Vol. 06
RESEARCH
Hard data, quality education, andthe secret to happiness
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Passing on the lessons from disaster
SPECIAL FEATURE“Universities have always beeninternational”

Kobe insights

Kobe University Magazine “Kaze”
In this issue...

Backstreet shrines bring good luck

SPOTLIGHT

As any visitor to Japan will know, even the most modern and bustling ofJapanese cities are home to many shrines and temples, nestled between the

3 Dementia prevention and intervention through community-based programs

modern shopping streets and apartment blocks. Kobe is no exception. The city

Rokunomiya Shrine
RESEARCH AT KOBE
(6th Shrine)

center is named Sannomiya (三宮), which can literally be translated as “third
shrine”. So what happened to shrines number one and two? Actually there areeight shrines in Kobe with this naming pattern, from Ichinomiya (first shrine)
and Ninomiya (second shrine) all the way to Hachinomiya (eighth shrine). They

Shichinomiya Shr(7th Shrine)

6 Hard data, quality education, and the secret to happiness

all fall under the umbrella of Ikuta Shrine, the largest in Kobe, with athousand-year long history.

EDUCATION

Legend says that these eight shrines are numbered in the order that
Empress Jingu visited them in ancient times during a pilgrimage. They enshrine
three female and five male deities, who were born when goddess

9 Education for Sustainable Development
11 International voices

Amaterasu-omikami and god Susanoo-no-mikoto exchanged a jewel and asword. Each deity is responsible for a different aspect of life, from good
harvests, traffic safety, and exorcism, to performing arts, marriage and land

Ichinomiya Shrine

COMMUNITY IMPACT

development.
Visiting all eight shrines is said to help drive out evil

12 Passing on the lessons from disasterspirits and bring good fortune. Traditionally, the best
time to do this is on the day before spring according
to the old Japanese calendar (February 3, known as

SPECIAL FEATURE“Setsubun”). But don’t let that stop you from visitingat another time – the shrines are open all year round,

Kobe residents, so it is a good way to avoid thecrowds and get to know more of traditional Japan.
The Kobe Tourist Information Center provides apamphlet with details of how to get to each shrine,
including spaces to collect special stamps from each

13 “Universities have always been international”

Dedicated deities: Amatsuhikone-no-mikoto/Emperor Ojin
Dedicated deity: Onamuchi-no-mikoto
This shrine was once located in front of Kusunoki-dera Temple. When the
It is believed that Onamuchi-no-mikoto opene
INTERNATIONALCOLLABORATION
Kusunoki Higher Elementary
School was built
in December 1909, the deity
worshiped by Taira no Kiyomori, a Japanese m
was relocated to the inner shrine of Hachinomiya Shrine (8th Shrine) andperiod, at the time of the repair of Ow
enshrined together withits
deity.
From
ancient
times,
many
peopleintheir
16 9th Kobe University Brussels European Centre Symposium, Memorandum ofchi-no-mikoto is a god of safe voyage, land
unlucky age visit this shrine
constantly.
Agreementwith University of Oxford’s Hertford College, Collaborative Academicexorcism.
Forum● Universities, 3rd Honolulu Office of Kobe University Symposium
Foreign
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The calligraphy on the cover of “Kaze” was created by Professor Emeritus
UOZUMI Kazuaki, a researcher of calligraphy at Kobe University.

●

Kobe District
Court
intl-relations@office.kobe-u.ac.jp●

Contact us:

Cover photo for Kobe University Magazine “Kaze” Issue 6:
Students entering the Library for Social Sciences, Rokkodai 1st Campus

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Coin-operated parking lot

Fujinotera Temple

Stay connected - search for “Kobe University” on the following platforms.

Kobe University’s goal to innovate, creating a wind of change. Secondly, our

aic

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JuntenClinic●Ӟ

There are two main concepts behind the title “Kaze”, meaning “wind”. Firstly,

Kusunokicho
Park

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CAMPUS NEWS17 Photo contest

Why “Kaze”?

East Exit No. 2●

Okurayama (Yamate Line)

Ninomiya Shrine

location at the foot of Mt Rokkō, an area known for the invigorating wind ofӚwith Library
Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Forum for Presidents of Chinese andKobe City Central

location.

Hachinomiya Shrine (8th Shrine)in one day. They are not that well known, even among

Rokunomiya Shrine (6th Shrine)

accessible by public transport, and can easily be seen

Shich

Shichinomiya Shrine (7th Shrine)

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Coin-operated
parking lot "Times"(International Affairs Planning Division)AccessApprox. 3 min. walk from "Okurayama" bus stop
(Yamate Line)
Near East Exit No. 2 at Subway "Okurayama" Station

AccessNear Shichinomiyacho bus stop
(Routes No. 3 and 96)

SPOTLIGHT

Dementia prevention and intervention
through community-based programs

When did the program start?

Dementia is a huge social issue, with the number of sufferers inJapan predicted to reach 7 million by 2025. Kobe University
established the Dementia Prevention Project Office with theaim of contributing to society in a field where existingtreatments are insufficient. With “prevention” as the keyword,
the team are transforming research into social impact. This is
an interdisciplinary project with participants from the
Graduate Schools of Health Sciences, Medicine, Human
Development and Environment, System Informatics, and the
Office for Academic and Industrial Innovation. First, Professor
Hisatomo Kowa introduces his program.

engage in aerobic exercise and dual-task

In July 2018, we began with 20 participants
over 75 years old in a care home for theelderly in Kobe’s Kita district. It’s a 60-minuteprogram once a week. The participants canactivities and receive advice about dietary
habits etc. The nature of the facility allows us
to monitor them long-term, and we aim tocontinue for 10 years.
From October 2019 we have held
yoga-based special classes at the Kobe
Culture Center. The participants are aged
between 53 and 89, and the yoga instructor
incorporates dementia prevention
techniques. In the next stages we’ll introduce
new options such as dance, creating a

Basic drugs needed for treatment

program that participants can continue

Hisatomo Kowa, MD, Ph.D

What’s the status of dementia research in Japan?

Professor, Graduate School of Health Sciences

Prof. Kowa: Firstly, there are drug-based treatment schemes that aim

So at the same time as drug-related research, you’llalso develop a treatment scheme for using thesedrugs in the future?

to achieve the pattern of “Symptoms appear, visit hospital, treatment
begins based on diagnosis, symptoms vanish, cure successful”.
Research on dementia is quite advanced, and regarding Alzheimer’s
disease, the most common type, we now have a good understandingThat’s right. To achieve this, we need to facilitate the understandingof the process leading up to onset. Research is also progressing for aof elderly people, and we need to create an opportunity for regulardrug that removes the “senile plaque” that builds up in the brains ofcheck-ups of their cognitive functions. That’s why I’m implementing

the patients. Mouse experiments have shown that when we

dementia prevention classes.

administer an antibody for the formative proteins of senile plaque, theplaque is removed to some extent. This is almost certainly valid for

Cognitive care for Kobe citizens

humans too. However, after 10 years of clinical trials, the effectivenessof this treatment after symptoms develop is unproven.

What are dementia prevention classes?

Is it too late after symptoms appear?

The classes combine exercises and cognitive training with lessons
about risk of illness and improving our lifestyles. We implement a

Yes. Patients come to hospital after developing symptoms, when it’s

program called “Brain Health Class” that incorporates various

too late to start treating them. The only option is to find people inapproaches considered effective in prevention. It was designed by

pre-clinical stages (senile plaque has started to build up in the brain,

Kobe University researchers and includes regular aerobic exercise,but with no symptoms), and dose them before symptoms develop.

dual-tasks such as exercising while playing word games, and

But you can’t do that with conventional medical schemes.

maintaining social connections. The participants join the program,

Senile plaque buildup can be detected using an amyloid PET scan.
By scanning many elderly people, we can find people who respondpositively to treatment. However, the scan costs several thousand US

without getting bored.

What’s the next step?

“Brain Health Class” to prevent dementia. Photo: class at the Kobe Culture Center.

We’re collaborating with gyms and cultural

To prevent dementia you have to engage

additional aim of having them participate incenters as venues for these classes, in order tolong-term or it’s meaningless. It won’t benefit

research to clarify dementia risk factors.

provide programs for elderly people who live

society unless we can continue without

Pathological changes in senile plaque, aat home as well as those in care facilities. We

depending on research funds. We’re getting

cause of dementia, occur over 20 years before

are also preparing a program with theadvice from Kobe University specialists on

symptoms present, so there may be risk

prefectural hospital. We’re considering

how to generate the minimum necessary

factors that cause buildup of senile plaqueoffering classes in hospital facilities, focusing

funds to meet management costs – it’s not a

based on our lifestyles when younger. We’reon patients admitted for dementia risk factors

commercial enterprise.

asking current students, faculty and staff atwould be ideal if we could work with local
authorities to disseminate information about

You’re involved in dementia
prevention with Kobe City too?

A project involving theentire University

education for the whole University. By raisingcity adapted to dementia patients, and inawareness and understanding amongcollaboration with the World Healtheveryone in the University, including staff andOrganization (WHO Kobe Centre), Kobe City is

students, I want us to become a pioneering

You’re also planning to make theclasses a business?

creating an index to calculate the risks oforganization in preventing dementia. This is aChanges in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients

respondents who develop dementia will be

developing dementia. It’s a large-scale project truly worthwhile interdisciplinary topic thatencompasses the whole University.
targeting over 40,000 people, andverified using the certification level ofand tell the participants the results of our tests.

long-term care insurance provided by Kobe

This initiative also helps by establishing a framework to evaluatechanges in cognitive functions. To detect changes before

groups of elderly people for medium to long-term periods, use asymptoms develop, first we need data for the normal natural timescreening process to implement the amyloid PET scan, and administercourse of cognitive functions – normal aging values. By analyzing

the drug to those who test positive but haven’t developed symptoms.

participants’ data and calculating the normal time course ofindividual by comparing them with the average.

When aiming for long-term evaluation of

Based on the April 2018 ordinance to create a

we measure various markers for cognitive functions once a year,

dollars each time, so it’s not realistic. We need to be able to monitor

contribute blood samples for this research.
risks, it’s important to frame it as dementia

the classes.

City..

Can graduates and current alumni
of Kobe University participate?

Members of the University
working together for everyone’s
benefit. It’s a great endeavor.
Advancing our studies while organizing
programs that benefit society is very
meaningful. I want students to proactively

cognitive changes in the aged, we’ll be able to evaluate each

03

Kobe University to fill out questionnaires andlike high blood pressure and diabetes. It

Red arrows: senile plaqueBlue arrows: changes in neurofibrils(phosphorylating tau)

In November we started a class for alumni.

participate too - if you join us with a positive

For current students, we’re preparing a

attitude, you can connect with the wholecurriculum about dementia, with the

University.

04

Different approaches to dementia prevention
Early detection using IT

Research at Kobe
Hard data, quality education,and the secret to happinessCasually observing changes in cognitive functions in the everyday
lives of the elderly, and linking this to early detection of dementia –this is the system at work in dementia prevention classes. We use AI
speakers, and when elderly people talk to them the sensors pick up
information such as voice condition, rhythm, conversation topics,
movements, gestures, expressions and line of sight. We use this data
to estimate the level of cognitive functions.
This is adapted from a system that formed part of my previous
research on autism in children. We had a computer analyze children’s
voices when they play: voice patterns, differences in pitch, inflection

Tetsuya Takiguchi, Ph.D

etc. If you can tell a child is autistic before they start school, you canProfessor, Research Center for Urban Safety and Security
Graduate School of System Informatics

provide education to fit their needs.
We’ve only just started applying this to dementia prevention. All
the class participants are healthy, and we don’t know if they will

I also dream about creating a system to support the recovery ofdevelop dementia. We collect as much data as possible, and if

people with dementia. Communication with dementia patients can

symptoms develop after a few years, we’ll start the difficult task of

be difficult, and if we make a system supported with AI and robots,

verifying that person’s past data. However, many people are resistantmaybe they can enjoy talking more with those around them. I

to screening cognitive functions, so a system that can “casually”

believe that conversation gives people a reason for living, so this isobserve is very significant.

very important to me.

The importance of human networks

Kazuo Nishimura

Project Professor, Center for Social Systems Innovation,
Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration

Danchi housing complex in Kobe’s Nada district, and analyzing theeffects. There are many elderly people living in Tsurukabuto Danchi,
and some young people too, but various problems arise from lackof communication between the generations. Our project tostrengthen links between neighbors has revealed the power ofcommunity. For example, the data underlines that connecting withothers is more important than anti-obesity, no-alcohol andno-smoking policies when promoting health among residents. An
increased sense of security within the local community can increasebirth rates too. Communities are the key to solving many problems.
Data shows that dementia incidences decrease when there is a

Narihiko Kondo, Ph.D
Professor, Graduate School of Human Development
and Environment
In 2015 we set up the Kobe Active Aging Research Hub. We’reprevention classes by creating name tags, having people call eachother by name, making time for conversation and holding events.
We’re also cooperating with the Graduate School of System
Informatics to analyze how these socials networks change.

engaged in research from the three perspectives of mind, body andWe’re gaining an understanding of the daily lives of participants,society, with the aim of tackling issues in an aging society. I approachand through the accumulation and analysis of this data, I think wethe dementia issue from a social sciences viewpoint - social networks

will be able to suggest a concrete way of life that can decrease

can function to prevent dementia.

dementia risk. I want to look at prevention methods from thisWe’re involved in promoting communication at the Tsurukabuto05

strong social network. We are incorporating this into dementia

perspective too.

A team at the Center for Social Systems
Innovation led by Project Professor Kazuo
Nishimura surveyed 20,000 people inJapan and revealed that selfdetermination has a stronger influence on
happiness than income or academic
ability.
During the 1980s Professor Nishimura
taught economics in the United States,
carrying out data-based research of therole of human capital in economic growthmodels. While in the US he also researched
psychology, and recently he has beenworking on empirical research into theaccumulation of human capital from amultidisciplinary viewpoint. “Human
capital can be accumulated throughexperience and education” he says. We
interviewed him on the research that
could impact Japan’s education system.

Quality of education affects
Japan’s economy
Tell us about yourmultidisciplinary research

results. This can only be solved by raising thequality of education in Japan. First, we
needed to survey students’ academic abilities.
As introduced in our book, University
students who can’t solve fractions, in 1998 I
collaborated with Professor Nobuyuki Tose

Prof. Nishimura: My main research uses

(Keio University) to test the mathematical

data models to analyze how human capitalskills of first-year students who had justaffects economic growth. However, youentered top universities. We were able tocannot show the contents of education withreveal the truth of the falling academic

data models. If we use multidisciplinary andstandards hidden in the abstract education

empirical approaches, we can look atpolicy of teaching “the ability to live”.

concrete issues, not just abstract debates.

For example, what sort ofissues?

Starting with that survey, I began to use
empirical research to verify concrete facts
with data. When we compared humanities
graduates who had chosen mathematics aspart of their university entrance exams with

Low labor productivity is an issue for Japan’s

those who didn’t, we found that graduates

economy. The root of this problem is that

who chose mathematics had higher incomesJapan’s education system is not producing

and an advantage when changing jobs.

06

Submitting signatures to the Minister of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology towards
rethinking Yutori Education, 2005

Receiving Doctor Honoris Causa in France, 2007

At an international conference on mathematics withrenowned chaos theorist Professor Sharkovsky, 2007

At that time, there was also a theory that humanities graduates had

people need to feel happy, and found that aside from health andhigher incomes than science graduates. When we tested this theory

human connections, self-determination had the biggest impact onby comparing the incomes of both groups, the results showed thathappiness. In a survey on types of upbringing and social success,science graduates had higher incomes, especially physics

children who received a supportive style of upbringing thatspecialists. After publishing this research, the trend of belittlingencouraged independence were most successful in adulthood.

science and mathematics courses slowly started to change.

These results are very consistent. Children who can make their own

So by revealing the truth based on empirical
data, you had a positive impact on education.
Children’s happiness influenced by their
upbringing

Presenting at an international conference on
consciousness at Queensland University, 2015

Hosting an international conference on education in Attending an international conference in Paris, 2017
mathematics, science and technology, with Nobel
Laureate in Physics Professor Makoto Kobayashi, 2016

Empirical data supports
education reform
Your research topics all appear
to be connected.

choices are more motivated and feel more satisfied with their

I feel that in today’s society both parents andachievements. This connects to higher happiness levels.

children worry about the right thing to do in

In the international ranking of the UN’s World Happiness Report,

education and child-rearing. I would likeas “truancy” and “leaving other children out”.

money, but from the perspectives of both

Japan’s happiness levels were not that high. Looked at as a whole,

people to use the data I have numerically

They aimed to encourage children to learn toskills and time, I’m looking into asking retired

Japan scores low for “freedom in life choices”. So people inverified in order to make judgements about

discipline themselves based on awareness ofteachers to help out. As well as Japanese andJapanese society with high self-determination are likely to be

education. In the long term, I want to create awhich actions were bad. The contents wasmathematics, I’m also preparing to start

happier.

series of education models.

common sense. The important thing was toteacher instruction in sciences from April

spell it out.

2019.

You also research the impact of upbringing.

Could these research results beapplied to society as part ofreforms to the education
system?

In Japan there is this idea that ethics are more
important than academic skills. In order to findthe core that forms the basis of our ethicalcodes, I looked at what children were told by

In the long term I would also like to work

What about raising academic
ability?

on improving the academic skills of children
with learning difficulties. We have had
success in boosting the abilities of children

We are working on raising teaching standards

with learning difficulties as well as theirparents and others around them in early

It is not easy to influence policies. However,to enable children to effectively study theclassmates by using the Let’s learn math!

childhood. I arrived at four main principles:that’s what I’m aiming to do. At the moment

subjects that I have empirically shown to beseries in Tokyo and Kyoto. I would like to

don’t lie, be kind to others, follow the rules, andI’m working as a consultant for the Osaka Cityessential. First, I presented the key elements

realize this in Osaka too.

study. People who were brought up to follow

Board of Education, which is buildingin learning Japanese and mathematics, andIn the future, I would like to prove thatthese four principles tended to have highinitiatives around two essential targets:

used this as a basis to make proposals forevery individual has a different learning style.

incomes and strong academic abilities.

improving safety and academic ability.

lesson improvements. Based on my

If we frame it like this, I don’t think theYou’ve recently published a very
interesting study on upbringing
and happiness.

proposals, the Board of Education has createdconcept of children with learning difficulties

academic year incidences of violence inmanuals for teaching Japanese andwould exist, and the whole education

Osaka’s elementary and middle schools weremathematics, and veteran instructors haveframework would change as well. It’s a big

three times higher than the national average,

used these to instruct teachers in 30 ofstep, but ultimately I want to promote

the highest in Japan. In the three years

Osaka’s schools. The feedback was very good.

independent learning.

leading up to 2017, this fell by four-fifths, andTeachers felt more confident, and thehalved again in the following academic year.

children enjoyed and understood the lessons.

It is now lower than the national average.

In the future, I would like to spread thisRegarding safety, at the end of the 2014

In every era, parents want happiness for theirchildren. You could say this is the goal ofchild-rearing. However, happiness takes many
forms. I surveyed over 20,000 people to identify the elements

Front right: University students who can’t solve fractions,the book that rang the warning bell about the drop in
academic abilities. From left: Let’s learn math! series,
praised for cultivating cognitive skills in mathematics.

“Children who can make their own choices are
more motivated and feel more satisfied with
their achievements.”
07“In the future, I would like to provethat every individual has a different
learning style. If we frame it like this,I don’t think the concept of children
with learning difficulties would exist.”That’s extraordinary. How did
they do it?
In November 2015, Osaka City distributed

initiative from these 30 schools to all public
elementary schools in Osaka.

What are the issues in realizingthese goals?

“School Safety Rules” to every public
elementary and middle school in the area.

There are not enough veteran teachers to

These specified in detail what not to do, suchlead the instruction. Hiring them costs

Nonlinear Dynamics inEquilibrium Models(Springer, 2012)a collection of key papers
by Professor Nishimuraon chaos, cycles
and indeterminacy.

08

EDUCATIONESD Course Student Voices

Education for Sustainable Development

What fieldwork have you participated in?
Monden: A facility for people with disabilities called “Enpitsu no Ie” made a deepthan humans, and unborn lives. There are people with disabilities,classes, students bring questions they have

impression on me. I learned that it provides a community for people with disabilities,

and people who live in disaster zones. The movement known as

found, and students and teachers frombut it’s hard to make connections with local people. Even though they are close“sustainable development” aims to create sustainable societies forvarious faculties work together to look for

all living things.

answers. Different people gather to think

In 2015 the United Nations established the Sustainable

about one issue. If students and professors

Development Goals (SDGs). ESD is a hard concept, so theyfrom all faculties combine their powers in aestablished 17 concrete goals, such as ending poverty, protecting

comprehensive university like Kobe

land and sea resources, and ensuring healthy lives and well-being

University, what will come out of it? That’s

for all. The idea is that if we all pick a goal and work together, weanother thing I want to study through thiswill realize sustainable development. However, many of these goals

course.

end up conflicting, and if one is promoted others will fail. For

Koji Matsuoka
ESD Program Coordinator
Professor, Graduate School of Human Development
and Environment
The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) course
provides an opportunity for students from all faculties towork together to look at sustainable development from a
broad perspective, including issues such as the environment,poverty, peace, human rights, welfare, and health, and tonurture the ability to promote sustainability in its many
forms.

Interestingly, when students start toexample, when developing countries advance to end poverty, otherthink about the issues they have identified

living creatures in those countries may lose their habitats. Of course

using their initiatives, they make time

the UN knows this. But most people aren’t at the stage of worrying

outside designated classes and start to act

about these conflicts, so first we want people to act on their chosen

more spontaneously. The ESD course also

SDG.

aims to help students gain confidence in

ESD practice becomes important when these conflicts occur. The“Education” part of ESD enables people to gradually change byinteracting in a community. When people with different values
study together to build a sustainable society for all forms of life,
your way of thinking changes almost without you noticing. ESD isabout creating a new balance in which we accept contradictions

their own ability to act and take theinitiative.

What kind of students would
you like to take this course?

neighbors, not many locals try actively to connect with them, and the community isisolated.
Asakura: I taught Japanese and other subjects to non-Japanese children at the Kobe
Foreigners Friendship Center. There are children who can’t go to school because of
economic difficulties, and children who can’t keep up with their classes because they
have difficulty with Japanese, but the schools don’t support them enough… I also
learned that they are sometimes judged more harshly than Japanese people when it
comes to manners, and I realized that this sort of prejudice and discrimination exists.
Takasu: It’s good that we have so many opportunities to go out in the field. There arelots of options for ESD Study Tours. There’s a fieldwork calendar on a portal site withsomething going on almost every day, so you can participate in many programs.

What sort of classes are you taking now?
Takamatsu: Now I’m doing ESD practicals. We choose a topic, have a free discussion
with the teacher, and take action. We’re thinking about the issue of how to raiseawareness about ESD, but it’s really tough [laughs].
Takasu: “What is ESD?” is often a topic of discussion, but it’s hard to find the answer.

and conflicts.

People who are interested in a variety of
disciplines and issues. If you think there’s

Monden: Teachers from various faculties come and talk about ESD as it relates to theirTell us what makes the ESD course different.

something odd about the current era or

fields, but sometimes when I listen to them I think, “These things are conflicting”

our society, that perception is definitely[laughs]. However you look at it, “correct” ESD isn’t possible, so it’s important toIn the ESD course, fieldwork comes first. We visit people practicing

right. Those small doubts become theunderstand that conflicts exist.

Prof. Matsuoka: Actually that’s a very difficult question. What is

ESD in various contexts, and the students look for problems. We

power to change societies. Let’s work withsustainability, and what does this program involve? It can be

don’t want students to be satisfied learning things that someone

people from different backgrounds to

Asakura: ESD is so broad and hard to interpret. Even if we can’t say “this is ESD”, it’sinterpreted very broadly.

else discovered, we want them to ask themselves, “Can I find thecreate a system with new ways of learning,

important that we each think about our own interpretations of ESD.

What sort of program is Education for
Sustainable Development?

Of course sustainability is important for the Earth’s resources andseeds of knowledge and theory myself?” In the ESD course, to begin

a new balance, and the power of small

our current societies, but it’s not only that. We can’t just think about

with teachers don’t give the students any answers or key phrases.

doubts to change societies.

our own countries, and we can’t forget about living creatures other

Teaching from the top down, textbook-style, is not ESD. In practical

How do you want to use the skills gained on the ESD course?
Takamatsu: ESD has given me opportunities to interact with people I’ve never talked to

Second-year students from the Faculty of

before now. I want to spread the word about ESD, and first I need to learn more, so I

Global Human Sciences (from left):want to connect with more different people and make this our topic.

Nana Monden (Global Cultures)
ESD classes

Fieldwork experience

Kaede Takasu (Global Cultures)
Shuuto Takamatsu (Environment and Sustainability)
Takaaki Asakura (Environment and Sustainability)

Takasu: Learning about ESD I’ve come to think, “Even if one side is ok, the other side
isn’t”. I’m involved in fair trade activities, but even this has environmental costs. We
can’t just consider one way, we need multiple approaches.
Monden: I’ve realized that it’s so important to listen to people speaking from different
viewpoints, and think about things from their perspective. You have to go out and do
fieldwork or you won’t understand, so I want to continue actively joining ESD field trips.
Asakura: When I’m thinking about volunteer activities, or planning projects after I startworking, I want to try and understand why people think differently from me, andempathize with their position. I want to act based on the merits of myself and others,
and the effect it will have on the people around me, society, and the environment.

9

10

COMMUNITY IMPACT

International
voicesStudent theater, cosplay,and other new challenges

Q

What’s everyday life like for you at Kobe University?

Presently, I study Japanese while preparing for the graduate school exam. I’dlike to research the translation process of Japanese translators. I’m interested inwhat kind of translation strategies Japanese translators employ. I was also an
exchange student at university in Nagoya, before coming to Kobe University
because I’d like to be mentored by a professor in the Graduate School ofIntercultural Studies.
Aside from studying, I’m also a member of the theater group Hachinosuza, I
love manga and anime, and I participate in cosplay events.

Q

Passing on the lessons
from disaster
Office for Earthquake Recovery andDisaster Science Research
In December every year the Japan Kanji Aptitude Foundation
announces a kanji (Chinese character) of the year, voted for bymembers of the public. The kanji chosen to represent 2018 forJapan was “disaster” (災 pronounced wazawai or sai). This is not
surprising, as a string of natural disasters hit Japan in 2018: strong
earthquakes in Hokkaido, Osaka and Shimane, typhoons, torrential
rains that caused flooding and landslides, and a record-breaking hotsummer.
Kobe was also stricken by disaster in 1995 – the Great Hanshin-

Why did you join Hachinosuza?

Awaji Earthquake, which left over 6,000 people dead or missing,

When I had just arrived at Kobe University, there were various clubs handing

destroyed 80,000 houses, and damaged industrial structures to aout flyers for new students. I got a flyer about Hachinosuza, which said they

cost of about 7 trillion yen.

performed plays. It sounded interesting so I went to see them. I assumed that

We cannot stop natural disasters from occurring, but we canthe performances wouldn’t be that great because it’s a student club, but when

prepare for them, lessen the damage, and aim for swift relief andI saw them I was very surprised. There was a proper stage set, and the actors

recovery. We can also learn from past experiences. The Kobe

were very skilled. I didn’t think students could put on such a high-quality

University Library has archived materials about the 1995 earthquake

Sara Ferčal

performance. That made me decide to join this theater group.

in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster Materials Collection,

Research Student at the Graduate School ofIntercultural Studies

role had a lot of lines, and one of them was really tough because it was all kanji

Urban Safety and Security. Thanks to initiatives like this, University(Chinese characters). In English it’s something like, “Criticism of pure reason,

members were able to use the community’s hard-earned

criticism of practical reason, metaphysics, and criticism of speech judgement”

knowledge to contribute to recovery efforts in the aftermath of the[laugh]. I’m preparing for a new performance, and this time I’m on the costume

2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, dispatching medical teams,

and makeup team.

student volunteers and emergency rations to the area.

Originally from Slovenia, she is a member of theKobe University theater group Hachinosuza.
She enjoys manga, anime, and cosplays her
original character “Heartbreaker”.

I performed in the show for new students. It was a very difficult script - myQspecialist institutions to create something positive from theirYes, I really do. To be honest, I’m a huge otaku [laugh]. I even do cosplay. Thereare cosplay events in Slovenia too, and I participated in them a lot. In Slovenia
there still aren’t many people who cosplay, so I became quite well known. Not
many people used to know about Japanese anime and manga, but recently
there are more fans, and some bigger events.

Q

experiences. Tohoku University and Kobe University concluded acomprehensive agreement in the area of disaster science in October
2011, and in January 2012 Kobe University established the Office for
Earthquake Recovery and Disaster Science Research. Working
closely with universities and local government in the Tohoku regionof Japan, the Office provides support for groups involved in disasterrecovery efforts and disaster science research activities.

Tell us about your goals for the future

A republic located in Central Europe with apopulation of 2.07 million. The capital is Ljubljana.
There are beautiful natural surroundings, including
lakes and mountains such as the Julian Alps; it is a
popular international hiking and skiing destination.

and in 1996 the University established the Research Center for

Now Kobe University has teamed up with other disaster-

So you like manga and anime?

Slovenia

2013.12

My first goal is passing the exam for graduate school. I don’t know how myeveryday life will change if I get accepted, but I want to continue Hachinosuza.
I also want to go to more cosplay events in Japan. To be a well-rounded
person, you need to experience many things. Of course, studying and research
are important, but I want to enjoy lots of other things as well.

Kobe University President Hiroshi Takeda is very clear about the
Office’s goals, saying, “I believe that it is the University’s mission as ahigher education institution to use our accumulated resources and(Below) A February 2018 art exhibition as part of The Popoki
Friendship Story Project, which uses art-making in disastersupport, community building and disaster awareness education2017.12(Above) Working with high school students in Iwate to document
the progress of reconstruction after the 2011 Great East Japan
Earthquake. Images ©Iwate Kenritsu Otsuchi High School Study
Group for Disaster Recovery and Kobe University Graduate Schoolof Engineering Tamiyo Kondo Laboratory
knowledge to respond to the common issues in disaster recovery
and mitigation faced by humanity” .
The Office is strengthening the network between disasterspecialist universities, libraries and related institutions, andproviding partners with Kobe University’s repository of knowledge
gained from analyzing disaster-related documents. Its members areactive in many fields. They support town rejuvenation efforts
through exchange activities with students in the affected areas.
They have contributed to cultural heritage preservation byorganizing miniature reconstructions of disaster-hit towns before
they were destroyed. From a business administration perspective,
they assess the impact of aid on business recovery, and carry out
surveys of local government budget planning related to postdisaster reconstruction. The Office also organizes academic eventsin Kobe to share information and raise awareness.

Slovenian landscape

Cosplaying Heartbreaker“We will continue to work with affected areas to pinpoint their
Hachinosuza activities

Approximately 1,200 international students from countries around the world are currently studying at Kobe University.
In this corner, our international students introduce their native countries and offer some insights on studying abroad in Japan.

needs, deepening our collaboration with other universities andlocal government both in Japan and overseas, in order to provide
long-term and sustainable support ”, asserts Office Director
Professor Kazuro Sugimura. “To achieve this task, we hope to gain

11

cooperation from all over the world.”

12

SPECIAL FEATURE“Universities

have always been

Masahiko Yoshii
Executive Vice President in
Charge of International
Exchange and Evaluation
Professor, Graduate Schoolof Economics

international”

exchange, by visiting other countries andnot a recent phenomenon. In the middle ages

saw vacuum tube televisions lined up in theaccepting visitors, we can interact with

it wasn’t just Italians attending Bologna

windows of the department stores. Of course

different societies and cultures. This gives us

University – the top minds of Europe taught

in some ways Russia was doing better thanan opportunity to reflect on and reconsider

there, and people gathered there from all

Japan, but my general impression was of aour own ways of living.

over Europe. It’s been happening in Japan

lower standard of living. My dreams ofJapanese students at Kobe University havetoo, since our envoys to China in the 7thsocialism were destroyed. Why had their

good English skills, but most of them aren’t

century. Chinese was a type of scholar’s

policies failed? I wanted to learn more.

planning to be linguists – they want to use

lingua franca in this region, just as Latin was

Then in 1989 the Berlin Wall fell. The

other languages as a means to an end.

in Europe. These languages were important

Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited me to work

Different languages are linked to different

tools needed to access the forefront ofin the Embassy of Japan in Romania, and I

thought patterns, and students can expand

knowledge.

expanded my research to include Central andtheir worldviews by asking why people frombegan to teach European economics. So mythese ways.

university. With world-class professors

sphere of study has gradually expanded fromteaching and doing research at Kobe

East to West … in ten years’ time it will

“import-focused”. In my research the works of

University, people who want to learn fromprobably sink into the Atlantic Ocean

Soviet scholars were interpreted for athese professors will come from all over the[laughs].

Japanese audience. But the conversationworld. In the Bologna University of the middle

ended in Japan – we couldn’t send ourages, there probably wasn’t anyone from

responses to Soviet scholars. Now times have

China. But now our horizons have broadened,changed.

so when we think about international

I’ve been involved in Kobe University’s

universities by today’s standards, the ideal is a

The former Executive Vice-President’s initiatives have increased ourpartner universities dramatically in Europe, East Asia. Following his
policy, I will also make efforts to expand or establish collaboration
with other areas such as North Americas and ASEAN countries.
Prof. Masumoto: Doing all that work by yourself is superhuman,
I’m very impressed. As for me, I was born in Hiroshima, and the first

To start with, could you introduce
yourselves and explain your new roles
at Kobe University?

time I left home was to study abroad in Germany during graduate
school. I began work at Kobe University in 2007. I served as the
Dean of the Graduate School of Humanities, and from April I’ll be
the Vice President for International Collaboration and International

Prof. Yoshii: I was born and raised in Kobe, but I don’t speak the

Education to support Executive Vice President Yoshii. International

local dialect because I lived in Tokyo for a while. In 1976 I begancollaboration includes academic exchange and researchstudying at the Kobe University Faculty of Economics, and sincecollaboration, while international education is about initiatives like1985 I’ve been a teaching member at the Faculty and Graduate

the Global Studies Program, which sends all students from the new

School of Economics. My original field was Russian socialist

faculty abroad. Part of my mission is to look at all the

economics, but from 1990 to 1992 I worked at the Embassy of Japan

university-wide international education programs.

in Romania, and my research interests broadened to include Central
and Eastern European economic systems. After coming back toJapan, I began working for the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA). Then in 2005 the EU Institute in Japan, Kansai

13

Why is international exchange
important for universities?

(EUIJ-Kansai*) was established, and I’ve been involved in Kobe

Prof. Yoshii: Firstly, it’s become far easier to study abroad, and with

University’s collaboration with the EU ever since. After experiences

the Internet it’s easier to connect with the wider world, but that’s

as Dean and Vice-President, now I will take on the role of Executive

not happening. Instead, people are becoming more insular, and ourVice President in Charge of International Exchange and Evaluation.

societies are becoming fragmented. Through international

How did your experiences
working in the Embassy
influence your career?

exchange with Europe, and as a Dean I also

Kobe University where students andProf. Yoshii: Hmm … it changed my style.

engaged with Asia, so I can say that in theprofessors come and go on a global scale.

Before the Embassy, I lived in a world of

past ten years Kobe University has expandedThis is already happening to some extent, weacademics. It’s common for academics toand evolved in its international exchange.

just need to be more deliberate about it andwrite long, tricky sentences, and I was

Having said that, we are still missing links

make it our mission.

probably influenced by that pattern, but forembassy memos I had to write short, punchy

with the US, ASEAN and African nations, so I’dFrom April 2019 Professor Masahiko Yoshii (Graduate Schoolof Economics) and Professor Hiroko Masumoto (Graduate
School of Humanities) will take on challenging new roles in
Kobe University’s top administration. We spoke to them about
their experiences abroad and the vital relationship between
universities and globalization.

Eastern Europe. Then EUIJ started, and I

without international exchange isn’t a

Secondly, scholarship in Japan used to be

Hiroko Masumoto
Vice President in Charge ofInternational Education andInternational Collaboration
Professor, Graduate Schoolof Humanities

So as far as I’m concerned, a university

different countries express themselves inlike to fill those gaps. Of course we can still
expand and develop our relations with
Europe, but we need to create more links
with other regions too. That’s what I’ll beworking towards for the next two years.
Prof. Masumoto: My research focus is

You both focus on othercountries as part of yourresearch. Why did you
first become interested inother cultures andsocieties?

German literature. To be more specific,

Prof. Yoshii: Firstly, because I love trains, andGerman-speaking Swiss literature. This bases

secondly, because of the 1970 World Expo in

me in Europe, so when I’m asked “why do

Osaka. Someone gave me the USSR pavilion

universities need international exchange?” I

leaflet, and I became interested in Soviet

think about the origins of Europeansocialism. In the summer of my second year atuniversities in the middle ages, and I

university I took the Trans-Siberian Railway.

conclude that the answer is, “because

Of course I was thrilled by the trip, but I saw

universities have always been international”.

the negative parts of society too. On the first

Scholarship has always demanded

day I looked out of the train window and saw

internationality. In order to pursue

farmers’ houses lit by a single bare electric

knowledge, you have to be on the front lines.

bulb. In the seventies farmers in Japan were

Even if you study really hard, if you don’tvery prosperous, so the contrast was striking.

communicate with the outside world, you

I thought about it for the whole week until

may end up reinventing the wheel.

arriving in Moscow.

Universities should be places at the cutting

years at the Embassy the writing style of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs was hammered
into me. After that experience my sentences
began a lot shorter.

In Moscow I stayed in a hotel right next toedge of knowledge - they can’t be closed off

the Kremlin. It was 1978, and at the timefrom the world.

Japan didn’t have vacuum tube televisions

The internationalization of scholarship ispieces that anyone could read. In my two

any more, we had changed to transistors. I

Russian stamps featuring the
USSR Expo 70 Pavilion

14

International Collaboration

SPECIAL FEATURE
Do you have a message for students - of
all nationalities - studying at Kobe
University?

9th Kobe University Brussels European Centre
Symposium

top. As you probably know, I took this from IBM, and Apple’s slogan
of “Think different”. The concept is the same for people everywhere–we must think deeply about various topics, then reconsider themfrom different perspectives. For example, I do comparative economic
theory, so I try to imagine how people in other countries would look

Illustrations from Hans
Christen Anderson’s
The Snow Queen

EuropeProf. Yoshii: My homepage says “Think, and Think differently” at the

On October 24, 2019, the 9th Kobe University Brussels European
Centre Symposium was held in Brussels, Belgium under the title“Smart Cities, Secure Societies: Breakthroughs in EU and Japan
Research Cooperation”. The symposium was attended by over 120
people including Japanese and EU government officials, researchers,

at a certain economic issue. I want Japanese students to consider anstudents and businesspeople. Sessions presented examples ofissue and then ask “how would people from other countries view

successful cooperation in highly topical areas, including ‘Security

this?” And for international students who study in Japan, I want themchallenges in a changing world’ and ‘Disaster-resilient societies’;

to compare what they learn in Japan with their original thoughts, and‘Smart Cities’ focusing on sustainable energy, robotics and intelligent

question the differences between cultures. I hope Kobe University

mobility; and ‘Between Orient and Occident’ covering issues ofcan become a center for this sort of thinking.

cultural memory and cultural transfer. In the afternoon, participants

9th Kobe University Brussels European Centre Symposium

Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, for talks on

attended intensive workshops for discussions on the three themes.

further collaboration. Kobe University has conducted theMemorandum of Agreement with Hertford
College, University of Oxford

accepting all students who study in the Department of Japanesethe EU states into the EU’s official languages. There’s a policy of

On October 22, 2019, Kobe University President Hiroshi Takeda led aagreement between Hertford College and Kobe University, marking a

multilingualism - they are consciously educating children so thatdelegation to the University of Oxford and met with Professor Louise

milestone for collaboration between our institutions.

Prof. Masumoto: I want students to learn many different languages.
I’ve already talked about a lingua franca, but we need more than that.
For example, the EU’s model. The EU realized that we have topreserve diversity, and they made the main languages of almost all‘Kobe-Oxford Japanese Studies Program’ every year since 2012,
Studies for a one-year period. President Takeda and Mr. Will Hutton(Principal of Hertford College) renewed a memorandum ofProf. Masumoto: My interest in other countries started with books.

each person can speak multiple languages fluently. They invest in

There was a popular series, “Collected Works of World Literature fortraining professional interpreters and translators so countries that

Association in Cambodia gathered and met with President Takeda.

Boys and Girls”. It had about fifty volumes, and my parents bought

speak minority languages are not at a disadvantage.

Kobe University and its partner universities have contributed to the

There is no downside to learning another language - they are

academic and business world in Cambodia by cultivating talented

wouldn’t let me read the books – they said I’d get them dirty. I was

windows that open to the world and to society. If you only speak

individuals. The Alumni Association in Cambodia was established indying of jealousy. When I started elementary school I could finallyJapanese, your world is limited to Japanese. If you can speak English

read them. I read and reread all fifty volumes, I don’t know how many

too, a window opens so you can access the world in English. Of

times. My brother wasn’t interested in them at all [laughs].

course, the more windows are open the better. Then you can see how

The series was organized by region, starting from Greece andAsia

one every month for my older brother. I was three, and my parents

2016 as a network for these Kobe Alumni to strengthen their ties.

Forum for Presidents of Chinese and Foreign
Universities

wide and full the world is. You realize how narrow your world wasRome, then to France, England and Germany, and so on, ending with

before, you can make different friends, and have new experiences. To

Asia. So the first ten or twenty volumes were all Europe. Of course I

live a fruitful and enjoyable life, I want you all to learn lots ofPresident Takeda meets the Alumni Association in Cambodia

Kobe University concluded an academic exchange agreement withread the Asian stories too, but the impact was bigger at the start oflanguages. Universities offer many chances, you can learn a lot in four

the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in February thisthe series. This was probably what sparked my interest in Europe.

years, and I hope you will.

Collaborative Academic Forum with Royal
University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia*EUIJ-Kansai (the EU Institute in Japan, Kansai) is a consortium of

On December 7, 2019, the Kobe University-Royal University ofcommemorating the 40th anniversary of UCAS, a Forum for

Phnom Penh Academic Research and Education Forum was

Presidents of Chinese and Foreign Universities took place under the

held. This Forum covered the fields of Engineering, Natural

theme of “Fusion of Scientific Research with Teaching and Nurturing

Sciences, and Social Science, providing an opportunity forof Innovative Talents”. The event was attended from Kobe University

development of academic exchange and joint researchby Professor Matsuto Ogawa (Executive Vice President in Charge of

between both universities. After the forum, the Alumni

Research and Industry-University Cooperation).

I’m often asked why I chose German literature. One big reason is abook of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen I received on mysixth birthday. I still have the book. It made me fascinated withthree universities: Kobe University (coordinator), Kwansei Gakuin

northern Europe. I used to think, “When I’m grown up, I’ll go to

University and Osaka University. It was established with financial

Lapland”. But Hiroshima University didn’t have a Scandinavian

support from the European Commission in order to strengthen the

Literature option – the closest was German Literature. Germanties between Japan and the EU via academia.

culture is similar to northern Europe, it’s close to Denmark, and their
original myths and legends are linked to the Icelandic myths, so mydirty”.

Americas

But the main root of my interest, the reason I became a scholar of“You can’t read these yet, you’re too young and you’ll just get themeducation and research. On October 14, 2019, as part of the event

3rd HOKU (Honolulu Office of Kobe University)
Symposium

instinct wasn’t wrong.
German literature, is because when I was three my parents told me,

year, and we are strengthening our cooperation and exchange in

On November 16, Kobe University held the 3rd HOKU (Honolulu Officeof Kobe University) Symposium, “Agricultural Science for Sustainable
Global Development and Healthy Society”. The event was organizedin collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The
symposium was composed of three sessions, on human healthscience, agricultural economics, and plant pathology, with the aim ofestablishing joint research. Kobe University and UNL concluded an

15

MOU on September 7 and the symposium was the first chapter ofcollaboration between the two universities under this MOU.

3rd HOKU (Honolulu Office of Kobe University) Symposium

16KOBE UNIVERSITYFounded in 1902
4 campuses 10 faculties 15 graduate schools

CAMPUS NEWS: PHOTO CONTEST
To commemorate the one-year anniversary of University mascot Shindai Uribo, we hosted a photo
contest on Instagram. We received 299 submissions, and after much deliberation the judges awarded
three prizes for each of the two categories, “Campus Scenery” and “Shindai Uribo”. From the campus cat
and the Offshore Sailing Team to a romantic view from Centennial Hall and research in the lab, thesewinning entries offer tantalizing snapshots of the many facets of campus life at Kobe University. You can
see all the competition entries under the hashtags #kobeuniversityphotocontest and #神戸大学フォトコンテスト. Keep snapping!

Campus Scenery
3位

2位

1位

by Zhang (@yizhangyu)

by riko (@rikotail)by Gucca (@galor_weil)

Shindai Uribo
1位

3位

2位

by tucme1996 (@tucme_photo)by Chisa (@sailing_cam)by Y. Tony (@dohdodododohudo)

kobe_university

We hope you enjoyed reading Kobe University Magazine “Kaze” Vol. 6 (April 2019)
This magazine is published by the Kobe University International Affairs Planning Division
For back issues, visit office.kobe-u.ac.jp/ipiep/publication/index_en.html