Today, as we begin to feel the spring as we approach the Spring Equinox, it is truly a great honor for Muroran Institute of Technology to hold the 2025 degree conferment ceremony together with our distinguished guests, Professor Emeritus, and their families, and we wish to share this joy together with all of you.

Today, 337 students graduated from the undergraduate program and 225 students graduated from the undergraduate program, earning Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science and Engineering degrees, respectively, for a total of 562 students. Among the graduates were 13 international students. In addition, 220 students completed their graduate studies at this university, earning Master of Engineering degrees and 10 students earned Doctor of Engineering degrees. Among these graduates were 12 international students.

I offer my congratulations to all 792 of you on obtaining your degrees and graduating or completing your studies. I also extend my heartfelt respect and congratulations to your families and all those involved who have encouraged and supported your studies from the time you enrolled until today.

As we begin this degree conferment ceremony, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the new society you will be entering and share my expectations and a message with you.

Looking back, the past year has seen a series of significant events. Internationally, we finally saw a ceasefire agreement in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and progress toward peace in Ukraine. However, the Trump administration's military intervention in Venezuela and Iran, along with the imposition of reciprocal tariffs, created complex and widespread global turmoil. Domestically in Japan, a series of major events marking significant turning points occurred. Politically, the ruling party lost its majority in the Upper House election, leading to a reshuffling of the ruling coalition and the appointment of Sanae Takaichi as Japan's first female prime minister. This was followed by a historic landslide victory for the Liberal Democratic Party in the Lower House election. Socially, we were confronted with a variety of unexpected news stories, including record-high average summer temperatures, soaring rice prices and the resulting release of government reserves, the unexpected success of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and the increasing number of bear sightings and worsening damage in urban areas—bears that were even chosen as the kanji character of the year. These events presented us with a multitude of social challenges.

Generally speaking, it is difficult to choose a clear-cut solution to these social issues, and it's even unclear if a solution exists at all. Some issues may not yield a conclusion for several years, or even longer.

In your studies up to high school, or at the beginning of your university years, there were clear answers and model solutions to the challenges and problems you faced. However, in subsequent problem-solving classes, classes and exercises that required independent thinking, experimental report analyses, and when you tackled your graduation research or master's thesis research—the culmination of your student studies—you likely encountered countless problems where you didn't know if there was even an answer, let alone a correct one. Facing problems and challenges with no known answers, struggling to get closer to them, and taking on the challenge requires great courage. This is because it's not easy to overcome the anxiety of not being able to reach an answer, or the fear that there might not even be an answer no matter how hard you try.

However, during your student years, when your education, growth, and training itself are meaningful, even if you encounter a problem for which you cannot find an answer, you can find value in the process of working towards solving the problem and the time you spent on it. I'm sure you all have experiences from your student days where you encountered a problem for which you didn't know the answer, and you desperately researched and thought about it, consulted with senior students in the research lab or your advisor for hints, and moved towards solving the problem, and you can recall those experiences vividly. There will surely come a time when you can make great use of these valuable experiences from your student days as experience in the company or in the next stage of your life.

On the other hand, keep in mind that in the general society and companies you will be entering, only tangible results and achievements will often be valued, and there is a possibility that the process and time spent without reaching an answer may be judged as wasted.

Now, one of the biggest changes during your time at university is that we have come to interact with AI in many aspects of our lives. You may have already had many opportunities to use simple searches on Google, etc., but with the spread of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, since around two years ago, the barrier to use has been greatly lowered and the range of applications has expanded, making all kinds of information processing tasks around our lives dramatically more efficient.

There are various opinions regarding the use of generative AI in universities. Some faculty members are concerned that students may rely on it too readily in educational and research settings, which could hinder their personal growth and skill development. In classes, it is impossible to determine whether generative AI was used, so courses that simply assign reports for grade evaluation have almost disappeared. On the other hand, if users are sufficiently aware of its potential, many would think, "There is no other tool with such high value, and it would be a waste not to use it."

Throughout your time at university, you have not only accumulated advanced specialized knowledge, but have also honed your skills as researchers and engineers, including ethical considerations. As a result, you should have acquired sufficient aptitude and ethical awareness to effectively utilize generative AI. I hope that you will continue to embrace various innovative technologies without hesitation, utilize them effectively, and play an active role in solving social problems in your respective fields.

However, for the AI-native generation, it's important to be wary of the fact that AI is no longer something to be "utilized"—that is, a tool to collect information, use as a reference, and "make decisions" for oneself—but rather a tool that "makes decisions" for you so that you "don't make mistakes" without having to think for yourself. For example, on the internet, the filter bubble is getting more advanced, and now only recommendation information that aligns with your existing values, hobbies, and preferences is displayed on smartphones, and the active action of "searching" itself is on the verge of extinction. We must keep in mind that we should not leave everything from selecting necessary information to making final decisions entirely to AI.

Now, as you reflect on your student days with various thoughts and feelings, I offer my best wishes to all the graduating students and postgraduates who are about to embark on a new stage in their lives.

"Independence means increasing the number of people you depend on."

I'd like to offer you a rather impactful message.

Normally, we tend to think of "being independent" as "being able to do everything on your own," so this phrase is somewhat paradoxical. It suggests that someone who can skillfully rely on others is more mentally independent than someone who tries to do everything alone. Perhaps it means that having more support makes for a more stable foundation.

Indeed, looking around the world, it seems that those who are good at relying on others are more likely to succeed. We often see entrepreneurs and business leaders who use the help of others to compensate for their shortcomings, allowing them to focus more on their strengths. Rather than trying to do everything alone, being able to trust others—thinking, "Ah, I can ask this person"—when you're in trouble, uncertain, or need ideas is actually a strength. However, if you rely too easily on those around you for everything, problems may arise in trust relationships, so balance is important. I believe that a balanced relationship can be created by being mindful of appropriate distance, fulfilling your own responsibilities, asking for cooperation when needed, and expressing gratitude.

Finally, please keep in mind that there are many cheering squads and friends around you. We have already stated that we will include 40,000 alumni, and our senior alumni, who have made achievements and are active in industry and society, watch over you with warm eyes. These people may also be among the "dependencies" necessary for independence mentioned earlier. The success of these alumni in society, the support they received, and the experiences you learned together at Muroran Institute of Technology will be the strength that will continue to be yours.

Muroran Institute of Technology will continue to work together with you to build a brilliant future for Japan and the world, guided by the motto "Creating future value through true curiosity," and will walk with education, research, and contribution to society as its main pillars. Wishing everyone good health and success in a bright future ahead, I hereby President take my leave.

With heartfelt congratulations on your graduation/completion of studies.

March 23, 2020

Muroran Institute of Technology President Mizushi Matsuda