Vol.8 January 2014
CONTENTSNews .....................................................................1-5

Overseas Offices .................................................................. 7

Research .................................................................. 6

Greetings .............................................................................. 8News
Doshisha Professors Publish their Research in the
Scientific Journal, Nature Communications
The research of Associate Professor Satoru FUNAMOTO (Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences),
Professor Yasuo IHARA (Graduate School of Brain Science) and others, entitled „Substrate ectodomain is
critical for substrate preference and inhibition of γ-secretase‟, was published in the October 10 edition of Nature Communications, a prestigious online multidisciplinary journal in natural sciences.
In the research, Associate Professor Funamoto, Professor Ihara and others clarified the characteristics ofγ-secretase, which produces amyloid β-protein, and developed a novel inhibition method of amyloid β-protein
production.
This research achievement will lead to the development of therapeutics with fewer side effects for Alzheimer‟sdisease, and future application is expected.
*The photos show Associate Professor Funamoto being interviewed by NHK on October 10.

Great Voyage

11NewsBid Ambassador Yuki OTA Talks about 2020 Tokyo Olympics
On September 7, 2013, we interviewed Yuki Ota, a Doshisha graduate and silver medalist foil fencer at both the Beijing and LondonOlympics. He played an essential role as one of the Japanese representatives making final presentations for Tokyo‟s 2020 Olympic
Games bid to the International Olympic Committee, demonstrating
Japan‟s athletes-first vision.
Asked about how he coped with the pressure of making such an important presentation to the IOC, Ota said, “I‟m not very good at English, but I needed to make a powerful and successful presentation inEnglish. So, I practiced very hard to make the sentences into my own
words, and kept saying to myself, „Practice makes perfect‟.
He added, “Tokyo will be hosting the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. I hope it will encourage everyone to engage in sporting activities and help to develop the athletes of the future. Also, I wish forTokyo to become a more accessible and livable city for people withdisabilities.”
We are looking forward to seeing Ota‟s continued success in the future.

Welcome Event for New International Students: Wagashi Making
Experience
October 26th, Saturday, Office of International Students organized wagashi making experience for the new international
students at Doshisha. 25 international students and 18 Japanese students participated. The event was held at “Kanshundo”, a wagashi shop of long standing, at Higashiyama. Although typhoon Francisco and Lekima approached, we had anice weather that day.
Participants put on aprons and took their seat where the ingredients (red bean paste and sweet rice jelly) were set.
Watching the demonstration of craftsman, they made theirwagashi by spatula and their hands. It took about 45 minutes
for them to make. They made 3 kinds of wagashi: “Momiji(maple)” with a delicate vein, “Kaki (persimmon) with beautiful gradation of yellow and orange and “Kinton (mashedsweet potatoes) with yellow, characteristic color in fall season. The four seasons in Japan are represented in the beautyof wagashi. Some students made fine wagashi for beginners.
Some laughed at the eccentric wagashi they had made, but allof them had a great time.
They ate one wagashi at the shop and took the rest home.
After the event, with such a beautiful souvenir, they departedfor tourist spot in Kyoto respectively.

Great Voyage

21NewsDoshisha Students Receive a Letter of Appreciation from the Police
On December 12, 2013, Yosuke MATSUBARA (first-year
student, Faculty of Commerce) and Shugi HORI (first-year
student, Faculty of Commerce) rescued a man who fell onto
the railway tracks from the platform of Kyoto Subway Imadegawa Station and was unable to move.
The chief of Kamigyo Police Station presented them with aletter of appreciation „in recognition of their brave andprompt action to rescue the man‟.
The two students were surprised to receive the commendation as they didn‟t think they had done anything special and had simply helped in a way that they believe others would have done in the same situation. They were of course pleased that they could help the man to safety.

Satoru UYAMA of the Fencing Club Wins his Third Consecutive
Victory in All Japan Student Individual Fencing Championships
From November 11 to 15, 2013, the 53rd All Japan Intercollegiate
Fencing Championships / the 63rd All Japan Student Individual Fencing Championships took place at the Komazawa Olympic Park Indoor
Ball Sports Field in Tokyo.
Comment of Fencing Club Manager Satoshi Fukuzaki:

Before the Championships, he was having to deal with great pressure－the pressure of having to keep winning that every athlete who strives
to be the best experiences. Uyama had to go through a tough match in the quarterfinals because his opponent,
Yoshizawa had studied about him a lot. However, he withstood the pressure and advanced to the semifinals,
and continued from there to achieve great success. We are looking forward to seeing him achieve even greater
goals around the world as a top fencer as well as a member of Doshisha University, with, for example, the Riode Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics wonderful opportunities for him to display his outstanding skills.

Kana YUMIDATE Wins All Japan Student Kyudo Championships
From August 20 to 22, 2013, the 61st All Japan Student Kyudo
Championships was held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, where
Kana Yumidate (third-year student in the Faculty of Health andSports Science) triumphed in the women‟s individual event.
At the Budokan, 299 female students－winners of the regional
preliminary matches across Japan in July－gathered to competefor the Kyudo Championships title.
The final moments in the competition were particularly tense.
When Yumidate‟s final arrow hit the target, there were scenes ofjubilation among her supporters. She won the title following an
extraordinary display of skill and nerve, with all her arrows hitting
the target.
Yumidate became the first Doshisha student to win the title since Akemi Nakae (now working for Toshiba)
four years ago. The female team lost in the second round the previous day, but Yumidate bounced back anddrew her bow in a calm and controlled manner. About 20 club members, as well as those from other universities who watched her match, were delighted with her remarkable achievement as if it had been their own, andcelebrated with enthusiastic applause and cheers.
Great Voyage

31News2013 Fall Semester Foreign Language Honors Recognition Ceremony held
On November 21, the 2013 Fall Semester Honors Recognition Ceremony in foreign languages took place atClarke Chapel on the Imadegawa Campus. The ForeignLanguage Honors Program was established in 2006
Spring Semester to honor high-achieving students in foreign languages with the aim of preparing graduates with ahigh level of language proficiency, as well as creating
citizens with international scope and vision.
At the recognition ceremony, presided over by Directorof the Division of Academic Affairs Tatsushi Mayama,President Koji Murata gave a congratulatory message and presented a recognition certificate and a commemorative gift to each of the 12 winning students, comprising seven from in the Faculty of Letters, two fromthe Faculty of Law, one from the Faculty of Commerce, one from the Faculty of Social Studies, and one
from the Faculty of Psychology (five students in English, five in Chinese, one in Spanish and one in Russian).

World Kitchen～Let's Cook Ozoni～
On December 19th, we held “World Kitchen～Let's Cook Ozoni～”at Faculty Lounge LIBRE (Kyotanabe campus). Student staff ofOffice of International Students planned and managed this event.
The purpose of this event is not only to introduce the traditional
Japanese food, but also to deepen the cross-cultural exchange between international students and Japanese students through cooking
and eating together. 11 International students and 11 Japanese students including 5 student staff members participated.
First of all, student staff explained its origin and the specific characteristics of a region. It is said that ozoni finds its roots in samurai society cuisine. The tradition of eating ozoni on New Year'sDay dates to the end of the Muromachi period. Ozoni was firstserved as a relish for sake as part of a full-course dinner. According
to the custom, eventually became a staple food of the common
people on New Year‟s day. Ozoni has numerous regional variations. In the Kanto region, the mochi is cut into squares and grilled
before being added to the stock flavoured with soy sauce. In theKyoto, a round, boiled mochi is preferred with radish and taro witha stock of white miso. This time we cooked Kyoto-style ozoni.
For starters, prepare the soup stock with dried kelp. While boiling, cut Daikon radish and carrot. Since the heatof electric heater of the kitchen was considerably low, we used a large pot in the kitchen for boiling. In spite of
the accident, each group added white miso after boiling. The group comprised the members who had never eaten Kyoto style ozoni wondered, “Is this flavor OK?” “This has a weak flavor”. They had a difficulty addingflavor. After adding dried bonito, finally it was time to eat.
The students had expressed their opinions, saying, “It‟s sweet! “ “But tastes good” “I ate taro for the first time”.
Through cooking, students cultivated a friendship with each other and had a lively conversation at each table.
Great Voyage

4

News
World Student Environmental Summit 2013 held in Germany
From September 16 to 19, 2013, the 6th World Student Environmental Summit (WSES) took place at Leuphana University Lüneburg, in Germany. At the opening ceremony, President Koji Murata delivered a greeting message representing Doshisha University, the head office of the World Student Environmental Network.
WSES, in which students from around the world gather to discuss the major environmental issues of the day,first took place at Doshisha University in June 2008 based on an idea of the members of the Doshisha Eco
Project (DEP) and with the unified efforts and cooperation of various student bodies. The 2nd summit washeld at the University of Victoria in Canada, the 3rd at the University of Tubingen in Germany, the 4th at theBlekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden and the 5th at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. Thisyear‟s summit, the 6th, was attended by 74 students from 40 universities in 25 countries, including three students from Doshisha University－Wataru Ota (second-year student, Department of Chemical Engineering andMaterials Systems, Faculty of Science and Engineering), Sim Jieun (third-year student, the Institute for theLiberal Arts) and Satoshi Ozawa (fourth-year student, Faculty of Economics). With awareness of environmental issues around the world increasing, the summit has been growing steadily in size with more countries
and universities participating each year.
The summit offered multiple opportunities for student delegates－including experts‟ lectures, poster presentations, panel discussions and workshops－allowing them to discuss and deepen their understanding of environmental issues and sustainable development. The event places students in a position free from national interests as well as various social constraints. At the same time, they can capitalize on the fact that the Earth‟sfuture is very much in their hands. Thus, participating in the summit provides students with an invaluable
opportunity to consider the future of the planet, as well as their own path in life. The participants enjoyed arobust exchange of ideas and opinions during the summit, with discussions often continuing until late eachevening.
In recent years, issues of global environmental destruction, such as global warming and climate change, havebeen raised by many as a serious problem to be solved worldwide.
At Doshisha University, the faculty, staff and students are working together to make positive efforts toward
energy saving, greenhouse gas reduction and better waste disposal. We believe that the activities of the World
Student Environmental Summit, together with the work of the World Student Environmental Network headquartered at Doshisha University, play an important role in enhancing student awareness of global environmental conservation and help to instill cross-cultural perspectives before they go on to take up positions ofresponsibility in society. In that respect, we are committed to moving forward in promoting the continued
success of the summit. The next summit will be held at Stellenbosch University in South Africa in 2014.

Great Voyage

5Research
Masahiro KUSUMOTO (Graduate School of Science and Engineering) Receives BestPaper Award
On August 23, 2013, Masahiro Kusumoto received the Best Paper
Award at the 6th Lighting Conference of China, Japan and Korea(CJK2013) held in Gwangju, Korea. Kusumoto is a first-year student
in the Master‟s program, major of Information and Computer
Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, and is affiliated with the Intelligent Systems Design Laboratory.
The CJK 2013 is Asia‟s largest international conference in the lighting field, co-organized by the Illuminating Engineering Institute ofJapan (IEIJ), the China Illuminating Engineering Society (CIES) and the Korean Institute of Illuminatingand Electrical Installation Engineers (KIIEE). The Best Paper Award is offered to the best research paperin the categories of oral presentation and poster presentation (one award per country).
Kusumoto clarified the impact of window luminance using daylight on energy saving in anext-generation office. His research was highly regarded for drawing attention to an issue regarding daylight use that had never before been addressed, which led him to receiving the award.

Professor Kazuya NAKAYACHI Honored with Risk Analysis’s 2013 Best Paper Award
Risk Analysis is an academic journal of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), published by Wiley-Blackwell.
The research of Professor Kazuya Nakayachi (Faculty of Psychology) entitled „The Unintended Effects of Risk-Refuting Information
on Anxiety‟ was published in the Volume 33 Number 1 Issue of thejournal, and selected for the 2013 Best Paper Award. Professor Nakayachi was commended at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Society
for Risk Analysis held in Baltimore, USA from December 9 to 11.
Comment of Professor Nakayachi:“When an individual or a society faces a risk, mental issues must be carefully addressed. Accordingly,
situations of contemporary „risk society‟ require psychologists to work on a wide array of research
themes. I will further pursue my psychological studies, as well as move forward with the work responding to disaster risks that have been increasing in today‟s world.”

Kazuki MINAMIMOTO (Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences) Receives
Outstanding Poster Presentation AwardOn December 14, 2013, the „Exchange Meeting between Students and Industries‟ was held at Kansai University, organizedby the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Kansai Branch,where Kazuki Minamimoto (Medical Engineering Course,
Major of Medical Engineering and Medical Information,
Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences) received theOutstanding Poster Presentation Award. The meeting was attended by about 100 people from 48 companies and about 200
students from 32 universities and national colleges of technology. Presentations from three universities, including Minamimoto‟s, were selected for the award from among 32 entries.

Great Voyage

6Overseas Offices
Doshisha University’s overseas offices were established in order to further promote its rapid and effective internationalization. At our overseas bases we are implementing mainly public relations activities to increase the profile ofDoshisha University, while at the same making the most of the characteristics unique to each base. In addition, weare undertaking various efforts to recruit overseas students, support our students while they are studying overseas,and provide on-site support to members of our faculties while they are overseas.

Taipei, Taiwan

Beijing, P. R. China

Address : Doshisha Taiwan Officec/o DSS-CLOVER International Co.
6F-15, No. 57, Chong-Qing S. Rd.
10045 Taipei, Taiwan
Tel: +886-2-2331-1278
Fax: +886-2-2331-1397
Email: ji-int24@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Address : Doshisha Beijing Office
Room #306, Qiushilou Building
Renmin University of China
59 Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District
Beijing, 100872 P.R.China
Tel/Fax: +86-10-6251-5916
Email: ji-int23@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

London, United Kingdom

Shanghai, P.R. China

Address : Doshisha London Officec/o Daiwa Foundation Japan House
13/14 Cornwall Terrace, London
NW1 4QP U.K.
Tel: +44-77-4892-5687
Email: ji-int21@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Address :Doshisha Shanghai Office
Center for Japanese Studies
Fudan University
221 Hantan Road
Shanghai, 200433 P.R.China
Email: ji-int25@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Hanoi, Vietnam

Seoul, KoreaAddress : Doshisha-Vietnam Cooperative Office
4F Polymer Centre
D1 Building – Hanoi University of Technology
1st Dai Co Viet Road – Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84-4-3623-1276
Email: ji-int22@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Address : Doshisha Seoul OfficeSeoul YMCA
2 Ga 9, Jongno, Jongno-gu
Seoul, Korea 110753
Tel: +82-2-732-7704
Email: ji-int28@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Istanbul, Turkey
Address : Doshisha Istanbul Officec/o ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC SOLIDARITY WITH PASIFIC
COUNTRIES
Ahmediye Caddesi No:44/2 34260 Aksaray– Istanbul, TURKEY
Email: ji-int26@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Great Voyage7

Message from Director of Internationalization Promotion Office
Greetings from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan.
I would like to convey my best wishes to friends and partners of Doshisha
University all over the world. 2014—this year marks the centennial of the outbreak of World War I and, with hindsight, it appears that the present trend toward
globalization has proceeded throughout this hundred-year-span. With the years
ahead that seem to be full of challenges, the world has reached yet another criticalphase.
There might be nothing wrong with globality, the world-wide trend of socio-politico-economical and cultural interdependence that emerges as a result of globalization. However,these seemingly irreversible processes must be guided by a moral imperative that would orient our collective efforts toward happiness for all.
Founded on the principle of the education of conscience, Doshisha would like to pledge to offer a moral
compass to guide the younger generation who can, citing our founder‟s words, “make decisions and takeactions in the strength of their own conscience.”
Ichiro Hayashi
Director,Internationalization Promotion Office
Doshisha University

Dear Partners,Greetings! This winter has been particularly cold here in Kyoto (we’re still right in the middle of it!) and wehope you are all well.
Over the past year or so, we have been welcoming new staff members into our Office of International Affairs.
Our office is made of two sections: one in charge of study abroad programs, and the other managing
agreements and administrative matters related to international affairs.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all
your much-appreciated friendship. Our students have
had amazing experiences because of your support. We
look forward to continue working with you and hope to
see you sometime!
Warm regards,
Office of International Affairs

Great Voyage is published by the International Center at Doshisha University.
Please direct inquiries to:
Office of International Affairs, Doshisha University
Karasuma-Higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8580 Japan
Tel: +81 (0) 75-251-3260
Fax: +81 (0) 75-251-3057 Email: ji-kksai@mail.doshisha.ac.jp

Great Voyage

81