as the next head of the Joint Staff, the top uniformed post in the Self-Defense Forces currently held by Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, the sources added.
Kyodo News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Kyodo News
FOCUS: Trump-Kim summit not eyed anytime soon amid Pyongyang-Moscow ties
KUALA LUMPUR - Although U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated his willingness to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang did not send a representative to an Asia-Pacific security forum in Kuala Lumpur attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Some Korean Peninsula affairs experts do not foresee another summit occurring any time soon between Trump and Kim, who met three times during the U.S. president's first four-year term through 2021, saying Pyongyang has no incentive to resume dialogue with Washington amid its stronger ties with Moscow. North Korea last dispatched its foreign minister to the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum, one of the few multilateral events involving Pyongyang, in 2018. The other ARF members include Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. This year marked the first time for Pyongyang to skip the event altogether since joining the forum in 2000, having previously sent ambassadors in place of its foreign minister. Malaysia, this year's ARF chair, and North Korea severed diplomatic ties in 2021 after the murder of Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un, at a Kuala Lumpur airport in 2017. Atsuhito Isozaki, professor at Keio University, pointed out that North Korea was left frustrated by the three Trump-Kim summits because it did not secure any benefits despite making concessions to the United States, including the suspension of missile launches in 2018 and the release of detained U.S. nationals. In June 2018, Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to hold talks with a North Korean leader when he met Kim in Singapore, with the two agreeing that Washington would provide security guarantees to Pyongyang in exchange for the "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. But the countries' denuclearization talks ultimately collapsed when they met again in Hanoi in February 2019, as they failed to bridge the gap between U.S. demands and North Korea's call for sanctions relief. In June that year, Trump and Kim held a surprise meeting in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas. After signing a partnership treaty with Moscow last year, "North Korea can now freely sell its weapons and deploy troops to Russia," Isozaki said. "There is no need for North Korea to negotiate with the United States for sanctions relief now." Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has procured soldiers and ammunition from North Korea to boost its war efforts against Ukraine, in violation of U.N. sanctions imposed over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programs. The treaty signed by Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in June 2024 includes a provision on mutual assistance if either nation comes under attack. Pyongyang is believed to have received technical assistance from Moscow for its military development in exchange for the troop deployment. At present, North Korea has "gone all in" on Russia and will not be interested in negotiating with the United States unless Washington makes "huge concessions" such as offering to normalize bilateral diplomatic relations, Isozaki added. With money flowing from Russia to North Korea to pay for its support in the Ukraine war, Moscow's full-scale invasion that began in 2022 was "a game changer" for Korean Peninsula affairs, the professor said in explaining how the situation differs from 2018 and 2019 when the previous Trump-Kim summits were held. Shunji Hiraiwa, professor at Nanzan University, said North Korea may be satisfied with its "win-win" relations with Russia for now, but over the long term he thinks Pyongyang may be eager to negotiate with the United States to achieve the lifting of sanctions and diversify its economic partners. With Moscow's support, North Korea can "eke out a living" and choose the path of survival as a "rogue nation," but as a next step Pyongyang will likely aim to earn more foreign currency from Southeast Asian nations, Europe and Japan in addition to Russia and China, a longtime economic benefactor, he said. "North Korea is not expected to jump at U.S. proposals (for dialogue) in the short term, but its true intention must be having the United States accept it as a nuclear state, normalize bilateral relations and win the removal of sanctions," Hiraiwa said. The Nanzan University professor said North Korea may aim for negotiations with the United States on arms control, not denuclearization, after declaring the completion of its five-year plan to boost national defense at a ruling party congress to be held possibly around year-end. The ruling Workers' Party of Korea last held a congress, considered the supreme organ of the party, in January 2021. As for the prospects of cooperation between North Korea and Russia, Hiraiwa warned Moscow could "betray" Pyongyang depending on how the war in Ukraine turns out and whether its relations with the United States and European countries change, lowering the value of its partnership with North Korea. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, professor at King's College London, echoed Hiraiwa's view, saying Putin has "ditched North Korea several times in the past" when it suited Russia's broader foreign policy interests, so "this could happen again in the future." For example, Putin allowed U.N. sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs to be passed between 2006 and 2017, Pardo said. On the outlook for North Korea's relations with Japan, Isozaki said it is "very bleak" as Pyongyang is not interested in holding talks following Tokyo's imposition of sanctions not only over its nuclear and missile development programs but its past abductions of Japanese nationals. Japan and North Korea last held summit talks in 2004 when then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met in Pyongyang with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the late father of Kim Jong Un. Hiraiwa said North Korea would ultimately seek financial aid pledged by Japan under the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration signed by Koizumi and Kim Jong Il during their first summit in September that year. The two Asian countries agreed to make "every possible effort for an early normalization of relations" and Japan pledged to extend economic cooperation to North Korea after ties are normalized. But Pyongyang doubts the current Japanese government led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has enough public support to promote the normalization of diplomatic ties. "North Korea will be watching how long the Ishiba government will continue," Hiraiwa said.
Yomiuri Shimbun
09-07-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Keio University Sophomore Wins English Speech Contest, Urges Listeners to Embrace Imperfections as Possibilities
Imperfections are not something to be ashamed of – rather they are possibilities. So said Keio University sophomore Hiroyuki Fujisaki in his winning speech at this year's JNSA (Japan National Student Association) Trophy All Japan Intercollegiate English Oratorical Contest. Fujisaki won the top prize for his speech titled 'Kintsugi: the Art of Becoming.' The 57th edition of the contest was held at The Yomiuri Shimbun's headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday. The runners-up were in descending order: Umi Kikuchi of Sophia University; Rinka Takahashi of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology; Arisa Dazai of Hosei University; Rei Hasegawa of Waseda University; Maoko Suzuki of Waseda University; Yuna Sugimoto of Tsuda University. The contest was supported by The Yomiuri Shimbun and The Japan News. The following is the full text of Fujisaki's speech: My grandmother enjoys tea ceremonies. One day, she dropped her favorite tea bowl. It was a simple, everyday object, yet she handled it with such care that as a child I knew it was precious to her. I thought she would throw it away. After all, isn't that what we do with broken things? But instead, she gathered the shattered pieces and took them to a craftsman. I watched, confused, as she entrusted him to mend something broken. Weeks later, the bowl returned glimmering with golden cracks. It was more beautiful than before. I was fascinated. 'Why use gold?' I asked. My grandmother smiled and said, 'Because its history makes it more valuable.' That was my first lesson in kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, embracing flaws rather than hiding them. Kintsugi means 'golden joinery.' It is a traditional practice that sees brokenness not as something to be hidden but to be embraced. Instead of throwing away cracked pottery, artisans mend the fractures using a special lacquer↓ mixed with gold. The result is a piece that wears its scars with pride — each line a glimmering reminder of its past and a symbol of resilience. At the time, I didn't fully understand the significance of this philosophy. But as I grew older, I realized that kintsugi was not just about pottery — it was about life. I remember struggling in middle school with the English proficiency test. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't pass the test. I began to believe I simply wasn't capable of mastering the language. One day, after yet another disappointing test result, my grandmother sat beside me and gently said, 'Remember that kintsugi bowl?' I looked up, confused. She continued, 'That bowl was once broken, but now it is stronger and more beautiful. You are not broken — just learning. Every mistake, every struggle, is part of your gold.' Her words stayed with me. I realized that failure wasn't something to fear — it was part of my growth. I kept trying, slowly improving, and eventually, I found confidence in my ability to learn. William Shakespeare once said in Hamlet, 'We know what we are, but not what we may be.' This quote reminds me of the uncertain, unwritten future we all face. We think we understand ourselves now, but the truth is, we are constantly changing, constantly evolving. And often, it is the most difficult moments in our lives that push us to grow the most. Japan itself is a testament to this philosophy. After World War II, our country was devastated. We could have remained broken, defined by defeat. But instead, we chose to rebuild — not just with steel and concrete, but with resilience, discipline, and an unwavering spirit. We transformed our pain into progress, our struggles into strength. Like a kintsugi bowl, Japan became more beautiful because of its history, not despite it. And so, I ask you — what may we become? That answer lies in how we choose to mend our broken pieces. Do we hide them, ashamed? Or do we embrace them, filling them with gold, allowing them to define our unique and powerful transformation? Our cracks are not our weaknesses. They are proof that we have lived, struggled, and persevered. They are the foundation of what we may yet become. Let us not fear our imperfections, but celebrate them. Let us step forward, not with doubt, but with the excitement of possibility. Because just like a kintsugi bowl, we are all masterpieces in the making.
Yomiuri Shimbun
05-07-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Keio University Students at Shonan Fujisawa Campus Welcome 2 Goats; Animals Brought in to Clear out Weeds
FUJISAWA, Kanagawa — Two goats recently took up residence on the grounds of an international student dorm at Keio University's Shonan Fujisawa Campus in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. The goats are staying at the dorm, named H (pronounced 'eta') Village, as part of Yagi Project, which was established by students at the dorm. The students started the project with the aim of getting goats to eat the weeds on the grounds of the dorm and to facilitate interactions with people inside and outside the university. On May 29, the goats were running around freely on the grounds, which has a steep slope.A ceremony to celebrate their arrival was held on the day, with about 50 students and university officials in attendance. 'They are twin goats born in 2020; Kai is a male and Mayu is a female,' said one of the students who participated in the project, eliciting a round of applause from the attendees. The dorm opened in the spring of 2023, and about 260 students at the campus live in the dorm now, with about 30% of them originating from outside Japan. The students have played central roles in managing the dorm's affairs and planning events. The project was prompted by a casual remark by Jiro Kitazaki, who looks after the dorm. Weeds were growing out of control on the grounds, and Kitazaki and another person had been dealing with them. Second-year students Misaki Iio and Misa LoPresti heard Kitazaki complain when he was removing the weeds. 'I wish we had goats …' It was that remark that prompted the students to consider enlisting goats to do the weeding. From around October last year, the pair started researching other universities in the prefecture that introduced goats for weeding. They also visited Shonan Yagi no Sato, a nonprofit in nearby Chigasaki that promotes weeding with the animal. Iio and LoPresti visited the facility every two weeks for six months, learning about goats and how to take care of them. Satomi Okamoto, an official of Shonan Yagi no Sato, said that goats eat any kind of weed other than poisonous ones, so only water and salt need to be prepared for them. Additionally, the ecosystem and soil can be protected because no chemical herbicides are used. 'Goats have a high degree of physicality and skills to move on slopes, so they can be put to use in places that human hands cannot reach,' Okamoto said, adding that among herbivores, goats are especially suited to eliminating weeds. In the end, it was decided that Shonan Yagi no Sato would lend two goats to the dorm. Other students in the dorm became interested in the plan and joined the pair. Now, the group comprises about 45 students. The group held daily meetings late into the night to discuss the plan. The group's members, with their diverse backgrounds and fields of study, have brought their knowledge and skills to the project. For example, a student studying architecture designed a barn for the goats, and all the members pitched in to build it. Another member developed an app with both Japanese and English support so that anybody can help look after the goats. Users input data on the condition of the goats' droppings and their appetites to visualize the animals' health. Going forward, a student studying soil analysis will monitor how the goats affect biodiversity in nearby areas. The two goats will stay at the dormitory until the end of July, and a second set of goats are scheduled to be welcomed around October. The students said they hope to create opportunities to get locals to interact with the goats. The nonprofit, which lends goats to clear weeds in abandoned arable land and vacant lots mainly in Chigasaki, hopes that the students' project will help promote animal-based weeding. 'The members fed off each other's energy and finally succeeded in getting the goats settled,' LoPresti said. 'I feel a sense of achievement now.' Iio said: 'Though it's a student-led project, we've received help from so many people. I want to create a system that gives the fruits of our learning back to the local community.'
