2021 Saitama University Degree Awarding Ceremony - President’s Address
Congratulations to everyone celebrating their graduation and completion here at
Saitama University’s commencement ceremony today. On behalf of all our staff, I
would like to express my sincere affection and gratitude to the family and friends
who supported you throughout your journey here.
Today we acknowledge the graduation and completion of 32 undergraduate
students, 23 Master’s students, and 22 PhD students. These totals include 34
international students from China, Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Nepal, Afghanistan,India, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, and Myanmar.
Since last year, the spread of COVID-19 has been the reason for unprecedented
threats and many new constraints. I sincerely respect everyone joining us here
today who overcame these challenges and continued pushing forward in yourstudies and research.
So, today, in celebration of your departure from Saitama University, I would liketo talk about technological innovation and lifestyles in the era of 100-year lifespans.
Looking back on my own life of more than 65 years, it is obvious that technologicalinnovation has brought massive change throughout the decades. Computers are
one example. PCs were being sold right around when I myself graduated. They had
32K bytes of RAM, and external storage was actually cassette tapes, with thedigital data converted into audible sound. Later, CPUs and memory got faster, andstorage got bigger, and now we have smartphones with 128G of memory, with chips
containing 4.3 billion transistors, which can perform 600 billion calculations persecond. I remember the feeling of awe when I connected to the whole world in an
instant through the internet using this little flat thing in the palm of my hand.
These advances in technology, the arrival of paperless work, the evolution ofcommunication methods, and the implementation of digital transformation, havechanged our society day by day.

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Recent successful advances in quantum computing have shown us that we canstill expect technological innovation to speed up. Technology will progress basedon the core elements of the 4th industrial revolution including IoT (internet ofthings), AI (artificial intelligence), big data, and robots. Forty years from now, I
guarantee that you will feel just as amazed as me.
Meanwhile, progress means more than technological innovations - it always
comes together with new challenges. We can anticipate advances in technology tomake our lives better and more comfortable, but this will also cause new problems.
Globalization has brought us endless benefits, but the negative side has become
obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic. If we consider threats like climate change
due to global warming, and the appearance of new infectious diseases, we can saythat we are truly standing at the gates of an unknown society unlike anything thathumans have experienced before.
Another example of this unknown society is the extension of the human lifespan.
They say that more than half of children born in Japan in 2007 will live past 100years old, and the truth is, that Japan is already aging ahead of the rest of theworld, and as of last year, there were over 80,000 residents over 100 years old.
Lifespans are already extending, and the era of 100-year lifespans has arrived.
Aging is happening worldwide, and experts are already discussing how we shouldaddress this as a society, and how we should live our lives as individuals.
In 2016, the book “The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity”
by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott had a resounding impact across the world.
“The 100-Year Life” has a lot say. Most of us have thought of life in 3 stages ofeducation, work, and retirement, but the era of 100-year lifespans will shift tomultiple stages, adding an “Explorer” stage of self-discovery through exploring ourworld, a “Independent producer” stage when we work independently without anemploying organization, and a “Portfolio worker” stage when we’re active in
different fields at the same time. In order to maximize the benefits of this multi2/4

stage lifespan, we must acquire knowledge with flexibility, we must seek new
thinking styles, and we must view the world with a fresh perspective to build anetwork of people. It also recommends to change our own beliefs when necessary,and to always look forward to the future. Furthermore, we are told that in order tolive an independent life in a changing world, the fundamental questions “Who amI?” and “What am I really made of?” are more important than ever, and that it isessential to consider our personal identity and worth.
Here in Japan, we are already adjusting to this multi-stage lifespan. Changes in
employment systems include more companies allowing side businesses, the spreadof contract-type employment, and the rise of gig workers. Labor market liquidity
has increased, and it has become commonplace to change jobs mid-career, start a
new company, and work as a freelancer. We are finally seeing diversification andcomplexity in working styles. Plenty of people are shifting to self-employment andportfolio work following mandatory retirement using the extra years granted bylongevity. In order to make these shifts possible, we must be accepting of changes
in society and technology, and we must maintain an attitude that is willing to learn.
Multi-stage lifespans will demand recurrent education with a “work-study-work”
cycle plus “re-skilling” periods where we acquire new skills, abilities, andknowledge while continuing to work. Recent years have seen the rise of free oraffordable online lessons offered by universities in Japan and around the world. If
you’re ambitious, you can continue your education no matter where you are.
Consistently dedicating a portion of your time to education in a multi-stage
lifespan will lead to a better life for you.
Each and every one of you, standing at the gates of this unknown society withmore advanced technological innovation and a 100-year lifespan, needs to beengaged in solving society’s issues and act as change makers to forge the way into
the future. In order to achieve this, you will need to continue learning across afusion of fields including humanities, sociology, and natural sciences, and you will
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need to collaborate beyond contradictions and national borders. It is extremely
important to maintain a habit of genuine communication with people from diverse
backgrounds that are outside your own academic field and personal interests.
Never forget that a diverse network will be the driving force of new creativity.
All of you will find that the journey of life has both brilliant waves of happiness,and days of hopeless dark despair. When you stand at life’s crossroads, takeconfidence in the skills that you gained here on Saitama University’s beautiful
green campus, and have the strength to keep walking forward.
Here’s a quote from our school song:
Reaching for our distant dreams, we will,
Draw from the flow of new wisdom
May the youth always have hope
It is my sincere desire that you all move forward with a heart full of hope, and ablazing bright spirit.
Once again, congratulations on your graduation and course completion.

September 22, 2021
Takafumi Sakai
President, Saitama University

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