Masao Yamazaki, Chairman of Meiji Gakuin Educational Corporation

Embrace diversity and develop human resources who will play a central role in society

■ Profile

Born in 1949. After graduating from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University in 1972, he joined Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. In 2010, he became Executive Vice President of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. He subsequently served as a director of World Trade Center Building Co., Ltd. and as a labor arbitrator (affiliated with the Tokyo District Court). In 2017, he became the chairman of Meiji Gakuin Educational Institute.

Meiji Gakuin University was founded on the principle of "Christian-based character education," and its educational philosophy is based on the spirit of its founder, Hepburn, which he adhered to throughout his life: "Do for Others." We spoke with Chairman Yamazaki, who is committed to educating the next generation of leaders at this university with a history spanning over 150 years since its founding.

■What was your student life like?

　My student days were a tumultuous time, amidst the campus unrest. As a Christian, I joined the Christian Studies Society as an extracurricular activity after enrolling at Waseda University, and became active there. I majored in Japanese economic history. This was during the period of rapid economic growth, when Japan was experiencing rapid and autonomous economic development in Asia. This led me to develop a strong interest in why Japan was the only country in Asia to modernize after the Meiji era.
　After graduating, I wanted to work in a public interest field, so I got a job at an electric power company. I worked in the labor and personnel affairs department and the personnel development department for a long time, and later I was in charge of restructuring the business organization. Since universities are responsible for developing the human resources that will support Japan's economy and society, I thought that the role of university president would be a very meaningful job.

■Please tell us what you are aiming for as the president of the university.

　I believe that universities have the role of nurturing the human resources that will support Japan's economy and society, and of producing human resources that can drive its development. I believe that Japan was able to achieve autonomous economic development during its period of high economic growth not only because of economic factors, but also because of educational factors, that is, because it had the human resources to lead the economy and society. Therefore, it can be said that universities and other educational institutions functioned well during that period. However, looking at the economic stagnation that followed, it seems that both educational institutions and organizations such as companies had problems in terms of investment in education and human resource development.
　Putting that aside, universities are being asked to provide better education in light of changes in society, so I think it's important to support the professors actually involved in education and research so that they can realize their aspirations. Therefore, I think it's necessary to manage universities by placing importance on sound financial management, formulating various plans from a medium- to long-term perspective, and securing the human resources who can promote these plans.

■What does the university place importance on?

　Meiji Gakuin University places particular importance on Christian principles and has a mission of "educating global citizens who live in harmony with their neighbors." To achieve this, we have established an educational vision, placing particular emphasis on three areas: fostering a volunteer spirit, cultivating a global mindset, and enhancing career education. We are promoting initiatives such as linking volunteer activities with classes, establishing a study abroad program to foster awareness of diversity and broaden perspectives, and encouraging students to pursue their own careers through lectures and endowed courses attended by industry professionals. In addition, we believe it is important to cherish the aspects of Meiji Gakuin University that have been cultivated over the years—the close relationship between students and faculty, the well-equipped library, and historical buildings such as the chapel—while developing an education that responds to the changing times. Furthermore, our university has a project called "Internal Internationalization," which focuses on Japan's ongoing internationalization and supports Japanese language education for children with foreign roots. While there are currently internationalization (outward-looking) initiatives that send Japanese students abroad, the reverse is rare. It is especially important to further create an environment that embraces diversity in today's world.

■Please give us a message for university students

　One of the most important things for university students is studying. I hope that you will have one thing that you can be proud of as your own accomplishments. The learning methodology that you acquire as a student, such as your study style and attitude, will be a great asset even after you enter society.
　Another thing is that I want students to develop their human skills. Society is made up of connections between people. By talking to many people and having a variety of experiences through clubs and other activities, I hope that students will broaden their perspective and develop depth as human beings.

Student Newspaper October 2021 Issue by Aki Kawanami, 4th year student at Tsuda University