President's Address at the Commencement and the Ceremony for Bestowing Degrees for the Spring 2026 Semester

　I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all of you who have just received your bachelor's, master's, professional, and doctoral degrees on this day of celebration, and to express my profound respect for your hard work in study and research up to today. My heartfelt congratulations also go to your families and acquaintances who have warmly watched over and supported you throughout the years.
　To this day, you have learned a great deal and gained a wide range of experiences at Doshisha University. On this celebratory occasion, please take time to reflect on what you have learned and gained, and on how you have developed over the years. Such reflection is not only for looking back on your past, but also a starting point for thinking about how and for whom you will use the knowledge and experiences you have gained from now on.
　From childhood through university and graduate school, learning was primarily about expanding your potential to carve out your own life. From now on, please seek ways to apply what you have learned and experienced not only for yourself but also for the benefit of others and society. Knowledge and experience are more meaningful when they are used to confront others' difficulties and shape a better future.
　To pay attention to others and society, think about what you can do and put it into action, you must first stand on your own feet. This is closely related to the objective of education at Doshisha, which is to cultivate “self-governing independent individuals.”
　Through your university experience, would you say you now stand more firmly on your own two feet than when you were a new student? However, self-governing independence in the Doshisha tradition is not the kind of isolated independence of proudly doing everything by oneself without the help of others. No one can live all by oneself; being able to seek help when you are in trouble, knowing your limitations, and trusting others are also important abilities. The mutual support of meeting people who will help you and becoming capable of helping many people yourself is the way of self-governing independence that you should strive for.
　In Japanese society, it is not easy to ask for help, and people are often blamed for what they cannot do, with the expectation that it is their personal responsibility. From an early age, we are repeatedly taught by elders “not to cause inconvenience to others.” Yet no one grows up without ever causing inconvenience to others, including their family. If the idea of “not causing inconvenience to others” is too strong, it may silence the voice of those seeking help and create a society intolerant of others’ suffering. Self-governing, independent individuals, whom Doshisha aims to cultivate through its education, are crucial to establishing a society where people help one another when in trouble.
　This philosophy is clearly etched in Doshisha's history as well. When you consider self-governing independence as the ability to realize your vision through mutual support rather than strength in isolation, the life of our founder, Joseph Hardy Neesima, offers us much inspiration. Neesima often worried those around him and put a heavy burden on them, yet until his last years, he was always surrounded by people who were moved by his strong motivation and were willing to help and support him in any way.
　Doshisha celebrated its 150th anniversary of its founding last year. The small school founded by Neesima has grown immensely over the past 150 years. His life and the history of Doshisha may seem like a success story on the surface, but you will miss an important point if you see his journey only that way. Here, I will briefly look back at Neesima’s life.
　When Neesima departed Japan for America despite the overseas travel ban, there were people who helped him carry out his rather reckless plan. He would have had difficulty studying after arriving in the United States, or even just surviving there, were it not for the support of Mr. and Mrs. Hardy. After Neesima’s return to Japan, his plan to open a school in Osaka fell through, and his dream seemed shattered. However, thanks to the miraculous encounter with Yamamoto Kakuma, who would become the co-incorporator of Doshisha, and the dedicated support of missionary Davis, Neesima finally established Doshisha Eigakko (Academy) in Kyoto in 1875. The following year, a group of students called the Kumamoto Band joined Doshisha, adding substance to the school’s education.
　Without the encounters with and the support from these people, Neesima would not have been able to pursue his path, nor would Doshisha have been created or developed. Every time he faced obstacles, felt at a loss, and had his heart broken, there were people who helped him rise from disappointment and carry on. His ability to make quick decisions and act also helped him pave new ways, cherishing each encounter he had amid difficulties and turning them into concrete form. Neesima himself also received support from many people as he grew into a self-governing, independent person.
　As you graduate and enter society, you may face challenges you never imagined during your student days. There may be days when you lose confidence because your efforts do not seem to open a way. At such times, I would like you to recall the life of Neesima, who had the support of many people and, at the same time, supported and encouraged many others. Do not be afraid to seek help, cherish the people you meet in real life, and become someone who can provide support to others. That will open up an unexpected new path for you.
　The commencement ceremony is an important milestone for each graduate and for Doshisha’s history. However, graduation is not the end of our relationship but the starting point for a new relationship with Doshisha. From Doshisha’s first graduates to you all today, we are all brought together as “doshi,” comrades who share the experience of learning at Doshisha. Starting today, you are a member of the broader Doshisha community, connected across generations, regions, and social positions.
　As Doshisha celebrated its 150th anniversary, Doshisha University developed a new vision and a medium-term plan to implement it. One of the core goals is “Strengthening the university’s foundation and creating values in collaboration with alumni.” To date, 380,000 people have graduated from Doshisha University and are actively working in various fields of society. Building new connections with our alumni and gathering their wisdom and strength will help Doshisha University grow even more. Our alumni are a precious treasure to us.
　In today’s rapidly changing world, we tend to become preoccupied with immediate concerns and lose sight of the broader picture. Yet the world faces many global-scale problems, such as climate change, widening economic disparity, discrimination, and conflicts. There has never been a time more in need of people with high aspirations and a strong conscience, who can use their academic knowledge and skills to create a better society. With the knowledge and experience you have gained at Doshisha, please listen to what people from different standpoints say, think for yourselves, and act with courage. Do your best in your respective places as self-governing, independent people who accept support and are happy to support others. It is my sincere hope that each of you will work actively as the hope of society, embodying the good tradition of Doshisha. I would like to conclude my address by wishing that God will bless each of you on your future path as you take this new step forward.