Category: Newsletter 33

In anticipation of the University of Tokyo’s 150th anniversary in 2027, Friends of UTokyo is launching the “Celebrate UTokyo’s 150th Anniversary with a Gift” Campaign. A legacy of knowledge built over a long history makes way for the future and new challenges. All of this is supported by the heartfelt commitment of our alumni, students, and supporters. Since its establishment in 2007, Friends of UTokyo (FUTI) has supported the next generation of researchers and leaders in their global pursuits through scholarships and travel awards to encourage further flourishing of the University of Tokyo. By supporting a wide range of activities in education, research, and international exchange, FUTI will continue to work with the global community to support a bright future for the University of Tokyo. Donations for this campaign can be in any amount, from $15, $150, $1500, and so on. Donors residing in the US will also benefit from tax advantages. Furthermore, if more than 150 people donate during the campaign period (July 2025 – June 2026), a major boost of $150,000 will be gifted by an anonymous donor. Will you join FUTI to support the history and future of the University of Tokyo through your donation?

FUTI provides scholarships to support short-term, summer study abroad programs between UTokyo and US universities, as well as mid- to long-term study abroad programs of one semester or more in the US, primarily for UTokyo undergraduate, graduate, and alumni students. In the short-term summer study abroad category, five UTokyo students were selected out of 11 applicants. In addition, seven out of 55 applicants were selected from the US to study at UTokyo. This extraordinary number was due to the large number of applications from all over the world for the UTRIP (UTokyo Research Internship Program) at UTokyo’s Faculty of Science, which resulted in UTokyo only accepting approximately 1% to the program. Of the 40 applicants who applied for a FUTI Scholarship, only two were accepted to UTRIP. The two accepted were also highly evaluated by FUTI. In the mid- to long-term study abroad category, 14 students were selected out of 36 applicants (including one of the two students from a US university). The breakdown is as follows: 1) In the non-degree-seeking programs such as the USTEP (University-wide Student Exchange Program), including the aforementioned US university students, five were selected out of 14 applicants; 2) Two were selected out of six applicants who are graduating from UTokyo and seeking a degree in the US; 3) Four were selected out of 12 applicants who had previously graduated from UTokyo and are currently working or studying abroad and seeking a degree in the US; 4) One was selected out of two applicants who are in the UTokyo doctoral program; and 5) Two scholarship recipients from the previous year are both continuing to receiving support for  their studies in the US. It is somewhat rare for those in category 3 above to receive support, and this year was no exception in that competition was fierce in both quality and quantity. UTokyo has nearly one hundred partner schools around the world for cross-border student exchange, of which nine are in the US including Johns Hopkins University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Princeton University, Swarthmore College, University of California Santa Cruz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Washington, and Yale University. Tuition is free at the partner school if tuition is paid at UTokyo, and the study exchange is for one to two semesters. For the USTEP program, UTokyo has an internal selection process, making it an attractive study abroad program for UTokyo students. In the past, only UTokyo students were eligible for the program, but for the first time in FY2025, one USTEP student from the US was selected to study at UTokyo on a trial basis. One reason for the relatively small number of partner universities in the US is that tuition fees are substantially higher than in other countries, making it difficult for UTokyo to cover the difference. In addition to the university-wide exchange agreements, each department has its own exchange agreements with a total of nearly 300 schools around the world. Some of the exchanges with schools in the US include: UTokyo Medical School with Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, and University of Hawaii; UTokyo School of Engineering exchange program with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the entire University of California system; UTokyo Department of Science exchange program with the entire University of California system; UTokyo College of Arts and Sciences exchange program with the New York University graduate school; UTokyo Pharmaceutical Sciences with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; and the UTokyo Graduate School of Public Policy with Columbia University and University of California Los Angeles. Individuals may also apply directly to US universities. FUTI accepts applications from all of these programs with application numbers outlined in the abovementioned category 1. The following applicant trends are noteworthy:  FUTI will continue to make the best use of the donations received by continuing to focus wholeheartedly on supporting and nurturing future leaders.

In honor of Professor Iwao Ojima’s 80th birthday on June 5, the Ojima Laboratory alumni organized a two-day symposium at State University of New York at Stony Brook on June 6 and 7, 2025: The “2025 Symposium on Research and Innovation at the Interface of Chemistry, Biology and Medicine”. Dr. Iwao Ojima received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. (1973) degrees from the University of Tokyo, Japan. He joined the Sagami Institute of Chemical Research and held a position of Senior Research Fellow until 1983. He joined the faculty at the Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook first as Associate Professor (1983), was promoted to Professor (1984), Leading Professor (1991), and then to Distinguished Professor (1995). He served as the Department Chairman from 1997 to 2003. He has been serving as the founding Director for the Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD) from 2003. He also serves as the President of the State University of New York at Stony Brook Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors from 2015. He has a wide range of research interests in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry as well as chemical biology, including discovery and development of anticancer agents and antimicrobials, targeted drug delivery, catalytic methodologies and asymmetric synthesis. His awards and honors include Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award (1994), E. B. Hershberg Award for Important Discoveries of Medicinally Active Substances (2001), the Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame (2006), ACS Award for Creative Work in Fluorine Chemistry (2013) and Ernest Guenther Award in the Chemistry of Natural Products (2019) from the American Chemical Society; The Chemical Society of Japan Award (1999); Outstanding Inventor Award (2002) from the Research Foundation of the State University of New York; Fellows of J. S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (1995), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1997),  The New York Academy of Sciences (2000), the American Chemical Society (2010), the National Academy of Inventors (2014), and European Academy of Sciences (2020). He has advised 145 graduate students (80 Ph.D. degrees and 44 M.S. degrees), 75 postdoctoral research associates/ fellows, 17 visiting scientists, 130 undergraduate research students, and 84 high school summer research students (many of them won Westinghouse, Intel, Regeneron and Siemens Science Competitions, including Grand Prize) by December 2024.A PDF of the Symposium brochure is available at this link.

On January 24, 2025 an online lecture event was held, sponsored by Friends of UTokyo with support from UTokyo alumni associations including Satsuki-kai America, New York Ichokai, Chicago Akamonkai, Washington DC Area U-Tokyo Alumni Network, San Francisco Akamon-kai, Seattle Alumni Association, and the FUTI Alumni Association. The lecture presenter, Dr. Takatoshi Ito, Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, focused on four major factors that affect the Japanese economy: Demography, Debts, Deglobalization, and Decarbonization.  (Please visit his website https://t-ito.jp/ for his publications, papers, prizes and bio.) Professor Ito began with the issue of demography, where the average life expectancy in Japan continues to rise and the population is aging, while the birth rate continues to decline. This results in a decreasing workforce, a decline in household savings and potential economic growth, and a reduced demand for consumption and investment, while the stress on social security increases to pay for pensions, medical care, and nursing care. To illustrate the rate at which the workforce is shrinking, the ratio of working-age people supporting the elderly in 1965 was 9.1 working-age people to one elderly person, whereas in 2005 there were only 3.1 working-age people to one elderly person, and in 2017 only 2 working-age people to one elderly person. At this rate, there will only be 1.2 working-age people to one elderly person by 2050. Notably, while there was a secondary baby boom when post-WWII baby boomers had children of their own, a third baby boom did not occur. The second issue is debt expansion and low fiscal sustainability. The Japanese government has experienced increased fiscal deficits since 1991, as expenditures continued to rise while income tax revenue decreased. There were spikes in deficit-financing bond issuances at key moments such as the bankruptcy of Yamaichi Securities in 1997 and the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, with a most significant increase during the Coronavirus Pandemic when government expenditure went up dramatically. The Japanese government debt-to-GDP ratio is currently at 260%, the highest among the G7 countries. With an increased risk of a fiscal crisis and/or hyper-inflation and an increase in interest payments on Japanese Government Bonds leading to less fiscal space for expenditures, an increased tax burden will be placed on the younger generation. The third issue is deglobalization. The tariffs imposed by President Trump have led to a stagnation of world trade, resulting in a major challenge for Japanese companies with a large export market to the US. There is an increased cost in rebuilding supply chains to circumvent the tariffs, and although trade with the Global South will likely increase, increased trade with China will depend on industry conditions and the state of the US-China trade relations. The fourth issue is decarbonization. The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement led to the loss of global momentum for decarbonization, and although China is still part of the Paris Agreement its carbon emissions continue to increase. Efforts were made to curb Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions with the Kyoto Protocol, but there was an increase after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident. However, from 2013 onwards and in accordance with the Paris Agreement, CO2 emissions have been declining. In terms of electric vehicle adoption, Scandinavian countries lead the world with Norway at 93%, while Japan’s rate of adoption remains low at 3.6%. Additionally, Japan’s use of renewable energy is still quite low, with a large dependency on coal. The second part of the lecture covered the impact of the second Trump administration followed by a discussion of questions that were submitted by the audience prior to the event. Professor Ito began by noting a common belief that tariff hikes are used by President Trump as a bargaining chip in negotiations and will not ultimately be imposed, as was the case with Trump 1.0[EW1] . By contrast, the lecturer observed that with the administration’s emphasis on the establishment of an “External Revenue Service” and the importance of tariffs as a source of revenue, there is a possibility that many of the tariffs may actually be implemented this time. Professor Ito next turned to the question of the impact on Japan if there is a 10% tariff imposed on Japan and exports to the US plummet. The lecturer observed that there is a possibility that Japan’s export industry may lower export prices to secure export volume and continue to produce in Japan. In such case, although export companies may see a decline in profits, if the yen continues to weaken and the US dollar continues to strengthen their profits expressed in yen may not experience a large decline. Dr. Ito described a third commonly cited scenario where raising tariffs result in higher prices in the US, leading to the Fed raising interest rates to curb inflation, the US dollar appreciating, US exports becoming stagnant due to retaliatory tariffs from other countries, the US deficit not decreasing, and the US economy worsening and entering stagflation. Professor Ito noted that in such case there is a possibility that President Trump may criticize other countries for continuing to export despite the tariffs and pressure trading countries to make their currencies stronger. Another commonly cited scenario described by Professor Ito was that Trump 2.0 will maintain a tough stance against China by imposing a 60% tariff and getting China to increase imports from the US, while building an anti-China containment network with allies to prevent advanced technology from reaching China and limiting Chinese investment in the US due to security concerns.  Professor Ito noted that another view is that President Trump may not necessarily see China as a threat, as witnessed by his efforts to suspend the ban on TikTok, and may be aiming to cement his legacy by making a historical deal with President Xi Jinping. On the other hand, a 60% tariff on China and a 10% to 25% tariff on allies could lead to US isolation. A Q&A session and discussion followed, with audience members discussing a…
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On Friday, June 13, Friends of UTokyo hosted an online webinar featuring two distinguished speakers who shared their experiences working at major international institutions. The event was supported by UTokyo alumni organizations including Satsukikai America, New York Ichokai, and the U-Tokyo Alumni Association in Washington DC. The session focused on career pathways at the World Bank and the United Nations, offering practical insights into the qualifications, challenges, and motivations that shaped each speaker’s journey. The first speaker, Yukio Tanaka is a Senior Water Resources Management Specialist, Water Global Practice, at The World Bank. Dr. Tanaka emphasized the importance of having a clear sense of purpose before aiming to work for international organizations. Drawing on his own background in agricultural civil engineering and international development, he described his work in water resource management and flood control, including recent projects in India’s Assam region. Dr. Tanaka outlined the various stages of an international career, ranging from early-stage experiences such as JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) programs, development consulting, and UN internships, to mid-career transitions through programs like JPO (Junior Professional Officer) and UN Volunteers. He stressed the importance of fieldwork in developing countries and urged young professionals to seek hands-on experiences early. In addition to discussing institutional hiring practices, he noted the significance of networking as a key professional skill, especially in global environments where collaboration and visibility are critical. He noted that the appeal of working for an international organization is the opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds, to be involved in shaping international policy, and to have opportunities for personal growth. The second speaker, Shinichi Hirao, is an Associate Political Affairs Officer in the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). As a current JPO, Mr. Hirao offered a detailed overview of the JPO program as a structured pathway into the UN system. He explained that Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports JPO placements financially, enabling young professionals to gain two years of experience within the UN. Mr. Hirao described the competitive nature of international hiring, the timeline of the JPO application process, and the importance of matching individual qualifications with the specific requirements listed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) for each position. He also introduced the UN’s competency-based interviews, which assess candidates not only on technical skills but also on core values such as professionalism and client orientation. Mr. Hirao emphasized that JPO experience significantly enhances one’s chances of securing future positions through open recruitment. During the Q and A session, the speakers answered previously submitted questions and live questions from the audience. Questions touched on a range of topics including whether their experience in middle to high school shaped their career decision, when they decided on their career path, the kinds of initial jobs or industries that would lead to a career at the UN or World Bank, and how their university major and degrees play a role in their career path. They both provided a comprehensive view of what it takes to work in global institutions and highlighted both the intrinsic rewards, such as contributing to global development and working with people from diverse backgrounds, and the need for resilience, clarity of purpose, and strategic planning in navigating these competitive career paths. Finally, the organizer thanked the speakers saying, “The presentations were both very informative and helpful, as they provided information which is not commonly available by simply reading the relevant websites.” Participants continued a lively dialogue with the speakers in the reception which followed.

Courtesy of UTokyo NY Office. Adapted from its website. The “IMSUT NY Seminar 2025” hosted by the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo (IMSUT) was held entirely on-site on Friday, March 21, 2025, at the New York office of the University of Tokyo (UTokyoNY) under the theme of “Cutting-edge medical science-from basic research to clinical applications”. Despite being held on a weekday, the seminar was attended by an even larger number of participants than in previous years. By being scheduled in the evening, the event attracted attendees from a wide range of institutions, including universities and research centers in the United States, as well as various companies and organizations from diverse fields. This third installment of the IMSUT NY Seminar was opened with a welcoming address by Professor Makoto Nakanishi, the Dean of IMSUT. The seminar consisted of three sessions, each featuring distinguished researchers presenting their latest findings. In the first session, Professor Toshifumi Inada gave a lecture on the molecular mechanisms and physiological functions of quality control that recognize and rescue ribosome collision, which is the reality of aberrant mRNA translation. Professor Hiroyasu Furukawa of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory then presented his research on functional control by novel antibodies against NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDAR). The second session featured Professor Atsushi Iwama, who spoke about promoting hematopoietic regeneration by manipulation of the bone marrow niche. He was followed by Professor Emmanuelle Passegué of Columbia University, who talked about the mechanism underlying how adaptive responses over the life of the organism lead to HSC functional degradation. In the final session, Professor Hideki Taniguchi discussed the development of innovative regenerative therapies for liver diseases using human iPS cells, including the objectives and current clinical status. The seminar concluded with a presentation by Professor Takami Sato from Thomas Jefferson University who introduced new approaches for uveal melanoma treatment. Each presentation sparked great interest among the participants, leading to highly engaging discussions. The Q&A sessions were so lively that they ran short of time, underscoring the audience’s enthusiastic participation. The seminar concluded with closing remarks from Professor Inada, marking the end of a successful and stimulating event. After the main program, a Post-seminar Discussion was held, offering further opportunities for speakers and attendees to exchange ideas and foster connections. These interactions are likely to lead to future collaborations, making this seminar a key step toward continued international research exchange. The seminar video will be released shortly!

By Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon, 2014 FUTI Global Leadership Award Recipient, Assistant Teaching Professor of Japanese Studies, Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics At Carnegie Mellon University, a world-renowned institution in science and technology, I teach Japanese language and culture to students whose primary fields are often computer science, robotics, and engineering. Many of them are not language majors and have never studied Japanese before—but they are deeply curious. Whether drawn by anime or aspirations for international careers, my students consistently demonstrate that language and culture learning has a meaningful place even in STEM-centered education. CMU is one of the few institutions in the United States where Japanese language enrollment surpasses Spanish. This speaks volumes about our student body’s unique interests. Our Anime: Visual Interplay Between Japan and the World course fills almost immediately each semester, often with long waitlists. Similarly, our Elementary Japanese classes remain extremely popular, attracting students across disciplines. The alignment between CMU students’ curiosity and Japanese Studies creates an exciting environment for interdisciplinary learning and cultural inquiry. I teach two types of courses that serve students at different learning stages: two general education classes—Anime and Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture—and a Japanese language sequence from Elementary to Advanced Japanese. The gen-ed courses are open to all students regardless of language background. In the anime course, we explore how animated media reflects and shapes political memory, nationalism, and globalization. One student created a short film as her final project, which went on to win multiple international awards. I continued to mentor her through her senior honors thesis, which explores the intersection of Japanese humanities and WWII history. In Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture, students interrogate persistent myths—such as “Japanese people are inherently polite” or “Japanese is uniquely difficult to learn”—while examining how language reflects and reproduces social hierarchies. We center on marginalized communities in Japan, including Ainu, Okinawan, and LGBTQ+ populations, and critically reflect on identity, race, gender, and power. What I love most about teaching Japanese language and culture at CMU is how it transforms students’ perspectives. The greatest joy of teaching Japanese language and culture at CMU is witnessing the moments when students’ perspectives shift dramatically. One student commented, “I enrolled thinking I would learn about Japanese culture, but through this class, I realized that culture is never monolithic—it is dynamic, layered, and sometimes even contradictory.” This kind of learning not only deepens their understanding of Japan but also prompts students to reflect on their own values and positionalities within a global society. In Intermediate Japanese, I emphasize real-world communication and community engagement. Students write reflective essays in Japanese about their lives at CMU and in Pittsburgh and develop multilingual materials for local Japanese-speaking communities. For instance, students collaborate with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to create educational Japanese-language TV segments for pediatric patients. This project allows them to apply their language skills in meaningful ways that emphasize care, accessibility, and creativity—transforming them from classroom learners into community contributors. Advanced Japanese focuses on critical reading, structured debate, and reflective writing. Students engage with editorials, essays, and current social issues in Japan while building the advanced vocabulary and analytical tools needed for intercultural literacy. CMU students are remarkably driven. Some skip Elementary Japanese altogether, placing directly into Intermediate or Advanced Japanese after self-studying—often through anime. Their motivation and resourcefulness consistently impress me and show the power of independent learning when paired with guided academic support. The challenges I’ve faced in this role have often been structural rather than pedagogical. Teaching language and culture in a tech-focused environment means constantly advocating for the value of the humanities, especially in spaces where language instruction is seen as supplemental rather than central. Additionally, many students arrive with essentialist understandings of Japan shaped by popular media, so it takes careful scaffolding to deconstruct stereotypes while preserving their enthusiasm. Another challenge has been ensuring that cultural education is not reduced to “surface-level facts” but approached critically and respectfully, which requires me to continuously adapt and design inclusive, student-centered materials. Despite these challenges, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties—especially when I see students not only excel in Japanese but grow as global citizens. The FUTI scholarship played a pivotal role in launching my academic career—not only by providing essential funding, but by connecting me with a remarkable community of aspiring scholars and changemakers. My greatest takeaway from FUTI has been the strength of this network. I’ve been lucky to reconnect with fellow alumni in meaningful ways. In particular, Dr. Akitaka Yamada (FUTI 2013 awardee) and I will be collaborating on a language and culture documentation project in Miyakojima, Okinawa, where we aim to preserve an endangered local shamanic tradition. While we are both linguists, Dr. Yamada’s expertise in digital humanities will be an enormous asset. I also recently reconnected with a film director Minami Goto, who kindly helped me find a local recording studio in Kumamoto for my forthcoming elementary Japanese e-textbook. This project offers an opportunity to highlight the richness of rural Japan. These collaborations reflect the ongoing value of FUTI’s vibrant alumni network, and I look forward to many more connections and partnerships in the years ahead.

Friends of UTokyo is pleased to announce the publication of its 2024 Annual Report. The report features highlights of our scholarship programs, messages from leadership, acknowledgments of our generous supporters, and reflections on FUTI’s continued commitment to promoting academic exchange between the US and Japan. The 2024 FUTI Annual Report is available at the following link: https://www.friendsofutokyo.org/AnnualReport/2024_FUTI_EN_AnnualReport.pdf