Graduates,

On behalf of Niigata University, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of you who celebrate your graduation or completion of your programs today. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and respect to your families and all those who have supported your learning and growth along the way. Today we celebrate the graduation of 2,193 undergraduate students, 702 graduate students completing master’s or doctoral programs, 3 recipients of doctoral degrees, and 48 graduates of the Special Program for School Health Teachers. It is my great pleasure that we can gather here at Toki Messe to hold this university-wide commencement ceremony together.

Looking at each of you today, I see expressions of accomplishment, relief, anticipation, and perhaps a little uncertainty. These emotions reflect the fact that the years you spent at this university were not easy ones. Today marks both the closing of one chapter and the quiet opening of a new door in your lives. There is a saying by the Zen monk Daitō Kokushi of the Kamakura period: “Beyond the gate, paths open in all directions.” In life, we encounter many gates—moments that test us and mark turning points. Yet once we pass through them, the way forward begins to reveal itself naturally in every direction. You have now crossed one of those gates and stand at the threshold of a new beginning. At this important moment, I would like to offer a few words to you—not only as president of this university, but also as someone who has walked the path of society before you.

We live today in a time of profound change. The global pandemic of COVID-19, growing instability in the international order, and the rapid advancement of technology have shaken many assumptions we once took for granted. The international framework for nuclear disarmament has begun to show signs of strain, reminding us that the international order sustained through dialogue can never be taken for granted. Order is not something guaranteed by others; it is sustained by the responsible choices of individuals. At the same time, technological innovation—especially in generative artificial intelligence—is accelerating rapidly. AI is transforming many aspects of society. Yet technology itself does not determine our direction. The responsibility for judgment and decision always rests with human beings. Today we are once again confronted with fundamental questions: What is knowledge? What is creativity? And ultimately, what does it mean to be human? In such an age, what becomes most important is the ability to ask meaningful questions. AI can provide many answers. But truly valuable answers arise only from good questions. Meaningful questions arise from careful observation of society and from a deep concern for, and respect for, people and the world around us. For that reason, education must go beyond specialized knowledge alone. It must include the insights of the humanities—literature, history, and philosophy—as well as dialogue with people from many different fields.

The founding philosophy of Niigata University is Autonomy and Creativity. To govern oneself with integrity, to think deeply, and to create new value in response to the needs of the times—this philosophy remains the unshakable foundation of our university. In education, we also uphold the ideal of "Cultivating True Strength." True strength means continuing to think even in difficult circumstances, engaging in dialogue, and seeking better choices. It is precisely this strength that society needs today. At the same time, we hold as our mission Connecting Knowledge, Shaping the Future. A university is not merely a place where knowledge is accumulated. It is also a place where knowledge across disciplines is connected—where people connect with one another, where regions connect with the world, and where the fruits of knowledge are returned to society. Connecting the knowledge created through research with society and generating new value—this is the mission our university seeks to fulfill.

Population decline, diversification of values, and questions about the sustainability of our society remind us that change has become the norm rather than the exception. What is required today is not short-term response, but long-term investment in people and in society. Education, research, and engagement with communities do not yield immediate results. Yet by nurturing people over time, deepening knowledge, and transforming it into a living force within society, we build the foundation for the future. A university is not a place where completed answers are handed to you. It is a place where the ability to ask questions and continue thinking is cultivated. You have embraced that challenge during your years here. When you look back on your university life, you may remember lectures, experiments, discussions in laboratories, or casual conversations with friends. Each of those moments has left something meaningful within you. What you have gained is not merely knowledge or technical skills. It is the experience of encountering different perspectives, having your own thinking challenged, and reflecting again in your own words through dialogue with others. Such experiences may not immediately appear as visible achievements. Yet when you face turning points or difficulties in life, they will quietly and reliably support you as an unseen source of strength.

Niigata University has accumulated knowledge across a wide range of fields—humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the medical and dental sciences. Though our disciplines differ, our aim is the same: to contribute, even in small ways, to a better future for people and society. Yet it is not the university itself that ultimately shapes the future. It is each of you who leaves this campus today. Society is not something already completed. It is not something given to us by others. Society is something that all of you will participate in, sustain, and continue to create. Take pride in your field of study and apply your knowledge wherever you go.
With the knowledge and experiences you have gained at this university—rooted in the region and open to the world—may you bring a quiet but steady light to the future of humanity and society.

In an unstable world, autonomy becomes ever more essential. In an age of rapidly advancing technology, creativity becomes ever more necessary. I sincerely hope that each of you will take on that role and open new paths for the future wherever you may go.

Niigata University will always remain your alma mater. When you feel uncertain or when you pause along your path, remember this place. This is the place where you studied, thought, and grew—and it will always be a place that watches over your journey.

In closing, I wish that each of your lives will be filled with challenges, learning, and meaningful encounters.
I wish you every success in the journeys ahead. Congratulations once again.

March 23, 2026
Toshiyuki Someya
President
Niigata University

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