2020年度卒業式告辞

Congratulations to the 2,451 graduates of Tohoku Gakuin University, and to the 52 students completing Graduate Schools, including one doctoral degree recipient. I can only imagine the joy of the parents who have eagerly awaited this day. As president, I offer my heartfelt congratulations.

Furthermore, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this year's graduation ceremony will be held in two separate sessions, and parents are being asked to refrain from attending. However, in light of the state of emergency declared in Miyagi Prefecture and Sendai City on March 18th, we regret to inform you that this year's graduation ceremony will be attended only by representatives of the graduating class.

Now, Eiichi Shibusawa, the protagonist of NHK's new historical drama, was a leading businessman and philanthropist of modern Japan, and a figure who deserves to be called the "father of modern Japan." Shibusawa was involved in the establishment of a remarkable 481 companies, including the 77 Bank in Sendai, and also supported more than 500 organizations in education, healthcare, and welfare, including universities.

In fact, Shibusawa also had a significant connection with Tohoku Gakuin. Schneider, the second principal of Tohoku Gakuin, referred to Shibusawa as "Tohoku Gakuin's great benefactor." This is because when the Tohoku Gakuin Junior High School, which stood on the site of the current Westin Hotel, was completely destroyed in the Great Sendai Fire, Shibusawa held a fundraising party in Tokyo, gathering business leaders and raising a considerable amount of money for the construction of a new school building.

Although Shibusawa was not a Christian, he respected Schneider. Schneider told John Wanamaker, a department store owner and Christian philanthropist in the United States, about Shibusawa's proactive donations. A few years later, when the Great Kanto Earthquake struck, Wanamaker, sympathizing with the plight of Japan, sent a substantial donation to Shibusawa.

In his collection of oral accounts, "The Analects and the Abacus," Shibusawa emphasized the importance of faith, stating, "I have always believed that it is necessary to advance the spiritual development along with the increase of wealth. One must have strong faith in this regard." Schneider also praised Shibusawa as a person who embodied the spirit of the biblical verse, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4).

But why Shibusawa Eiichi now? And apparently, Shibusawa will be appearing on the 10,000 yen banknote in two years, replacing Fukuzawa Yukichi.

I believe that the pursuit of profit above all else, using fossil fuels to satisfy humanity's desires since the Industrial Revolution, has resulted in today's poverty, environmental destruction due to global warming, and, although a combination of accidental factors, the spread of the coronavirus. Shibusawa, while pursuing profit as a businessman, was, as Schneider praised, a person who "pays attention not only to himself but also to others," and that is precisely why he is needed in these turbulent times.

While there was a major earthquake off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture on February 13th and another just recently on March 20th, March 11th of this year marked exactly 10 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake. It is often said that "10 years is a long time," but I believe that many of the graduates here experienced the magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the massive tsunami that swallowed up so many lives, and the subsequent accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant when they were in the sixth grade of elementary school, and that they will never forget it. Witnessing the reality that the lives and livelihoods of loved ones and many other people were so easily taken away by unprecedented natural disasters and man-made disasters caused by overconfidence in technology, I believe that the sadness and suffering are etched deep into the memory. However, on the other hand, through recovery and reconstruction projects and volunteer support activities, you have all grown over the past 10 years by seeing how people in their communities "pay attention not only to themselves, but also to others" and helping one another.

As of today, you have completed your respective academic studies, some earning bachelor's degrees, some master's degrees, and some doctorates. Although your final year may have been hampered by remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing you from experiencing the campus life and job hunting you desired, you are graduating from your alma mater, Tohoku Gakuin University. Beyond this lies an era and society where the gap between rich and poor is widening, natural disasters such as earthquakes and extreme weather events are frequent, and viral infections have yet to subside. In such times, I hope you will "pay attention not only to yourselves but also to others," and play a role in paying attention to the joys and sorrows of others, as well as to coexistence with nature and the well-being of plants and animals. The coming era and society will need such people, and now is your time to step up.

Tohoku Gakuin University is a university founded on the principle of character education based on Christianity, and its school motto is LIFE, LIGHT, LOVE. LIFE means cherishing the lives of finite living beings and the dignity of each individual created by God in His own image; LIGHT means pioneering a new era through the achievements of learning and science; and LOVE means serving the community and the world with love for one's neighbor.

I sincerely hope that, as a graduate of Tohoku Gakuin University, you will cherish the teachings of LIFE LIGHT LOVE and live your long life to the fullest and with happiness. Finally, I would like to leave you with a quote from the Bible: "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4).

Congratulations on your graduation!

March 24, 2021

Haruki Onishi, President of Tohoku Gakuin University