Dear Supporters of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI):
I trust this message finds you in good health and spirit. Since its founding in 2007, FUTI has provided short-term (summer) study abroad support to numerous outstanding undergraduate students from top universities in Japan and the United States, as well as mid- to long-term study abroad support to promising current students and alumni of the University of Tokyo. We take pride in the fact that these scholarships have undoubtedly had a significant impact on the lives and early-to-mid-career development of exceptional University of Tokyo students, alumni, and US university students who have the potential to become the next generation of international leaders in fields such as science, technology, arts, economics, and humanities/public administration. Following the establishment of the “Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou Scholarship” in 2023, the new “Hisashi Kobayashi Memorial Fellowship” has been established, with the selection of “Kobayashi Fellows” to commence in 2025. Furthermore, starting last year, the “FUTI Travel Award” has been granted to young researchers at the University of Tokyo.
The world currently faces numerous grave challenges. Intensified climate change is triggering massive natural disasters across nations, while the threat of another pandemic is ever present. The rise of authoritarianism worldwide, alongside regional conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, growing refugee populations, widening wealth gaps, and other factors are shaking the foundations of the democratic world order. To adequately address these unprecedented global crises, leadership across all fields is required. It is also clear that rapid information sharing and international cooperation are essential for resolving these crises. Therefore, the cultivation of the next-generation leaders, who are resilient and can find solutions to these issues, is evermore essential for us, which is exactly the mission of FUTI.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who have supported FUTI’s mission to foster the global leaders of tomorrow, and ask for your continued support. This year, to commemorate the University of Tokyo’s 150th anniversary in 2027, FUTI has launched the “Celebrate UTokyo’s 150th Anniversary with a Gift” campaign. Should we receive donations from 150 or more individuals during the campaign period (July 2025 to June 2026), a major donation of $150,000 from an anonymous donor will be added. We deeply appreciate your support.
For information regarding FUTI’s organization and activities, please refer to the 2024 Annual Report at friendsofutokyo.org/annual-reports. For online donations or donations by check, please visit friendsofutokyo.org/donate.
We would especially appreciate your support for this year’s “Celebrate UTokyo’s 150th Anniversary with Your Donation” campaign. Even small contributions are welcome, and we would be most grateful to receive donations from as many people as possible.
Best regards,
Iwao Ojima, President
Johns Hopkins University
Neuroscience and Psychology
Because of UTRIP and the FUTI Scholarship, I’ve made connections with people all over the world…I’ve had the privilege to build this international network where I can share my ideas with others and talk about our different research endeavors.
University of Tokyo
Faculty of Law
Three years ago, I arrived in the U.S. as a junior lawyer. The development of this awareness and these ambitious goals would not have been possible without the unwavering support of the Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou Scholarship, and all the members of FUTI.
2015 FUTI Global Leadership Award
Friends of UTokyo congratulates Yuki Haba, Ph.D., on being awarded the Eighth New York Hideo Noguchi Memorial Scholarship for his contributions to evolutionary behavioral research. In his acceptance speech, he expressed, “I believe that my current research into the genetic, neural, and evolutionary foundations of social behavior in species like the naked mole-rat will ultimately lead to insights into the evolution of human behavior and emotion.”
