With a view to preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19), Niigata University has made a difficult decision to cancel the AY 2020 Fall Graduation Ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, 2020. Instead of holding the ceremony, the congratulatory video message from the President including some photos of our campus and events was posted on our official website as well as YouTube between September 23, 2020 and November 1, 2020.
Now the video is no longer available, but we are delivering the message on this website as follows:
On behalf of Niigata University, it is my great pleasure to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the undergraduate and graduate students who will graduate from the university this fall.
Niigata University Fall Graduation Ceremony would usually take place at the Library Hall, where the graduating students would assemble and I would deliver my congratulatory message in my academic gown. However, the ceremony involving the gathering of a large number of people has been cancelled this year as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has continued to spread. As we understand that this ceremony is a milestone in life for all of you, we deeply regret that it cannot be held, and we appreciate your understanding. Instead of the ceremony, I am sending you this video message while visualizing in my mind the hopeful faces of all the graduates and the future awaiting you.
How was your campus life at Niigata University? In the last six months, non-face-to-face classes were conducted as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. Despite such unforeseen turn of events, when you look back on your days at the university, they should bring back many memories.
Do you remember Niigata University's philosophy? That is "Autonomy and Creativity." "Autonomy" means to behave in accordance with your own norms, and "Creativity" means to produce something new. Based on this philosophy, the faculty and staff members of the university have worked with the students in hope of fostering talented individuals with "resilience" along with suppleness, just like the branches of willow trees, which is the symbol of Niigata city. Therefore, I believe that you, who have learned at Niigata University, have acquired the habit of always setting your own norms, not imitating others.
I am also confident that you have acquired the ability to see and hear things for yourself, see the facts with your own eyes and make your judgment. I hope that you will keep this spirit in mind in your future endeavors even after you leave Niigata University.
I assume that having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic, you might feel that this has been a major unforeseen incident. However, was this really unpredictable?
In fact, while most of us feel that this COVID-19 pandemic came as a surprise, experts have long been warning about such a major pandemic.
In the first place, pandemics have reoccurred throughout human history. There was also a severe pandemic just 100 years ago. This pandemic was caused by the novel influenza H1N1 virus, known as the "Spanish influenza." At that time, the world's population was about 1.8 billion and 600 million, which was one-third of the population, were infected, resulting in the death of tens of millions. Furthermore, this pandemic came with a second and a third wave, lasting for two years before it finally ended. This pandemic seriously affected Japan as well. While the present pandemic was caused by a coronavirus and not an influenza virus, it is very similar to the Spanish influenza pandemic.
In other words, you can say that major epidemics are bound to happen, like earthquakes and other natural disasters. They also represent one of the big challenges human beings need to overcome.
The term "Society 5.0" is being used frequently these days. Human beings started with the hunting & gathering society (Society 1.0); Society 2.0 is the agricultural society; Society 3.0 is the industrial society; and Society 4.0 is the information society. The next society will be Society 5.0. It is reckoned that this fifth society will be formed through a sophisticated fusion of cyberspace and the physical space in reality. The ability of computers (AI) is predicted to overtake human ability in 2045 and by that time, remote work will become prevalent and nearly 50% of jobs will be taken over by AI, ushering in an age of catastrophic collapse of employment.
This prediction is about to more dramatically change with the COVID-19 pandemic. In short, due to this pandemic, rapid social transformation has begun much sooner than we had anticipated. In the post-COVID-19 world, our society will never revert to its previous state again.
We are facing various challenges amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, these are crucial changes toward a new society, so I hope that you, graduates of Niigata University, shall be able to overcome these challenges taking the university's philosophy, "Autonomy and Creativity," to your heart.
On the occasion of your graduation, there are three things I would like to ask you for.
First, "Keep your intellectual curiosity throughout your life." Intellectual curiosity is the source of creativity. Please continue to maintain your curiosity in various things without confining yourself to your field of study.
Second, "Continue your learning." After all, persistence always pays off. There is so much to learn at all times.
Third, "Keep your dreams alive for life." Your dreams will also guide your way as you move on in your life.
No matter path you choose after graduation, please keep "Autonomy and Creativity" in mind. See and hear things for yourself; see the facts with your own eyes to make your judgment; keep your "intellectual curiosity"; continue your learning; and advance toward realizing your "dreams" faithfully.
Niigata University is your alma mater and your home. Take the step toward the future, proud of the fact that you have learned at this university. I sincerely hope that you will continue to deepen your bonds with Niigata University as you advance and shine in your career, and that you will become models for students coming after you in the future.
The Japanese term "hanamuke" originated from the time when people traveled on horseback. When sending off someone going on a journey, it was the custom to lead the nose (hana) of the horse (uma) in the direction to go as a gesture of well-wishing for a safe trip. Through this custom, giving farewell gifts and holding farewell parties for someone going on a trip or starting in life came to be known as "uma no hana-muke," leading the horse's nose, and eventually became simply "hanamuke." This message is my "hanamuke" to all of you who are embarking on a new life. Lastly, I would like to propose a "hanamuke" toast to wish you good luck in your future.
Cheers for your wonderful future!
September 2020
USHIKI Tatsuo, M.D., Ph.D.
President, Niigata University
今秋将从新潟大学毕业的各位本科同学、以及完成研究生学业的各位研究生同学，恭喜你们毕业了。我谨代表新潟大学致以由衷的祝贺。
往年，我们会在图书馆大厅里举办秋季毕业典礼，当同学们齐聚一堂后，我也会穿着学术袍给大家送上祝福。然而，今年因新冠肺炎疫情的持续蔓延而导致我们不能相聚一堂，也不得不中止举办毕业盛典。毕业典礼对同学们而言是人生的一大转折，无法给你们举办盛典对我们来说是一件非常遗憾的事情，但希望大家能给予理解。因此，我决定：一面想象着即将毕业的你们幸福的面孔，创景着你们美好的未来，一面给大家送上我的视频致辞。
同学们，你们在新潟大学度过的学生生活怎么样？最近的半年，由于新冠疫情，我们不能面对面的上课。虽然发生了很多预想不到的事情，但当你们回想校园时光时，各种各样美好或难忘的回忆会历历在目吧！
对了，大家还记得新潟大学的理念吧？"自律与创生"！正如其字面意思所言，"自律" 就是按照自己制定的规范去行动，"创生" 就是创造新事物。新潟大学的教职员工始终凭着 "自律与创生" 这一理念，抱着培育如同新潟的城市象征——"柳树" 枝条般柔和而不屈的 "真才实学" 的人才的愿望，与各位相处。因此，我坚信：在新潟大学学习过的各位肯定不会只停留在单单效仿他人，而是养成了 "始终自己制定自己行为规范的习惯"。
也就是说，要养成自己仔细观察或倾听事物、用自己的眼睛去分辨并判断事物的习惯。即使大家展翅飞翔，离开了新潟大学，但仍希望大家在今后漫长的人生道路上勿忘这一初心。
话说回来，关于这次新冠肺炎大流行（全球大流行），大家是不是都觉得发生了有生以来意想不到的大事情了吧！但是，这真的是无法预测的事情吗？
其实，虽然这次的新冠疫情对于我们大多数人而言是极其突然的事情，但早就有专家对这样的大流行敲过警钟了。
传染病的全球大流行原本就是人类历史上曾多次反复发生的事情。而且，恰好在100年前也曾发生过非常大的全球大流行。那是被称作 "西班牙流感" 的新型流感的大流行。据说当时的全球人口约为18亿，其中的三分之一、即6亿人左右感染了流感，并造成了数千万人的死亡。此外，那次大流行还有第二波、第三波，到最终平息竟花了2年左右的时间，当然日本当时也未能幸免。这次全球大流行，当然在病毒方面流感病毒和冠状病毒虽有不同，但与那次的 "西班牙流感" 的大流行极其相似。
也可以说，传染病大流行与大地震等天灾一样，是必定会发生的事情之一。而且，那也是人类必须经受和战胜的重大考验之一。
最近 "Society 5.0" 这个词开始被频繁地使用。那是因为人类最早起源于狩猎社会，经过了第2 农耕社会、第3 工业社会、第4 信息社会之后，将逐步迈入第5个新社会，即 "Society 5.0"。这第5个社会被描述成是通过赛博空间和物理现实空间的高度融合而构建起来的。也有预测称，计算机（AI）的能力可能会在2045年胜过人类的能力；且在那之前，随着远程办公的不断发展，近半数的工作将会被AI所取代，那样就业大崩溃的时代即将到来。
据预测：因为这次新冠肺炎的大流行，将会发生更大的变化。简单而言：就是由于这次新冠疫情，社会变迁已比我们预想的更早、更快地开始了。而且，这次新冠疫情过后，应该再也回不到以前的社会了吧！
在这次新冠疫情中，我们正经历着各种各样的考验。但是，因为这是面向新社会的重大转变，所以，我希望即将展翅翱翔的各位同学能牢记新潟大学 "自律与创生" 的理念，去经受和战胜这一考验！
面对即将毕业的你们，我有三个愿望。
第一个愿望是 "希望大家终身持续保有求知欲"。求知欲是创造力的源泉。请千万不要拘泥于专业，而是要对各种事物都抱有好奇心。
第二个愿望是 "希望大家坚持学习"。因为坚持就是力量，而且，无论何时都会有学不完的东西。
最后，第三个愿望是 "希望大家终身都要有梦"。因为有梦才不会迷失方向，才会不断追求奋进！
不论大家毕业之后选择了怎样的道路，都请将 "自律与创生" 铭刻于心，在亲眼所见、亲耳所听、自己分辨事实并做出判断的同时，带着 "求知欲"，牢记 "坚持学习"，朝着自己的 "梦想" 稳扎稳打地前进。
新潟大学既是大家的母校，也是大家的故乡。请大家带着曾在新潟大学就读的骄傲与自豪迈向未来。而且，我衷心希望各位能在不断加深与母校，新潟大学的羁绊的同时，能活跃于社会各界，日益生辉，并成为在读的学弟学妹们追随的目标与偶像。
日语有个词叫作 "HANAMUKE（饯行）"。古时候有个习惯，在马（日语叫UMA）还是旅行交通工具的时候，为即将起程的人饯别时，会将被骑过的马的鼻尖朝向即将出行的人要去的方向，祈祷旅途平安。自那时起，每当有人即将起程或走向新生活时，人们会赠送礼物或举办典礼，这被称作 "UMA NO HANAMUKE"，后来简称为 "HANAMUKE"。因此，以上致辞就是我为即将起程，开启新生活的各位同学的 "HANAMUKE（饯行）"。而且，我还想在最后为大家的前途祈祷，为 "HANAMUKE（饯行）" 干杯！
让我们举杯共庆大家的美好未来！
2020年9月
新潟大学校长 牛木辰男