82
March
2023

One World, One Family

Class of 2022
WMU Sasakawa Fellows Awards Ceremony
The Class of 2022 WMU Sasakawa Fellows Awards
Ceremony took place on a warm, sunny afternoon on the lastSunday in October. 30 Sasakawa Fellows gathered at the Sasakawa
Auditorium to be awarded certificates after officially completing
their master's degree programs1.
It was the first time in three years that this ceremony washeld in person. In attendance were Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno, Executive
Director of The Nippon Foundation (NF), who made a day trip toSweden from London specially for the occasion, and Dr. Cleopatra
Doumbia-Henry, the honorable President of WMU. The audiencecomprised various WMU faculty and staff and 30 Sasakawa
fellowship students from the Class of 2023, who all graciously tooktime to attend the ceremony and celebrate the birth of the new
Sasakawa Fellows. It goes without saying that Mr. Eisuke Kudo,
advisor to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, made an appearance
as well, flanked by two members of the Friends of WMU, Japan
Secretariat.
After a flurry of commemorative photos of the graduateswith Mr. Unno and President Doumbia-Henry, the awards
ceremony began with opening remarks from Mr. E. Kudo, whocongratulated the new Fellows for their achievements. The
President came next, thanking The Nippon Foundation for its
leadership in strengthening the Friends of WMU, Japan networkand giving words of encouragement to the graduates, encouraging
them to become leaders in the maritime field while fully utilizing
the network they gained at WMU 2. “By giving of yourself, yourtime, and your talent, so many people will benefit, just as you
will yourself. Your network will ensure that everyone is involved
in meaningful activities that will result in real outcomes for yourcountry,” she said.
When it was his turn at the podium, Mr. Unno spoke of thelimitations of what can be done by a sole individual or country.
“In order to pass the oceans on to future generations, we need towork across disciplines, professions, borders, and ethnicities. You
already have the tools to do this. The Nippon Foundation's Alumni

Network, to which you will now belong,” he stated.
Then, switching gears, Mr. Unno provided some advice which
carried a more personal touch: “Do not be afraid to be irrelevant.
Rather, you should proactively be irrelevant.” He followed, “Ifeel irrelevance enriches our lives, and on some occasions, saves
us. Please do not fear to be irrelevant and enjoy challenging awhole variety of things.” Mr. Unno then handed each graduate acertificate emblazoned with their names, and gave a verbal wordof congratulations in each of their native languages 3. Felicidades.
Selamat. Parabéns. Mabruk. Abhinandana. Omedetou.
After the formal ceremony, the venue changed to thebrightly lit World Bistro for a relaxed reception accompanied bya delicious international brunch. The President called everyone toraise their glasses, which was followed by a non-alcoholic toast tocongratulate the graduating students.
Near the end of the reception, Ms. Daniela Jimena
Andrade Tamayo (Ecuador), representing the Class of 2023,
gave a congratulatory speech, introducing her memories of thegraduating class with great touches of humor and wit. Class of2022 representative, Mr. Yankuba Marah (Sierra Leone), thenaddressed the audience, once again expressing his gratitude for The
Nippon Foundation's support and his determination for the future.
With that, the ceremony officially came to a close.
Unlike previous years, the event was held on a short Sunday
afternoon, but it was a wonderful meeting where we were able
to experience firsthand the "camaraderie" that is created when
everyone involved in the journey - the journey of nurturing
outstanding maritime leaders of the future - gathers in the sameplace. We have high hopes that this network will continue formany years to come after graduation.

1

----

Though there were 31 Sasakawa Fellows total in the Class of 2022, 30 were present
for the ceremony as one Fellow had to leave due to unforeseen circumstances.

2,3 Please see attached for the full speeches.

WMU Graduation Ceremony 2022
On October 31, 2022, a “normal” WMU Graduation
Ceremony was held at the Malmö Live Clarion ConferenceCentre. The Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat attended for the
first time in three years - since 2019! We didn’t know what toexpect, but we spent the past three years hearing much about theelaborate preparations and scale of the event. Anticipations werehigh.
The day began with a (now-traditional) procession fromthe WMU building to the ceremonial venue. Many graduates
donned traditional cultural wear from their countries underneath
graduation gowns. The contrast of the bright colors and sleek
black made up for the cloudy weather Mother Nature decided to
bestow that day. (Perhaps this was because the gorgeous weather
was used up the previous day for the WMU Sasakawa Fellows
Awards Ceremony.) The energetic march made an impression on
all passersby; it was obvious that today was a special day.
2022 saw 276 graduates from 70 countries, 94 of whom were
women. A total of 194 graduates received master’s degrees: 131
from the MSc program in Malmö and 63 from the universities
in China. The ceremony commenced with President Cleopatra
Doumbia-Henry at the podium, who expressed her delight inholding the first “normal” ceremony in three years. With theunwavering passion she is known for, President Doumbia-Henry

encouraged the graduates and spoke of how the WMU alumni
network will be especially important for their futures.
Several esteemed guests made an appearance including Mr.
Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary-General, Mr. Emanuele Grimaldi,
President and CEO of Grimaldi Euromed, and Ms. Carina
Nilsson, Mayor and President of the Malmö City Council.
Mr. Lim, a WMU alumnus, thanked the City of Malmö,
the Swedish government, and the many donors for theircontinued support. He emphasized that WMU’s commitment
to a balanced and holistic approach to interdisciplinary researchon maritime affairs has greatly enhanced the capabilities of eachand every WMU graduate. He expressed his high expectations
for their future success.
Kwadwo Forson-Adabo (Ghana), Student Council
President and a WMU Sasakawa Fellow, gave a speech on behalfof the graduating class. He talked of the strong bonds they haveformed in their time together, stating, “Despite our diverse
cultures and backgrounds during our studies, we lived as a family
and shared knowledge and experiences together.”
We were proud to see several Fellows being recognized fortheir superb academic performance during the annual student
prizes. Saeid Hassankhani Dolatabadi (Iran) received the
Schlüter Foundation Dissertation Prize for the best dissertationin the field of shipping and marine environmental protection.
Additionally, a new category of awards was established this year
for the best graduate from each of the seven specializations, oneof which went to Debora Cristina Ferrari Ramalho (Brazil) forthe best student of OSGM.
2022 was also the year of superior leadership among
WMU Sasakawa Fellows. Kalmar Prizes, awarded to students
recognized for their leadership, were given to four Fellows:
Darshana Sampath Kumara (Sri Lanka), Latifa Oumouzoune(Morocco), Kwadwo Forson-Adaboh, and Saeid Hassankhani
Dolatabadi.
In the reception that followed, we raced to capture picturesof Fellows rejoicing this milestone with loved ones. We were
especially overjoyed and honored to meet their families who flew
in for the graduation. Try as we might, however, photos cannot
do justice to the beautiful and emotional scenes of celebration.
Words do not do justice either, but here it is - our best attempt toleave in records that on October 31, 2022, 31 WMU Sasakawa
Fellows did, indeed, achieve a great thing.
2

Best Graduate of OSGM
Today's Dreams Build Tomorrow's Future
Debora Ramalho(Brazil, 2022)

On October 31, 2022, a very important cycle of my life wasconcluded: I obtained an MSc in Maritime Affairs as a specialist in
OSGM. Receiving the award for best student of my specialization
was a surprise for me; it took a few seconds for me to understandthat all my efforts were enough to be recognized.
From the moment I got the exciting news from WMU
that I would receive the SPF fellowship, I decided to make ita remarkable year, giving my best and taking the most fromthis opportunity. I pushed myself in challenging situations andchased for responsibilities. I got involved in as many activities as
possible, academically and socially. Along with the assignments
and dissertation, I carried out the responsibility of being my
specialization representative in the student council, which was very
challenging for me. Academically and personally, this was a very
intense experience.
Few people from Brazil have had this opportunity to study at

WMU. Therefore, I feel very honored to have the support of SPF
and The Nippon Foundation. Representing my country and getting
a distinction position was above my expectations. However, thisexperience showed me what I am capable of, and I definitely willseek to go as far as possible in my professional future.
I would like to dedicate this chapter of my life to my father,
who was my life example, and dreamed with me until this day came.
Unfortunately, his story on earth ended on the same day of mygraduation, but I believe he managed to watch my award with mein spirit. Success requires some sacrifices, but in the end, it pays off.

Schlüter Foundation Dissertation Prize
Maritime Energy Management,a Key to Unlocking Big Changes!
Saeid Hassankhani Dolatabadi(Iran, 2022)

As a seafarer (marine engineer), I have worked withconventional marine diesel engines and seen how these processes
pollute the ocean and environment. From the beginning of my career,
I have been eager to pursue my professional studies in alternative
fuels and solutions in energy management to cut emissions andpollution from vessels, taking a step against climate change.
In 2021, with the support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation(SPF), I was given the opportunity to fulfill my lifelong desire to
study Maritime Energy Management at WMU. During my master’s
thesis, I focused on researching a novel approach to decarbonizationin the marine industry. My thesis topic was about combining
green hydrogen and renewable energies to propose a hybrid zeroemissions model titled, “The Feasibility of Utilizing Hydrogen Fuel
Cell, Wind, and Solar Power on the Bulk Carriers for Propulsion,”
which received the Schlüter Foundation Dissertation Prize foran outstanding dissertation in the field of shipping and marine
environmental protection. The study was divided into two mainparts: 1) Assessments of po-tential alternatives, and 2) Technicalevaluations of the selected options. The calculation of energy
production and requirements showed that ships can use hydrogenfuel cells, wind, and solar power for propulsion on certain routes andunder specific conditions to be zero-emissions.
I would like to thank Chairman Sasakawa, my supervisor
professor Aykut Olcer, my friends, my family, WMU faculties andstaff, and especially MEM colleagues for their support and help
throughout my educational life in Malmö. We thrive on challenges;
I will keep going to make the ocean bluer and the world a better
place to live. I wish peace and happiness to all the world, especiallyto my country, Iran.

Kalmar PrizeAwarded by Kalmar Global to students who are recognized as leaders among their peers.
Kwadwo Forson-Adaboh (Ghana), Saeid Hassankhani Dolatabadi (Iran)
Latifa Oumouzoune (Morocco), Darshana Sampath Kumara Habakkala Watawala (Sri Lanka)
3

SPF Delegates’ Visit to Bangladesh- A New Arena of Relationship
Khalid Mahmud(Bangladesh, 2007)

Whilst the Sasakawa Fellows were eagerly expecting anuninterrupted link between the Sasakawa Forum Bangladesh and
SPF, it was a boundless privilege for us to have a visit from the
President of SPF, Dr. Atsushi Sunami, and his team. We were able
to introduce them to the Leprosy Eradicate Strategy Assistance
Program (LESAP), the M/S S.N Corporation Ship Recycling
Yard, and the Bangladesh Marine Academy (BMA).
On 25 Nov 2022, Sasakawa Fellow Mr. Md Mohidul
Islam, Secretary for the Ministry of Civil Aviation, received thePresident at Dhaka. I myself and the Commandant of BMA, Dr.
Sajid Hussain, received him at Chattogram Airport. At Hotel
Radisson Blue, we met the rest of the delegates: Dr. Tomonari

Sasakawa Fellows meeting: Leprosy Eradicate Strategy Assistance Program(LESAP), 25 Nov 2022

Chairman of The Nippon Foundation.
The next day, the delegates, now joined by Ippeita Nishida,a senior research fellow from SPF, visited the S.N Shipyard foran overview of their ship recycling activities. CEO Mr. Barkat
Ullah, marine engineer Mahbubur Rahman, and Captain Sirajul
Mowla conducted a briefing during the yard visit, where Sasakawa
Fellows are working on further exploration towards tremendous
changes in recycling technologies.
Subsequently, the delegates visited the Bangladesh
Marine Academy to meet with the cadets, WMU alumni, andother maritime personnel. In his address, Dr. Sunami expressed
his interest in future plans towards extending cordial bilateral
technical assistance. Later, the WMU alumni, including Sasakawa
Fellows, called on a distinct meeting with the president anddelegates. In the welcome speech, the member-secretary of the
Friends of WMU, Bangladesh, emphasized that the compulsionsof ensuring sophisticated global trade and shipping obliged BMA,
with the assistance of the WMU alumni, to provide a world-class
Visit to M/S SN Ship Recycling Yard, Chattogram, 26 Nov 2022
maritime education and training.
Lastly, the Sasakawa Fellows attended an international
Akamatsu, Mr. Masanori Kobayashi, Mr. Emadul Islam, andconference entitled “Ensuring a Sustainable Blue Economy
Professor Nasrullah.
The President and his team attended a Sasakawa Fellows in an Open and Interconnected Indo-Pacific Region: Japanmeeting followed by a dinner at Hotel Mughal. Ms. Amena, Bangladesh Cooperation in Synergizing Latent Potentials among
coordinator of LESAP (supported by Sasakawa Fellows), South & Southeast Asian Bay of Bengal Littoral and Adjacent
presented the project activity. She requested for Dr. Sunami to Countries”, which was jointly organized by the Centre for Bay of
convey a message to the world leader Yohei Sasakawa, asking him Bengal Studies (CBOBS), Independent University Bangladesh,
for a kind visit to see the activities being serviced to the deprived and SPF. On behalf of all Sasakawa Fellows of Bangladesh, I
rural people. Dr. Sunami wanted to know the detailed strategic would like to express our heartiest gratitude to SPF for motivatingplan of this program and acknowledged that he will inform the us with the kind presence of the President and team.

4

Indonesia-Japan Business Matching Forum in Jakarta
Eko Maja Priyanto (Indonesia, 2017)

On November 17, 2022, the Japan Ship Machinery andEquipment Association ( JSMEA) held the Indonesia-Japan
Business Matching Forum in Jakarta. This forum was supported by
The Nippon Foundation (NF), and was the third forum organized
by JSMEA in Indonesia. The first one was held in March 2014, andthe second on July 2016.
Even though the forum was held in the post-pandemic
situation and during the busy circumstances of Indonesia Presidency
G20, the event still received positive responses and attracted
approximately 178 attendees. The attendes included a delegationfrom the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Industry,
Indonesia National Ship Owners Association (INSA), Indonesia
Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Association, WMU
Sasakawa Fellows, and other Indonesia maritime stakeholders. I
was fortunate enough to attend the Forum with 4 other Sasakawa
Fellows as part of our support towards NF’s activities in Indonesia.
From Japan, a delegation of around 38 individuals took
part. This included the Director of International Affairs Office,Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery Division, Maritime Bureau
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
Mr. Takanori Maeda, who delivered a keynote speech with thetheme: For Enhancement of Cooperation between Japan andIndonesia in the Maritime Sector. In addition, Chairman of JSMEA
Kinoshita Shigeki said, “The aim of the forum is to strengthen

The author is second from the rightthe collaboration of the shipping industry between two countries.
Moreover, Indonesia is a vital market for ship engine manufacturers
in Japan.” In this occasion, 15 JSMEA members also delivered
presentations on their latest products and technologies, particularly
environmentally friendly and energy efficienct technology, such as
methanol and LNG-fueled engines.
In this business forum, all participants had the opportunity
to spread their network and, at the same time, meet directly withJapanese manufacturers. The organizers had prepared JSMEA
members with information desks in the seminar room forexchanging information with Indonesian customers directly.
I was very proud that the forum was succesful, especiallywhen Sasakawa Fellows who were funded by NF got hand in handwith JSMEA projects which are also supported by NF. We do hopethat the event can bring mutual cooperation for both countries tothe next level, and we look forward to seeing this kind of event
again in the near future.

Vietnam-Japan Business Matching Forum in Hanoi
MaI Thi Anh Tuyet (Viet Nam, 2008)
Nguyen Van Tan (Viet Nam, 2016)

On 5th December 2022, amongst the fresh and slightly cool
air in Hanoi, the beautiful capital city of Vietnam, the first everseminar Vietnam-Japan Business Matching Forum was jointly
held by the Vietnam Shipowner Association and Japan Ship
Machinery and Equipment Association thanks to the generous
support of The Nippon Foundation. The event attracted many
shipping companies across Vietnam, attending with the hope offinding new technological solutions in order to optimize theircompanies’ operations.
Seven Japanese manufacturing companies participatedin the event to feature their latest, high-quality, and advanced
technological products which are used in maritime transport. The
presentations delivered by each company’s representative indicatedgreat initiative, awareness, and responsibility for the International
Maritime Organization and recent global shipping strategies
which aim at environmental protection and energy savings,
especially reducing greenhouse gases. Although the manufacturers
pursue the most advanced and well-developed technologies, theircommitment to safety remains the top priority.
The forum acts as a platform to promote exchange between
the ever-growing shipping industries of Vietnam and Japan. It
helps Vietnamese shipowners have better and more resourcefuloptions to equip their vessels in compliance with global shipping
regulations and, at the same time, maximize their operational costs
and efficiencies.
5

Some Sasakawa Fellows, being representatives of different
authorities and companies in Vietnam, also appeared in theevent. Mr. Vo Duy Thang, WMU 02, the head of the shippingand maritime services department of the Maritime Vietnam
Administration, contributed a presentation on the current
vietnamse shipping market status with an overview of Vietnamse's
development trends, challenges and policies in 20-and-30-years’time in shipping transport.
STRENGTHENING OUR BONDS
Through the forum, we could see the future technologicalprogression in the marine sector, the advantages and challenges
in maritime management, and potential cooperation between
Vietnam and Japan in shipping. As part of the a regulatory
and policymaking body, we will work with my department
on improving legal frameworks in order to help improve theoperational efficiencies of business enterprises, and strengthen thebonds between Vietnam and Japan in shipping.

Overview of the EEXI Regulation and
the CII Rating Scheme
Yuki Ichimura(Japan, 2021)

International shipping accounts for about 2% of CO2
emissions in the world. In order to address the pressing issue of
global warming, international shipping must further reduce GHG
emissions. Up to now, the International Maritime Organization(IMO) has adopted a series of measures, including the Energy
Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships and the Ship FuelFig.1 Overview of the EEXI regulation and the CII rating scheme
Oil Consumption Data Collection System (DCS).
The 76th session of the Marine Environment Protection
Committee (MEPC) held in June 2021 agreed to amend Annex will be issued for non-EEDI ships or updated for EEDI-applied
VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution ships.
from Ships (MARPOL) to introduce new measures called Energy
The CII rating is a scheme under which the Administration
Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity or RO evaluates carbon intensity (actual fuel consumption) of a
Indicator (CII) ratings (Fig.1). The revised convention entered ship on a scale of A to E. A ship’s Carbon Intensity is calculated
into force on 1 January 2023.
based on data gathered through DCS. Ships of 5,000 GT or more
EEXI applies to all ships of 400 gross tonnage (GT) or under EEDI-applied ship types are subject to this scheme. Basedabove engaged in international voyages. Specific vessels above on the data gathered through DCS in 2019 of the world’s fleet,a certain deadweight tonnage (DWT) or GT shall meet the a CII threshold (required CII) is set for each ship type, and thestandards called required EEXI, which are set for each type of ship. ship is rated according to the difference between the required CII
Required EEXI is based on the standard values (reference lines) and its carbon intensity. The required CII will be strengthenedof Phase 2 or 3 of the EEDI regulation. This means that EEXI by 2% each year until 2026, meaning that ships are required torequires existing vessels to reduce fuel consumption to the same improve their operations every year (the threshold for 2027 andlevel as newly built vessels. There are some differences between beyond has not yet been determined). Data collection for the first
EEDI and EEXI, such as the use of default fuel consumption ratings began on 1 January 2023, and the first rating will be given
values for engines that are not certified under the NOx Technical by the Administration or RO in 2024. The cycle will be repeated
Code, 2008. The EEXI calculation guidelines (MEPC.333(76)) thereafter. Prior to the implementation of the scheme, shipping
summarizes such differences. Like EEDI, information necessary companies are required to provide methods for achieving theto calculate EEXI and the process of calculation shall be included required CII as Part III of Ship Energy Efficiency Management
into EEXI technical file of the vessel.
Plan (SEEMP) of their vessels. In addition, if the rating result is E
Although there is no specific designation in the Convention or D for three consecutive years, the company must prepare a planon how to comply with required EEXI, engine power limitation is of corrective actions which includes an analysis of the causes of theconsidered the most effective way, and it is expected that most of rating as well as the measures necessary to achieve required CII in
the vessels subject to this regulation will adopt this method (Fig.2). the next year. The plan shall be approved by the Administration or
In this case, engine power limitation cannot be lifted once it is set, the RO.
except for under specific circumstances such as securing safety ofthe vessel (e.g. bad weather).
The flag State or the Recognized Organization (RO) shallverify whether the vessel meets the required EEXI on the date of thefirst renewal, interim, or annual survey on or after 1 January 2023.
If the vessel satisfies the standard by engine power limitation, theAdministration or the RO will inspect the Onboard Management
Manual, which describes the details of engine power limitation
including the inspection method of power limiting devices. After
Fig.2 Image of engine power limitation
the Administration or the RO confirms that the vessel meets the Source: 2021 Guidelines on the shaft / engine power limitation system to comply
required EEXI, the International Energy Efficiency Certificate with the EEXI requirements and use of a power reserve.
6After much work, we were able to send surveys to over 650 people.
Alumni live all around the world, so we are very pleased with the number of responders.
We will take your suggestions to heart and use them to improve the Newsletter and further connect the WMU Sasakawa
Fellows. Thank you so much for your priceless insight and advice!!

7

Message on Turkey-Syria Earthquake
On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake
struck southern Türkiye (Turkey) and northern Syria. The
massive tremor was soon followed by a series of powerfulaftershocks, resulting in devastating damage and loss of life.
As we write this today, the death toll stands at more than
52,000 people and over a million have been left homeless. On
behalf of OPRI-SPF, we would like to express our deepest
sympathies to everyone who was impacted by the disaster.
The WMU-Sasakawa family includes three Fellows
from Türkiye: Ozlem Mulun Akpinar (2007), Firat Bolat(2017), and Deniz Can Serter (2019). As of February 13,

we were able to confirm through email that they and theirfamilies are physically safe and well. That is not to say,however, that they were unaffected by the earthquake, having
loved ones who do live in the southeastern region.
Ms. Serter was kind enough to provide a reputableorganization that is accepting donations to help with disaster
relief efforts. Please see the following link for information on
the Ahbap Association: https://ahbap.org/disasters-turkey
Our thoughts are currently with our Turkish Fellows
and all those affected by the disaster. We sincerely hope forthe fast recovery of the people of Türkiye and Syria.

Meeting of President Cleopatra Doumbia-Henryand Japanese Fellows

On February 15, President Cleopatra DoumbiaHenry visited the Maritime Bureau of the Ministry ofLand, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on
the occasion of her visit to Japan to attend an Extraordinary
International Executive Board meeting at the International
Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU). While
there, she met with seven Sasakawa Fellows who work at
the Bureau.
Each Fellow talked about their job/work after
graduation. They expressed their appreciation and explained

About one year has passed since the start of the war
between Ukraine and Russia. I’d like to offer my sincere
condolences to the victims and pray for the safety andhealth of the people of both countries. Conflicts like thisremind me once again that it is difficult for the world tocome together as one. However, it also made me heartedly
realize that the contributions that the Sasakawa Peace

how their WMU experience had been helpful not only at
IMO meetings, but also in various other circumstances.
President Doumbia-Henry was thrilled to hear about theirachievements. She expressed her gratitude to the Japanese
government and NF and conveyed her high expectations
for the Fellows and their future activities.
We would like to thank Mr. I. Takahashi, DirectorGeneral of the Maritime Bureau, for his consideration inarranging this valuable meeting.

Foundation has made to deepen cross-border relations,
including this newsletter, are very, very valuable. I am
honored once again to be able to contribute to a part ofthose efforts. Finally, I encourage readers to contact old
friends across national borders who you have not heard
from for some time.

This newsletter is published under a grant from The Nippon Foundation

to promote communication among the Sasakawa Fellows of WMU (World Maritime University)and edited by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in cooperation with Dr. Koji Murai
Ms. Maki Tominaga, Mr. Shun Masui, Mr. Eisuke Kudo and Ms. Sue Jackson.
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
The Sasakawa Peace Foudation Bldg., 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8524 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-5157-5263 Fax: +81-(0)3-5157-5230 URL: http://www.spf.org/en/

Shun Masui

JSTRA

Class of 2022
WMU Sasakawa Fellows Awards Ceremony
Congratulatory Address
Speech by

Mr. Mitsuyuki UNNO

Executive Director of The Nippon Foundation
Dear Graduates,
It gives me great pleasure to stand here today to congratulate the
new Sasakawa Fellows on their graduation. I would like toexpress my sincere gratitude to President Cleopatra
Doumbia-Henry and the faculty at WMU, for the excellent
education they have provided. My gratitude also extends to homenations and organisations for sending the fellows to WMU. Mostof all, I would like to thank and congratulate the families for theircontinued encouragement and support to the fellows.
There are many complex issues that entangles the ocean. You
have refined your expertise at WMU, and I am sure that you will
now be able to maximise your strength in your career. However, it
is not always enough to just be an expert in your own field ofexpertise in order to untangle the complex issues. I would like toremind everyone to always keep a broad mind.
As we have seen with the rapid evolution of technology in recent
times, events comparable to 300 years of change in the history of
mankind have occurred in just the last 15 years or so. Just
recently, Tesla unveiled its first humanoid robot, Optimus. I am
sure that companies outside of maritime field like Google willbuild ships one day. A single maritime cluster, fixed in traditional
thinking, where shipbuilders build ships, shipping companies
transport goods will not be able to keep up with the changes thatare certain to take place. Innovation will only come from going
beyond the existing framework of the 'maritime field' andbuilding a 'marine cluster' that involves all industries, setting
ambitious goals that seem difficult to achieve, and looking ahead
to work out what is needed to achieve them.
That is why I hope that you will never cease to be interested indifferent fields, set high goals, and keep on growing as individuals
to drive change. Of course, we will also be happy to help you
continue to take on challenges after graduation. There is a limit towhat can be solved by the efforts of one country, one institution
and one person. In order to pass the oceans on to future
generations, we need to work across disciplines, professions,borders and ethnicities. You already have the tools to do this. The
Nippon Foundation's Alumni Network, to which you will now

belong. This network will be of great support to you when you
take on new challenges. Currently, the Nippon Foundation has a
network of over 1,600 Fellows in over 150 countries. But ourachievements are not about numbers. What is important is thatyou are able to utilise this network and work together towards
solving the problems of the oceans.
Congratulations on your graduation. And welcome to the Friendsof WMU. We sincerely look forward to new collaborations withyou in the future.
That was my congratulatory speech as an Executive Director of
Nippon Foundation. I want to give some more personal talk.
At WMU, you gained knowledge, experience and colleagues,
fully motivated to return and be active in your respective
countries. I have no doubt you will do well, but if I were to offer
you one piece of advice, it will be “Do not be afraid to beirrelevant. Rather, you should proactively be irrelevant.”
Not just in the world of business, but everywhere around theworld, people try to avoid being irrelevant to maximise efficiency.
This is somewhat related to the fact that with technologicaldevelopment, more precise calculation is now possible.
Representative example is the problem solving intelligence modelusing AI. AI’ s world is an aggregation of data that is useful andcomprehensible. There is no room for irrelevance or waste thathas no use or cannot be understood. In another words, whateveris irrelevant or cannot be controlled could be eliminated, and you
will be living a life that only enables you to see what you want tosee.
AI is useful, without a doubt. However, human intelligence isable to accept an unforeseen existence that one has not yet sensed.
To put it in another way, if you belong to a certain community orsystem without having any doubts, you will be no different to amachine.
I have talked about the importance of “DIFFERENTFIELDS” . Different fields may look irrelevant if you shutyourself in your own specialised field. However, this irrelevant
exercise is the key to convert from 0 to 1. That is why I truly hopethat you will do something that is irrelevant. The first step could
be to read a book that is completely irrelevant to your field. Takesome time away from your research and immerse yourself in ahobby.
Lastly, what we should not forget is that “Humans are with the
Ocean.” The key word here is ‘with.’ Humans cannot avoid using
the ocean for our wellbeing. However, can we perceive the ocean
not just as means, but as an existence that we humans live ‘with’ ?
Solving the ocean and environmental challenge boils down to thisone point.
To think about the ocean that does not say anything or future
generations that are not yet born may be irrelevant to your life.
However, we are able to accept such irrelevant existence. I feel

irrelevance enriches our lives and on some occasions, saves us.
Please do not fear to be irrelevant and enjoy challenging a wholevariety of things.
I love to drink, so I challenged beer which did not help mywaistline. This is not what I mean to enjoy being irrelevant. Do
not follow my example.
Now, I will be presenting your certificates. This is not merely aproof of entry to our network. This is to certify that you, as a
Nippon Foundation Fellow, will remain to be part of our network
for the rest of your life even after you graduate. At the sametime, it is a proof that you will commit to continue solving social
challenges. You are the chosen ones from different countries
around the world. With that commitment in your heart, I am
confident that you are determined to work together with us tosolve global scale and intergovernmental challenges.

Speech by

Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry
President of WMU

Mr Unno, Mr Kudo, all our friends from Japan:

our goals and our values.

I must start by thanking you for coming today and arranging thisevent. It is such a deep pleasure to welcome Mr Unno to the
University again, after so many years when this has not proved
possible. And we are honoured that Mr Kudo has been able tofind time in his busy schedule to visit us twice this autumn. The
worst effects of the pandemic are clearly receding across theworld, as science and research has provided mankind with aweapon against this virus. It is so wonderful to see this new
dawn.

The Sasakawa Fellows form a global network that enriches all ofyou, and all of us. Each of you has a fundamental understandingof what matters. Your studies at WMU have provided you with aframework for action firmly based on moral principles and thegoal of global sustainable development.

One effect of the pandemic has been to isolate us from eachother. Even in small regions, movement was difficult andmeeting others often impossible. The effect on international
friendships was dramatic, with only virtual meetings being
possible for over two years.
However, by making it impossible to see our friends in person,
the pandemic has given us one very real benefit: we now know
just how much we value these relationships. We appreciate how
personal contact and personal networks affect the quality of
everything we do, from the mundane to the novel. It is mucheasier to break new ground when we are part of a trusted team.
We are more responsive, more cooperative and more creative
when working inside a supportive network of people who share

You have learned that the currency of a real network is generosity
not personal gain. By working together you make every single
one of us richer, in both tangible and intangible terms. By givingof yourself, your time and your talent, so many people will
benefit, just as you will yourself. Your network will ensure thateveryone is involved in meaningful activities that will result inreal outcomes for your country.
Your network will connect you to people who are world leadersin the maritime and oceans fields. It will provide you withknowledge and opportunities to update your skills as time passes.
Your network will reach outside your field of expertise and bringinter-disciplinary ideas and innovation.
I would like to ask you all to join with me now in thanking Mr
Unno and Mr Kudo for their inspired leadership in ensuring thevitality and strength of the Sasakawa Fellows Network. Thankyou from the bottom of our hearts!