We welcomed 5 students from Northeastern University (hereafter referred to as NEU), Boston, U.S.A., and they studied about Japanese language and culture throughout the program. In the culture seminar classes, special visiting lecturers were invited and students tried Flower Arrangement, Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy on campus. They also experienced pottery lesson and Aikido lesson off-campus. Although most of them experienced those activities for the first time, they listened to lecturer’s explanation attentively showing their positive attitudes to learn about Japanese tradition and culture.
In addition to the cultural seminars, students worked on diligently improving their Japanese abilities which they have been studying at least one year at NEU. Through Japanese language classes and conversation sessions with Doshisha students who joined the program as “supporters”, all of them showed remarkable growth. We were surprised to see them making full use of their Japanese language skills in various situations.
Students and supporters not only interacted with each other in the classes, but also shared a lot of time in Kyoto such as strolling Gion area. It seemed they fully enjoyed their stay in Kyoto in many aspects.
Although it was only two weeks that they stayed at Doshisha, we hope they will spend rest of their program in Japan energetically and continue to study Japanese language and culture even after going back to their country.
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国際センター 留学生課（京田辺） TEL：0774-65-7453
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The new book by Professor Yukiko Nishikawa (Graduate School of Global Studies) explores how dōchō atsuryoku—the pressure to conform—shapes Japanese society. Central to the book is seken, the “social gaze,” or unspoken social expectations, and kūki, the “atmosphere” that influences behavior. Through case studies like wartime Japan, the COVID-19 pandemic, and responses to sexual violence, the book reveals how conformity continues to impact individuals, institutions, governance, and justice in Japan. Insightful and thought-provoking, it shows how Japan’s social fabric is deeply woven with the power of conformity.
Reference
Nishikawa, Y. (2025). The Politics of Conformity in Japan. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003605799
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-77/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1085588
Title: The Politics of Conformity in Japan by Yukiko Nishikawa
Credit: Taylor & Francis
Usage Restrictions: Credit must be given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
License: CC BY-NC-ND
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国際センター 留学生課（京田辺） TEL：0774-65-7453
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国際センター 留学生課 TEL：075-251-3257
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国際センター 留学生課 TEL：075-251-3257
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Dr. Biplab Kumar Dash, Professor Yasuomi Urano, and their research team have uncovered a novel secretion mechanism of an unconventional Parkinson’s disease-related protein mediated by autophagy and secretory autolysosomes.
Proteins are conventionally trafficked and secreted extracellularly via the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. Some proteins that bypass this system and use unconventional mechanisms to exit the cell have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, and cancer. Researchers have elucidated a novel role of autophagy mediated by the formation of “secretory autolysosomes” in the release of PARK7—a protein associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Their findings uncover potential pathogenic mechanisms, early biomarkers, and therapeutic targets.
Reference
Biplab Kumar Dash, Yasuomi Urano, Yuichiro Mita, Yuki Ashida, Ryoma Hirose, Noriko Noguchi, Unconventional secretion of PARK7 requires lysosomal delivery via chaperone-mediated autophagy and specialized SNARE complex, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2025, Vol. 122 No. 19
DOI :10.1073/pnas.2414790122
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-76/
https://www.doshisha.ac.jp/news/detail/001-26Qmmn.html
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1084893
Image title: Proposed model of 6-OHDA-induced autophagy-based unconventional PARK7 secretion.
Image caption: Oxidative stress induced by 6-OHDA stimulates autophagy flux, which enhances STX17-mediated autolysosome formation, leading to the degradation of autophagosomal contents. However, in response to autophagy promotion by 6-OHDA, a subset of autophagosomes recruits ERGIC R-SNARE SEC22B. The KFERQ-like motifs of monomeric PARK7 selectively bind to HSPA8 chaperones and are recruited to the lysosomal membrane, followed by translocation into the lysosomal lumen via the LAMP2 channel. A pool of PARK7-containing lysosomes fuses with SEC22B-containing autophagosomes to form secretory autolysosomes, which then fuse with the plasma membrane mediated by a unique QabcR–SNARE complex comprising STX3/4, VTI1B, STX8, and SEC22B, releasing PARK7 into the extracellular matrix.
Image credit: Dr. Biplab Kumar Dash from Doshisha University, Japan
Source link: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2414790122
License type: CC BY-NC-ND
Usage restrictions: Credit must be given to the creator. Only non-commercial uses of the work are permitted. No derivatives or adaptations of the work are permitted.
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Professor Kojiro Ishii's research group investigated the relationship between phase angle, an indicator of muscle quality, and found it to be associated with memory performance and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults.
Sarcopenia has been linked to dementia risk, but previous studies have focused on older adults. researchers assessed several muscle-related indices and cognitive function in middle-aged individuals. They found that phase angle—a measure of muscle quality—was strongly associated with cognitive function, especially in women. A significant association with memory performance was also observed in both genders. It could serve as an early marker for the risk of cognitive decline in clinical screenings.
Reference
Kentaro Ikeue, Hisashi Kato, Masashi Tanaka, Hajime Yamakage, Sayaka Kato, Masayo Iwasa, Kan Oishi, Yuiko Yamamoto, Megumi Kanasaki, Izuru Masuda, Kojiro Ishii, Noriko Satoh-Asahara, Phase Angle Is a Potential Novel Early Marker for Sarcopenia and Cognitive Impairment in the General Population, Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle Volume16, Issue3, June 2025
DOI :10.1002/jcsm.13820
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-75/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1084858
Image title: Overview of the study exploring the link between sarcopenia and cognitive decline
Image caption: This work investigated how various indicators of muscle quality, mass, and strength were related to cognitive parameters in middle-aged and older adults. The results showed that phase angle—an indicator of muscle quality that is very convenient to measure—was strongly related to cognitive decline.
Image credit: Postdoctoral Researcher Kentaro Ikeue from Doshisha University, Japan
License type: CC-BY 4.0
Usage restrictions: Credit must be given to the creator.
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Professor Kiyotaka Nishikawa's research team has developed a tetravalent peptide that modulates a key bone resorption pathway, paving the way for effective treatments with fewer side effects.
Bone-destructive diseases often arise from overactive osteoclasts, driven by the RANK-TRAF6 signaling pathway. However, treatments targeting this pathway also affect other biological processes. Now, researchers have developed a new tetravalent peptide, CR4-WHD-tet, that fine-tunes this pathway. CR4-WHD-tet selectively inhibits signals important for late-stage osteoclast maturation without disrupting the pathway’s other essential functions. This innovative approach could lead to targeted therapies with reduced side effects for osteoporosis and similar diseases.
Reference
Masataka Anzai, Miho Watanabe-Takahashi, Hiroshi Kawabata, Yuri Masuda, Aoi Ikegami, Yuta Okuda, Tsuyoshi Waku, Hiroaki Sakurai, Keizo Nishikawa, Jun-ichiro Inoue, Kiyotaka Nishikawa, Clustered peptide regulating the multivalent interaction between RANK and TRAF6 inhibits osteoclastogenesis by fine-tuning signals, Communications Biology 8, Article number: 643 (2025)
DOI :10.1038/s42003-025-08047-2
For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-74/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1084690
Image title: Inhibiting a specific downstream effect in the RANK-TRAF6 signaling pathway
Image caption: Rather than completely blocking all downstream signals, the peptide developed in this study focuses on inhibiting the activation of p38-MAPK. This is enough to downregulate the development of mature osteoclasts without affecting unrelated biological processes as a side effect.
Image credit: Professor Kiyotaka Nishikawa from Doshisha University, Japan
License type: Original content
Usage restrictions: Cannot be reused without permission.
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国際センター 留学生課 TEL：075-251-3257
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On March 11 (Tuesday) and 12 (Wednesday), 2025, Doshisha University, in collaboration with the University of Tübingen, held the 5th International Interdisciplinary Symposium. The symposium took place at the Kambaikan Hardy Hall and the Ryoshinkan R305 at Doshisha University.
The theme of this symposium was “Humans and AI: Coexistence and Conscience – Toward a Future Where Humans and AI Develop Together for the Improvement of Society.” Researchers from various fields at Doshisha University and the University of Tübingen engaged in multi-perspective discussions.
During the keynote speech at Kambaikan Hardy Hall, President Katsuhiro Kohara of Doshisha University delivered a lecture titled “AI and Conscience: From the Perspective of Religious and Cultural Diversity.” During his lecture, President Katsuhiro Kohara emphasized the importance of constructing environmental ethics in light of the ongoing societal shift from natural and cultural environments to a digital one. He discussed how this transition calls for thoughtful consideration of environmental ethics in the midst of these changes. Professor Katja Schenke-Layland, Designated Vice President of the University of Tübingen, spoke about the Tübingen AI Center, a hub for AI in Europe, and the ELLIS-Institute Tübingen, a European network of excellence focusing on fundamental science, technological innovation, and societal impact. She highlighted how these initiatives are creating excellent research environments to attract top-level machine learning researchers from around the world.
In Panel 1, discussions were held on the transformative effects of large language models (LLMs) on communication and community-building, social robots and their role in communication, and the potential of AI’s massive visual data processing and modeling of neural processes. Ethical challenges in communication were also discussed.
On the following day, Panel 2 focused on the applications and developments of AI in space technology and medical sciences, while Panel 3 addressed legal issues surrounding regulation in marketing and organoid intelligence.
The symposium saw a total of 110 participants, including graduate students, engaging in lively discussions. New connections were formed in each of the thematic panels. The DU-UT Symposium is expected to contribute to the further development of research collaboration between both institutions.
Program
Keynote Lecture I
“AI and Conscience: From the Perspective of Religio-cultural Diversity”
Professor Katsuhiro KOHARA, Th.D., President, Doshisha University
Keynote Lecture II
“Artificial Intelligence in Tübingen – Highlights and Perspectives”
Professor Dr. Katja SCHENKE-LAYLAND, Designated Vice President, University of Tübingen.
Discussion
Professor Katsunobu KIHARA, Ph.D., Vice President, Doshisha University
Professor Dr. Katja SCHENKE-LAYLAND, Designated Vice President, University of Tübingen.
Professor Katsuhiro KOHARA, Th.D., President, Doshisha University
Professor Yoko AKIYAMA, Ph.D.
Director, Doshisha EU Campus at Tübingen University
Panel Ⅰ 【Humans and AI】
Professor Tomoyuki HIROYASU, Ph.D.
Associate Professor Takamasa IIO, Ph.D.
Professor Teppei MATSUI, Ph.D.
Professor Dr. Jessica HEESEN
Professor Dr. Regina AMMICHT QUINN
Panel II 【AI in Space Technology】
Visiting Professor Kazunari SHIBATA, Ph.D.
Professor Dr. Andrea SANTANGELO
Panel II 【AI in Medical Sciences】
Professor Dr. Katja SCHENKE-LAYLAND
Professor Dr. Carsten EICKHOFF
Professor Masaya IKEGAWA, M.D., Ph.D.
Panel III 【AI and Legal Challenges】
Professor Tsuneo MATSUMOTO
Professor Noriko KAWAWA
Professor Dr. Jessica HEESEN
Dr. Alina WERNICK
Group photo
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Organization for Research Initiatives & Development Doshisha UniversityKyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, JAPAN |
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Michael McGuire, at the Department of English, Faculty of Letters, and the colleague indicated that an automated speech recognition system shows promise for making language testing more accessible and scalable.
While elicited imitation (EI) tests can effectively measure language proficiency by having learners repeat complex sentences, they require time-consuming human scoring. McGuire and his colleague have developed a fully automated system that combines EI for speech recognition with a computational scoring metric. Their study showed that the automated system produced nearly identical overall scores to human raters, suggesting that this approach could enable efficient, large-scale language assessment and potentially transform educational practices.
Reference
Michael McGuire, Jenifer Larson-Hall, Assessing Whisper automatic speech recognition and WER scoring for elicited imitation: Steps toward automation, Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2025,100197, ISSN 2772-7661,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmal.2025.100197
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-73/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1080114
Title: Comparison between the proposed computer-automated assessment method and the established manual scoring method
Caption: The good linearity depicted in this plot indicates excellent agreement between manual scoring and fully automated scoring, showcasing the potential of the proposed system.
Credit: Michael McGuire from Doshisha University, Japan
Image license: CC BY 4.0
Usage restrictions: You are free to share and adapt. Attribution is required.
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The research team, including Shumpei Hara, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University discover a unique “meandering motion” in viscoelastic fluids, opening possibilities for energy-efficient heat exchangers and cooling systems.
In a step towards advancing fluid dynamics for industrial applications, researchers unveil a meandering motion of turbulence observed in viscoelastic fluids flowing over a backward-facing step. According to the study, under certain conditions, these fluids exhibit wavelike movement, which enhances heat transfer efficiency. This breakthrough holds promise for industrial applications of fluid-based thermal management, providing energy-efficient systems.
Reference
Shumpei Hara, Ryusuke Ii, Shohei Onishi, Takahiro Tsukahara, Yasuo Kawaguchi, Inertia-viscoelastic meandering motion in a backward-facing step flow, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 242 126793-126793 June 2025
DOI : 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.126793
For more details, please see the website of Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University.
https://research.doshisha.ac.jp/news/news-detail-71/
This achievement has also been featured in the “EurekAlert!.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1079126
Image title: Instantaneous streamwise velocity fields with Galilean transformation by the half bulk velocity in the x-y plane
Image caption: Visualization of instantaneous streamwise velocity fields in the x-y plane for different Weissenberg numbers (Wi = 0.0, 0.019, 0.022). The meandering motion emerges at higher Wi, enhancing turbulence and heat transfer in the backward-facing step flow.
Image credit: Dr. Shumpei Hara from Doshisha University, Japan
Image link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0017931025001346?via%3Dihub
License type: CC BY 4.0
Usage restrictions: You are free to share and adapt. Attribution is required.
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New Student Survey
Dear First-Year Students, Congratulations on your enrollment at Doshisha University!
We are conducting this survey to gain perspective on the educational background and characteristics of the entering class of new students.
The results of this survey will be used to develop policies and measures that can be implemented to improve the university's educational programs, including classes and the overall learning environment.
By completing this survey, you can help enrich campus life at the university for yourself and others. We appreciate your cooperation in completing this important survey.
Every year in November, we conduct a "Student Learning Experience Survey" for first-, second- and third- year students.
When the survey period approaches, details will be announced on the university website, etc. Please check the contents and answer the survey.
The feedback information will be provided to the respondents of the "Student Learning Experience Survey" in March 2026, together with the responses to the "New Student Survey".
| Survey Period | 0:00 (JST) Apr. 1 to 23:59 (JST) Apr. 21, 2025 |
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| Survey Target | 2025 entry undergraduate students |
| Survey Method | Microsoft Forms Please answer from the URL below. https://forms.office.com/r/nx9J7G36a9 ※To access the website, you will need your Doshisha University user ID, which can be found on the “User ID Notification” provided to you. ※Please refer to the attached flyer for more detailed access information. |
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日本語版のニュースはこちらをご覧ください。
To Students:
Division of Academic Affairs
The classes of the spring semester in AY 2025 begin with on-demand classes starting on Friday, April 4th, and face-to-face classes on Friday, April 11th as per the academic calendar. Please continue to regularly check “Announcements from the University” on the Doshisha University Electronic Tutorial System (DUET), the Doshisha University Web Portal, the websites of the university and your faculty/school/graduate school, etc., in order not to miss any important information or necessary notices from the university.
1.Classes held at Doshisha University
- Students will take 13 times of classroom instruction and twice on-demand instruction (the basic type class).
- The first week of the semester (April 4th (Fri.) to April 10th (Thu.)) is called “DO Week (Doshisha Opening Week)”. The orientation for the course registration and the first on-demand classes are held during DO Week. You have to take the "First On-Demand Class" during this period.
- For details on the way to take classes, please be sure to refer to the “New Learning Starts from DO Week” on our website.
2. Class Format and Course Registration Schedule
- There are several types of class formats in addition to the basic "face-to-face" class.
- Please be sure to check the "Syllabus" after March 14th (Fri.) for the class format of the spring semester courses.
- You can access the URL of the first on-demand classes from the syllabus during DO Week.
- You are required to take the first on-demand class in parallel with course registration; some classes may have assignments during DO Week, so please work on them accordingly.
- Most on-demand classes are delivered using Panopto; for information on how to use Panopto and its manuals, please refer to the "Panopto User Manuall (requires the university’s user ID to view)".
（Reference）
| Period of Advanced Registration |
Mar. 24 (Mon.) - Apr.7 (Mon.) 5:00 pm ※Varying depending on the course. Please refer toCourse Registration Schedule ( in Japanese) for details. |
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| Course Registration Period | Apr. 8 (Tue.) - 9 (Wed.) 5:00 pm |
| Period of Confirmation of Registered Courses and Acceptance of Corrections | Apr. 15 (Tue.) - 17 (Thu.) |
| Application Withdrawal Period | The specific period will be posted on the university’s website at a later date. |
Regardless of the class format, it is important to carefully read the program guide, registration guidelines, etc. for your faculty/school and make a solid course registration plan.
For course registration, check in advance whether the courses for which you will register require general registration or advanced registration.
3. Notices about Classes and University Announcements
- Be sure to check e-class for information on when on-demand classes other than DO Week will be available and how to take remote classes after DO Week.*Please note that, depending on the course, alternative tools outside of e-class may be utilized; therefore, follow the instructions provided by the course instructor for specific details.
- Instructors of registered courses may contact students through e-class messages or announcements, DUET messages, etc.
- We recommend you make a habit of checking these platforms regularly to ensure that you do not miss important information.
- The university will make announcements basically through Announcements from University on DUET, the Doshisha University Web Portal, or the websites of the university, your faculty/school/graduate school. Remember to check back frequently.
4. Sales of Textbooks
- For sales of textbooks, refer to the following URL.
Doshisha Co-op website: “Information on Purchase of Textbooks for Doshisha University Students”
5. Self-study Spaces for Online Classes on Campus
- We have set up self-study rooms on campus where students can take online classes
- However, since each study room has only a limited number of seats, we cannot guarantee securing a seat for taking the real-time online instruction.
- For the classrooms to be used as study rooms in the spring semester AY2025, check “Announcements from University” on DUET.*We encourage Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), where students bring their own devices (laptops, etc.) to the university for use.About BYOD at Doshisha University ( in Japanese)*Please bring your own earphones with microphone to take online classes.
*The number of outlets on campus is limited so using a mobile battery is recommended.
6. Copyright and Privacy Protection in Classes
- Unless previously approved by the course instructor, the following actions are prohibited:・Recording of the classes (including capturing images of blackboards/screens)
・Audio or video recording of the classes
・Copying the materials distributed during a class
・Downloading the videos stored on servers for viewing
- Even with the instructor's permission to record, capture, or download classes and lecture materials, it is not allowed to share or publicly disclose them to third parties without authorization. Additionally, when recording or capturing a class with the instructor's permission, make sure to obtain consent from all individuals appearing in the footage.
- Please also be aware of the following points:
・Do not share access information (URLs, access codes, etc.) for remote classes, which is shared with the registered participants, with the students who are not registered in the course or do not publish it on the internet.・Lecture materials are protected by copyright. Do not share or publicly disclose them without permission.
・Do not share emails or chat exchanges with instructors on the internet or do not forward them without permission.
・When participating in two-way online classes using a webcam, be mindful of your background. If there are items you don’t want to show, consider using a virtual background.
*Information on copyright and privacy protection is explained in the texts for the Information Ethics & Network User Certification Examination. Please also review our website on copyright (in Japanese).