2023 New Year Greetings

Happy New Year.

How are you all spending the 5th year of Reiwa and the beginning of the new year of 2023?
As we enter the new year in this way, I think it will be a very valuable milestone for us to think anew about what kind of year this year will be and to set new goals while looking forward to what kind of year it will be.
When I think about it, three years ago at this time, I couldn't have imagined that society and universities would be forced to change so much with the coronavirus pandemic just before the coronavirus pandemic. Three years have already passed since this difficult event, and I strongly hope that this year we will be blessed with many wonderful events that will overcome it through the efforts of our faculty, staff, and students.
As we all know, 2023 marks the 149th anniversary of the founding of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and next year will mark the 150th anniversary. This will be a year in which we will look back on the long history of agriculture and engineering since they were born together in the current Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, and aim for the next new era. Perhaps 150 years ago, we could not have imagined that the world would become what it is today, or that the two educational and research institutions that were the origins of agriculture and industry would merge to form today's Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. There is no doubt that we have been able to reach this point thanks to the efforts of successive faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have supported the development of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology over the course of its long history. And now, I think what we need to do is look ahead to the next 50 or 100 years, think carefully about what we should do today and tomorrow, which will be the foundation for this, and actually act with a vision. Since last year, there has been a flood of events and information about Japan's position in the international community and what is expected of Japan universities. More than ever, universities recognize their connection to society, and renew their determination to play a greater role in opening up the future together through advanced perspectives and science, as well as through the education of students who will carry on these perspectives. This means that the expectations of us university students are increasing more and more, and that we can work with a greater outlook and a sense of purpose in life. As we approach the 150th anniversary of the founding of our university, we hope to work together with all of you to build a larger future for our university.

So I sincerely hope that this year will be a wonderful one for you all. Thank you for your continued support in the new year.