Spring 2021

A news magazine presented by Hokkaido University

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

01

R ec ent Ne w s f rom
Hok k a ido Un iver sit y

Feature:Pioneering

Hokkaido University will celebrate the 145 years since its
foundation as Sapporo Agricultural College.
The university has continually inherited the frontier spiritthat it has fostered over its long history, and it has pioneered
as a base for the creation, transmission and demonstration ofknowledge in order to help solve global issues.

Contents

Under the theme of pioneering, this feature highlights three

03

Feature: Pioneering

14Interview with the president

20

Refining: Chronobiology

22

Alumni Interview

24

Letters from Ambassadors and Partners

26

140 Years of Challenge

28

Topics30

Campus Landscapesorganizations.

04 The Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD)
10 The Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence,		and Neuroscience (CHAIN)
12 Career Center

Litterae Populi
Litterae Populi is a bi-annual magazine
with the latest news about Hokkaido
University. Its name is Latin for “lettersof the poplar trees.”

SUGIE Kazuo
Director (Standing Audit & Supervisory Committee Member),
Sapporo Holdings Limited
Director General, Central Council for the Promoting of Industrial Education
Director, Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCOYAMANAKA Yujiro
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education

ONO Hiroyuki
SunBridge Inc. Chairman & CEO

Litterae Populi Spring 2021
Published by Public Relations Division
Kita 8, Nishi 5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0808, JAPAN.
pr@oia.hokudai.ac.jp
https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp
Edited by the Litterae Populi Planning and Editing Team
Cover photo by Akihito Yamamoto (HARE-BARE SHA-SHINN)
Photos by Hiromi Terashima (Kotoha-sha)
Production assisted by Morikatsu Sato (Morikatsu Sato Design Office)Printing by Iword Co., Ltd.
Cover photo taken at the Ono Pond

02

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

Photo of School of Engineering

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

03

Chemical reaction design anddiscovery (CReDD) changes society
The ICReDD laboratory, where experimental scienceis practiced daily to verify chemical reactions.

The Institute for Chemical Reaction
Design and Discovery (ICReDD)
04

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

The Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD)
was established as a new research center under the World PremierInternational Research Center Initiative (WPI).
It will lead the world with the aim of developing chemical reactions thatwill bring about a prosperous future.

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

05

Feature: Pioneering

Pioneering | The Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD)

The World Premier International Research Center Initiative(WPI) is a project of the Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology. This program aims tobuild “globally prominent” research centers whose researchstandards are so high and whose research environments are
so outstanding that frontline researchers from around theworld will flock to them.
The Hokkaido University Institute for Chemical
Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD) was establishedin October 2018 as a new research center under the WPI.
It aims to develop new chemical reactions more efficiently
based on the three pillars of computational science,
information science and experimental science.

Innovating the discovery of chemical reactions
Various chemical reactions surround us. Humankind
has improved its living standards by discovering various
chemical reactions. Controlling chemical reactions isessential for solving many issues facing us and for realizing

06

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

prosperous societies.
In conventional studies, individual chemical reactions
predicted based on the experience and knowledge of
researchers are confirmed in experiments. Researchers havegroped in the dark for unknown chemical reactions andmolecules, reaching their goals only after repeated trial anderror. It can take hundreds and thousands of experiments
for a single chemical reaction to be developed.
This insufficiency has been a major barrier toconventional chemical reaction development, as it has beenvery time consuming and the number of chemical reactions
elucidated has been limited.
What is epoch-making about ICReDD is that it
incorporates computational science and information
science into chemical reaction development. Its theory-first
approach enables significant reductions in the time required
for such development.
In computational science, chemical reaction path
networks are calculated through automated searches basedon quantum chemistry calculations. The artificial force-

induced reaction (AFIR) method, which is a key ICReDD
technology, is attracting global attention.
To predict a chemical reaction, it is necessary to predict
all the movements of the atoms, which play a leading role inchemical reactions. However, it has been difficult to study
all the possibilities in experiments, due to the enormous time
and work required. Then the AFIR method was developed.
In this calculation method, a virtual artificial force isapplied between molecules or fragments within a molecule
to induce structural changes. By repeating this procedure,a path in the transformation from a given reactant to an
unknown product can be calculated, and by analyzing thereaction path network obtained, an enormous number of
unknown reactions can be predicted.
“A database of chemical reactions predicted by the
AFIR method has been compiled over the course of abouta year, and approximately 200,000 chemical reactions
have been registered so far,” says Professor Satoshi Maeda,
Director of ICReDD.
Information worth studying is then extracted from manyof the calculated chemical reaction paths using information
science) to narrow down the optimal experiment conditions.
The reactions narrowed down this way are verified byexperimental science. This means the possibility of targeted
experiments that can significantly hasten chemical reaction
development.
“The discovery of chemical reactions has long depended
on the preconceptions and experience of researchers, andit was necessary to escape the bounds of that history,”says Specially Appointed Associate Professor Yasunori
Yamamoto, Administrative Director of ICReDD. “Direct
discovery, instead of repeated trial and error, is what thisresearch center makes possible.”An inverse approach can also be taken. It is possible
to predict the feasibility of a chemical reaction that wasconceived by a researcher who practices experimental sciencefrom the aspects of computational science and information
science and to present a shortcut to its realization. The
integration of the three fields enables interactive approaches.

A center for social contribution
Thanks to its epoch-making efforts, ICReDD has
produced various results. One example is the synthesis ofdifluoroglycine derivatives.
α-amino acids are the structural units of the proteinsthat form life. Used for the production of pharmaceuticals
and food additives, these organic compounds are essential
to our lives. It was known that increased metabolic stability,
improved pharmacokinetics and other effects can be
expected by introducing fluorine atoms into the skeleton
of an organic compound; however, there were no efficientmethods for chemically synthesizing α,α-difluoroglycine,which is an α-amino acid into which fluorine atoms are
introduced.
Therefore, comprehensive searches were made forsynthesis routes through AFIR-based analyses. Three simple

An experiment (photographed before the pandemic).

and readily available compounds were found, indicatingthat those compounds were appropriate starting materials
for synthesis.
By conducting additional analyses based on the AFIR
method, ICReDD achieved the chemical synthesis of α,αdifluoroglycine in only two months. “The introductionof fluorine into glycine and other important molecules isvaluable in pharmaceuticals development,” says Director
Maeda. “As internal degradation is controlled by the
introduction of fluorine, it may become possible to reducethe medicine dosage frequency to once a day from thecurrent three times a day. This chemical reaction will
be useful as a method for constructing various fluorinecontaining derivatives.”
In 2010, University Professor/Emeritus Professor Akira
Suzuki of Hokkaido University won the Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for a “cross coupling reaction”. This reaction,
which efficiently links carbons, has been applied to thesynthesis of various pharmaceuticals and is still generating
trillions of yen in profits worldwide every year. Director
Maeda expressed his enthusiasm: “We aim to create
many wonderful chemical reactions at ICReDD such as
the one discovered by Professor Suzuki. By following theachievements of the professor, we want to make it a research
center that can deliver great social contributions.”

The MANABIYA system
ICReDD aims to establish chemical reaction design and

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

07

Feature: Pioneering

Pioneering | The Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (ICReDD)

A synthesis workflow automation system manufactured by Chemspeed Technologies AG(a synthesis robot that can perform automated chemical reactions).

Administrative Director Yamamoto expresses his feeling ofaccomplishment: “We’ve progressed considerably in the last
two years.”Aiming to become a global research center, ICReDD

An open lab where ICReDD researchers gather for lively discussions.

discovery (CReDD) as a new academic field by integrating
three fields. However, far too few researchers are familiar
with all three fields.
Director Maeda says, “The fostering of young
researchers is one of our institute’s missions.” One effort
toward the achievement of this mission is the MANABIYA
system.
Under the MANABIYA system, young researchers andstudents from universities and research organizations inJapan and abroad stay at ICReDD for two weeks to threemonths to learn methods for developing new chemical
reactions. In the learning process, they also attempt to workthrough their own challenges and discover new researchseeds. It is an ideal system for globally disseminating andutilizing rational and efficient development methods
accumulated at the Institute by fostering young researchers.
“Although we haven’t accepted researchers from overseas
this academic year due to the pandemic, we’ve acceptedsome from within Japan and we’ve made many researchpresentations and conference presentations jointly withthem,” says Director Maeda. There is also a plan to accept

08

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

researchers online in the future.

Becoming a global research center
It has been just over two years since ICReDD wasestablished. The institute, which started with 14 researchers,
now has 65 researchers and 10 office workers.
The number of research papers presented has also
increased, from 87 in FY 2019 to more than 100 in FY 2020.

Photographed before the pandemic.

“Catalyst” news posters, from which thegeneral public can learn about chemical
reactions easily and enjoyably.

Catalyst
QR code

URL: https://www.icredd.hokudai.ac.jp/about/the-catalyst

is also active in international exchanges. It held the 3rd
ICReDD International Symposium in February, where
domestic and international researchers at the forefront offields related to chemical reaction design gathered online
and shared their progress and research ideas. Efforts to seek
new integrated research projects within the university arealso made through online interdepartmental symposiums
and other measures.
A synthesis robot that can perform automatedchemical synthesis has recently been introduced. The firstin Hokkaido, it is one of only three in Japan. “For organic
synthesis and other experiments, researchers need to cometo the lab to perform experiments,” says Director Maeda.
“However, we aim to reduce the number of researchers
because of the pandemic and for other reasons. For example,
an experiment that had required three researchers can now
be performed by a single person using this synthesis robot.
Complete remotization may become possible in the future.
The use of robots is one method for achieving our goal ofinnovating the discovery of chemical reactions. A day may
come when chemical research can be conducted remotely.”
While steady results have been achieved, issues remain.
Achieving a diversity of members is important for theformation of an international research center.
ICReDD has a personnel target of consisting of at least
30% foreign nationals, and the current percentage is 37%.
Director Maeda says, “Although we’ve achieved our target,
it won’t be easy to maintain it in the future. We’ll continue
to provide support to improve the living environment forinternational researchers working in the center and to allow
them to focus on their research.”
Under the slogan “Revolutionize Chemical Reaction
Design and Discovery,” ICReDD will continue to makeprogress in raising world standards and playing a leadingrole in the world.

Professor Maeda (left), the Director of ICReDD, with Specially Appointed
Associate Professor Yamamoto, the Administrative Director of ICReDD
Research that leads the world is being conducted through close collaboration
between the research and office sections.

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

09

The Center for Human Nature,
Artificial Intelligence, andNeuroscience (CHAIN)
An international symposium in November 2019.

Integrating wisdoms andexploring the frontiers
The Center for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience(CHAIN) was established as Japan’s only research center specializing
in hybrid research and education in the humanities, social sciences,
neuroscience and AI. With the mission to create new knowledge on thenature of human existence, the Center conducts research and education
taking advantage of the strengths and characteristics of Hokkaido
University as a leading research university.
In July 2019, the Center for Human Nature, Artificial
Intelligence, and Neuroscience (CHAIN) was established
as a university facility and it launched its activities.
CHAIN’s mission is to provide interdisciplinary researchand education that integrate arts and sciences at theintersection of the humanities, social sciences, neuroscienceand artificial intelligence (AI), i.e., to be a place where newknowledge is generated.
Led by its director, Professor Shigeru Taguchi,
CHAIN has five full-time specially appointed faculty
members, three postdoctoral fellows, and 28 part-time
faculty members from ten departments of the university.
“By ‘human nature’, I am pointing to a new field of inquiry
concerning the question of what it means to be human,” says
Director Taguchi. “Research on neuroscience and artificial
intelligence is moving into the territory of the humanities
and social sciences.” Self-awareness is an example. How do

10

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

I appear to other people? How can I know this when I am
not these others? We can approach such questions throughscience. Thus new knowledge emerges out of an interaction
among philosophy, neuroscience and artificial intelligence.
The Center for Experimental Research in Social
Sciences, one of the internal partners of CHAIN, owns amagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device exclusively forexperimental use, with which researchers can probe into thebrain activities of subjects as they perform various tasks.
Using this device, researchers in CHAIN have carriedout neuroscientific experiments on the consciousnessof self and other. They have also conducted simulation
experiments using deep learning. The CHAIN team isrunning an AI with a “superimposition mechanism” in a
virtual environment to reconstruct the process by which thedistinction between self and other emerges as a result oflearning through a simple and universal mechanism.

In terms of education, CHAIN began
to recruit graduate students to an educational
program in April 2020 and accepted students
exceeding the planned capacity of 20. The
program consists of three pillar contents:
coursework, summer/winter schools, andinternship. Students will receive a diploma(completion certification) after completingit by earning a predetermined number ofcredits. In the coursework, students acquire thebasic knowledge necessary to conduct further
research. As they come from different academic
backgrounds, each student tailors their course
plan to their needs. Students are offered witha list of courses divided into three categories,
humanities and social sciences (e.g., philosophy
and psychology), information science (e.g., deeplearning) and neuroscience, and are expected
to study subjects outside their major to obtain
credits. In the summer/winter schools, students
and faculties engage in interdisciplinary
discussions with leading researchers fromaround the world. In the internships, students
work on practical problems at research
institutes and partner companies in Japanand abroad, where they can take advantage of
personal connections and networks they foster
in the summer/winter schools. Many partnercompanies and other organizations are willing to accept
internship students, indicating the high expectations forhuman resources in this field.

A hub in pursuit of “a new understanding of
human nature”
The largest event hosted by CHAIN in the two years since
its foundation was the international symposium entitled
Adventures in Consciousness Science: Exploring the Crossover
between Philosophy, Neuroscience, AI, and Robotics, held in
November 2019. World-renowned researchers were invitedfrom overseas, and discussions were held on state-of-the-art
research results and future prospects. “It was quite a successwith more than a hundred participants from all over Japan,”says Director Taguchi. “CHAIN is attracting more andmore attention.”

The meeting space at the Center with workspaces for post-doctoral
fellows and graduate students.

The Center’s logo. The interlacing design represents
the overlap between different fields of research which
cultivates the creation of new knowledge on humannature.

NeuroscienceAI

A new understanding of
human nature
The humanities andsocial sciences

Eye-tracking device. The research group of Specially
Appointed Associate Professor Masatoshi Yoshida, a fulltime faculty member of the Center, conducts research using
eye tracking and neural activity measurements to elucidate
the brain mechanisms of schizophrenia.

Interest in CHAIN’s activities is also high among
undergraduates, for whom there are no courses at present.
The Center’s faculty members are communicating on social
media (hashtag: #CHAIN_HU) with the motto “Do
something exciting,” and they are receiving good responses.
Students are also holding voluntary study groups on
cognitive science. For undergraduate education, there are
discussions about offering subjects that allow students toacquire basic literacy in ethical, legal and social problems
that may arise in the process of the social implementationof AI and neuroscience. “It’s one of the hottest fields where
new knowledge is actually being created,” says Director
Taguchi. He expresses enthusiasm for the future: “CHAIN
started out with the homey atmosphere of a family business,but with the expansion of activities, it will be necessary toestablish a system for organizational efforts. We’re trying tocreate an environment where students will work in this fieldwith interest and enthusiasm.”
It will take a couple more years until the world sees
the first graduates from this educational system, but
CHAIN is already bringing out steady outcomes both interms of research and education. Its presence as a hub forinternational collaborative research is increasing day by day.
CHAIN is progressing steadily to pioneer a new field.

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

11

Career Center

Linking students with society throughcareer support keeping up with changes
in the social environment
To support students’ first steps into society, the Career Center plays animportant role as a place of practical and systematic career designing. The
Center provides high-quality job hunting support based on the aptitudeof individual students, while keeping up with “new normal” postpandemic society.
Efforts toward the establishment of the Career Centerstarted in 1998 in the Employment Information Libraryof the Academic Affairs Department. At that time, twoworkers provided employment information and guidance
for students. In 2004, with the reorganization of national
universities into corporations, the Career Center of the
Academic Affairs Department was established under
the strong leadership of the then President of Hokkaido
University, Professor Mutsuo Nakamura. In 2017, it was
reorganized as the Career Center of the Institute for the
Advancement of Higher Education. “The present allcampus system of career education support in addition
to job hunting support started here, although individual
faculties have provided careful job hunting support,” says
the Director of the Career Center, Specially Appointed
Professor Kiyotaka Matsuura.
At the Career Center, qualified advisors and experienced
counselors provide consultation for various employmentrelated matters utilizing their expertise. In addition, theCareer Center holds many employment guidance events
Located on the 1st floor of the Clark Memorial
Student Hall, the Career Center is visited byapproximately 2,000 students annually.

12

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

and seminars throughout the year to provide information
useful for job hunting. The Center also supports early career
education such as internship programs for first- and secondyear undergraduate students.
A major event of the Career Center is a company
research seminar held jointly with the Hokkaido University
Alumni Association, Elm. It is held annually as anopportunity for students to listen directly to individual
explanation given by people from each company andorganization and discuss with them about the businessdetails in each industry. It is one of the largest events of its
kind in Japan, with participation by totally approximately
700 companies and organizations and cumulatively morethan 20,000 students. Approximately seventy percentof Hokkaido University students find their jobs outside
Hokkaido, so companies and organizations from all overJapan gather here. In this March, many students, mainly intheir third year of the undergraduate course or in their firstyear of the master’s course, participated in this seminar andcollected information useful for their career choices before

going out into the world that is facing an uncertain future
due to the pandemic, although this year’s seminar was given
only online using Zoom.

Job hunting support in pandemic times
Job hunting activities in FY 2020 were quite different fromthose in ordinary years due to the pandemic. Many students
felt anxious, as there were fewer opportunities for students
to get together and share employment-related information
with their classmates because university classes were given
online.
The Career Center has taken support measures toaddress the pandemic, while continuing its job hunting
support activities. Job counseling by appointment, which
had been given in personal interviews, phone and othervarious means, is now given mainly via Zoom and otherremote services. Events that were held face to face in ordinary
years are now held online and videotaped so that students
can watch them later at home. Career support information,
which was provided in print or face to face, is now accessible
from the Education and Learning Management System(ELMS). Various measures are taken to allow students tocollect information to the same extent as in pre-pandemic
days.
The methods of employment information provisionand interview screening by companies and other situations
have changed due to the pandemic, the Career Center havebeen giving some new guidance different from before. In
online interviews, for example, students need to think
about their clothing, hair, onscreen appearance, speaking
with time delay, and so on. Especially, regarding where tolook when communicating with people through a computer
screen, students are advised to look at the screen, but to lookat the camera when they have something they really want tosay.
The Career Center’s staff seem to be carrying out their
daily tasks with the thought of giving even more careful
support than before to meet the needs of students anxious
about their job hunting activity in the changed situations.

A company research seminar in March 2019. The seminar is held
for about ten days around this time every year.

Mini job hunting course (online). This is a practical course witha main focus on small group work, which is useful for networking by job-seeking students.

A challenge that has been addressed in job hunting
support activities carried out in the Career Center is the
improvement of support for international students. With
the increase in number of international students studying

at Hokkaido University, requests for consultation fromthese students have increased. Especially, because thenumber of the international students who want to work
for Japanese companies is increasing, it is necessary
to provide consultation for such students with a wider
range of specialties and languages. Director Matsuura
says, “Although we’re doing our best with a limited staff,
it’s difficult to satisfy the various needs of international
students.” To keep up with the globalization of companies
and universities, job hunting support must be diversified.
For both international and Japanese students, it isimportant to start job hunting early in the time on campus,
instead of starting in the third year of the bachelor’s courseor the first year of the master’s course. Early internshipexperiences, for example, are useful for thinking whatkind of work suits them. “Many students have said theirinternship was an eye-opening experience that made themto think seriously about their future and to find what to do
before graduation,” says Director Matsuura. He encourages
students by saying “Let’s think about your career together
from an early stage.”
The Career Center continues providing support for
students to open paths into society through services tailoredto the specialty and aptitude of each student.

Specially Appointed Professor Matsuura, who serves
as the Director of the Career Center and leads 14 staff
members in support of career design and job hunting.

Employment-related materials at the Career Center. Students canread job hunting activity reports of graduates and recollections ofstudents who have passed the civil service examination.

Providing better support

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

13

Interview with the president
Guest

SUGIE
Kazuo

Director (Standing Audit & Supervisory
Committee Member), Sapporo Holdings
LimitedDirector General, Central Council for
the Promoting of Industrial Education
Director, Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre
for UNESCO
Mr. Kazuo Sugie has had experience in a wide
range of practical operations, including research,
manufacturing, planning and sales, for 30 years
since he joined Dainippon Ink and Chemicals,Inc. (presently DIC Corporation). After becoming an executive, he implemented management
reforms under the management vision of “Colorand Comfort by Chemistry” and led the sustainable growth of the company. He holds various
positions and is active at the forefront of society.
President Kiyohiro Houkin, who has beenworking energetically to make Hokkaido University like no other university since assuming
office in October 2020, interviewed Mr. Sugie, a
Hokkaido University alumnus, about his life andcorporate philosophy and about the partnership
between the University and the alumni association.

Promoting communications
and a sense of belonging willlead to the growth of theorganization.
14

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

15

Dedication to study during school years
Houkin: First, where are you from? Could you also tellme your story from boyhood to enrollment in
Hokkaido University?
Sugie: I come from Urahoro Town in the Tokachi region of
Hokkaido. I was the kind of child who’d always ask
adults “Why?” A town high school had just opened,
so I entered as one of the first students. Being asmall and local school, all the students were friends
and had fun. After that, I entered Muroran Instituteof Technology. In my fourth year, I heard about
graduate school from a teacher who came from
Hokkaido University as a lecturer every week, andI decided to aim for it. I studied the hardest duringthat time as it was very difficult to enter Hokkaido
University from another university.
Houkin: I don’t think many people went to graduate schoolin those days. You must’ve been a hard worker.
Sugie: As I felt chemistry was easy after memorizing theperiodic table of the elements, I was good at the
subject since junior high school and high school. I
also liked to read since childhood and I read many
books, so I was also good at contemporary Japanese
language. Although I wasn’t good at subjects that
required memorization, I studied English very hard.
Houkin: What research did you conduct in the master’s
degree? And how did you decide your career path
after completing the degree?
Sugie: I conducted research on extracting compounds
from oil components. I formulated a theory,
wrote a theoretical equation and proved it in anexperiment by myself. It was more like chemicalengineering. Because the environment allowed me
to freely conduct a research, I did everything—fromdetermining a theme to making devices. I remember
feeling happy when a teacher at my master’s thesis
defense complimented me, saying “What you’re
doing is interesting. It can be applied to thefabrication of industrial devices.” I wanted to keep
engaging in chemical research after completing thecourse, so I joined Dainippon Ink and Chemicals,Inc. (presently DIC Corporation).
Houkin: At Hokkaido University, ICReDD (the research
center presented in Feature 1) is promoting thedevelopment of chemical reactions that canrevolutionize society. Listening to your story, I truly

feel that chemistry has been a characteristic strengthof Hokkaido University, and one that continues tothis day.
Sugie: I think Hokkaido University's research can lead in
the field of chemistry, such as the work of Professor
Akira Suzuki, who won the Nobel Prize. As many
companies seem to be having trouble determining
a future direction, I expect Hokkaido University tolead joint research with sponsoring companies.

Hokkaido University has

Because the environment allowed

traditionally been strong inme to freely conduct a research, I

chemistry, and I feel that thisdid everything—from determining a

tradition remains today.

theme to making devices.

– Dr. Houkin– Mr. Sugie

Consumer value in business development
Houkin: What kind of work did you do after entering thecompany?
Sugie: I entered the company to conduct research, but I
was in the research department for only four andhalf years. After that, I was transferred to ninedifferent departments over the course of 30 years,
including production and planning, until I became
an executive. I wasn’t good at communications, so I
started out by choosing science; even so, I worked asa supervisor of a manufacturing site and in the sales

16

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

and marketing departments. For decades, every
time I changed position I initially did not like thejob.[laughs].
Houkin: You must’ve had all kinds of experiences.
Sugie: When I was at a manufacturing site, I was called ineven on my days off if there were out of specification
products. I felt that defective goods owed to theworkers' lack of a sense of identity as manufacturers,
so I held workshops every week. As a result, theycame to understand the meaning of productstandards and purposes, and they came to identify

with and feel responsible for the goods.
When I was in the marketing section, I wasn’t goodat talking with clients. Then I changed my approachto let others talk and just listen to them. When it
comes to their specialties, clients have plenty totalk about and they even give me ideas about work.
When I met insurance salespersons, I also felt thattrust was important and that selling goods meant
having customers buy your personality.
Houkin: Were you influenced by anyone, or can you
remember any anecdotes from your activities at thecompany?

Sugie: When I visited the president of Yamazaki Baking
Co., Ltd., I saw a poster with Peter Drucker’s words:“What is our business? Who is our customer? What
does our customer consider value?” I got the poster
from the president and put it in my office when I
became the president of my company. Although
Dainippon Ink had about a third of the global
market share for printing ink, our business of ink
for newspapers, magazines and other paper printing
was in the red. The clients of an ink company are
printing companies, and they see value in ink
with superior printing characteristics with low
price. Clients of printed matter are consumers
who see value in the acquisition of information.
The method of information transmission has beenshifting from print to digital, and we’ve shifted
our focus to R&D to further improve chemical
products used for information devices, namely,
liquid crystal compounds and color filter pigmentsthat are already in our product line. Althoughsales volumes have decreased, profit margins haveincreased. By following the words of Drucker andconsidering what consumers value, we’ve managed
to change the company's composition. On our
100th anniversary, we changed our name to DIC.
I instructed the section heads and chiefs, who
would be the next generation leaders, to think of a
new management vision. The result was “Color &Comfort by Chemistry.” We were able to change
our direction so as to provide sustainable products
to the world by utilizing most of the company’s
management resources, thanks to Drucker's words,
who made me realize that there would be eternal
demand for the value of “colors,” and not just of
pigments as substances.
Solid partnerships to make the university like no other
Houkin: You’re serving as the president of the Hokkaido
University Elm Alumni Association. Could you tellme your ideas about alumni activities?
Sugie: For graduates, I think an alma mater is like a family .
I think everyone wants to contribute to their family
home, but when it comes time to make donations or
conduct joint research, they hesitate to take action.
First, it's necessary to foster a sense of belonging
to Hokkaido University. If there’s a good reason,

Litterae Populi Spring 202117

alumni will cooperate. For instance, it is important
for the university to work on the purpose of the
donation and research initiatives for the society. I
want to keep supporting the university by bridging
the gap between the university and alumni.
Houkin: Thank you. Focus has recently been placed on
engagement management, that is, the establishmentof trust-based relationships in which we interact
with organizations on equal terms. Against such abackground, the Elm Alumni Association is very
important as a group of people sharing the same
feelings and thoughts. A solid partnership with
the Elm Alumni Association is essential for the
consolidation of the management base and thepromotion of industry-university collaboration,
I believe that this time of your presidency is an
opportunity to bring about changes.
Sugie: For the future of Japan, I want the national
government to invest more in universities. At
the same time, the acquisition of external funds
is also necessary for financial independence as acorporation. Since you’ve clearly presented yourvision for the revitalization and developmentof Hokkaido University and you've placed theimportance on governance in management,
what you need now is the community's support.
If I ask businesspersons what they think about
Hokkaido University alumni, most say they’requiet. Another thing that I often hear people say
is, “Many graduates of Hokkaido University play
active roles overseas.” Others say that they haveindomitable and independent spirits. I think it’s

The phrase “Boys, be ambitious”

because of the historical background that peoplecame from all over Japan to colonize Hokkaido. No
other universities have so many students comingfrom all over the country. Looking at the numberof international students, it is also a very diverse
university. Considering that, Hokkaido University
has sufficient capacity to rank among leading
universities in the world.
Houkin: Thank you. Lastly, could you give a message tostudents and graduates?
Sugie: What kind of people are leaders? A leader and ahead are apparently different. Being a head is simply
about a hierarchical relationship. If one simply
follows orders from the head and things don’t
work out, the head subordinate will just say thatthe head's order was a mistake. I believe the mostimportant thing for a leader is to have the followers
willingly work with the leader. The basis of my idea
is that we can’t work the way we want without thehelp from those around us, because a person's ability
is limited. That’s why I want students of Hokkaido
University to become leaders who value teamwork.
I think the university’s Nitobe College education
program is truly a step ahead of global education.
Hokkaido University can be a global hub university
in professional education, including leadershipeducation. I want to keep supporting Hokkaido
University as the family home of alumni.
Houkin: The phrase “Boys, be ambitious” has various
interpretations, and I think it’s connected withleadership education and entrepreneurship. I hopefor your continued guidance, as I feel the need toadvance by demonstrating the characteristics of theuniversity a little more clearly in collaboration with
the Elm Alumni Association. Thank you very muchfor today.

has various interpretations,and I think it’s connected

I want students of Hokkaido

with leadership education andUniversity to become leaders who

entrepreneurship.

value cooperation.

– Dr. Houkin– Mr. Sugie

HOUKIN Kiyohiro

SUGIE Kazuo

President, Hokkaido University
Born in Hokkaido in 1954. Graduated from Hokkaido University School of Medicine. Doctor (medicine) (Hokkaido
University). Worked for Hokkaido University Hospitaland other facilities since 1979. After working as a visiting
researcher at the University of California, Davis, became
an assistant professor at the Hokkaido University Graduate
School of Medicine in 2000, professor of Sapporo Medical
University School of Medicine in 2001 and professor of the
Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine in 2010.
After becoming the director of Hokkaido University Hospital/vice executive of Hokkaido University in 2013 and the
director of Hokkaido University Hospital/vice president of
Hokkaido University in 2017, assumed the present positionin October 2020.

18

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

Director (Standing Audit & Supervisory Committee
Member), Sapporo Holdings Limited
Director General, Central Council for the Promoting ofIndustrial Education
Director, Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO
Born in Hokkaido in 1945. Graduated from the Muroran Institute of Technology Faculty of Engineering. Completed themaster’s degree of the Hokkaido University Graduate Schoolof Engineering. Joined Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.
(presently DIC Corporation) in 1970. Became a director in
2001, the president in 2009, the chairman in 2012 and anadvisor in 2015. Active on the front lines of society even after
retirement. Became the president of the Hokkaido University Elm Alumni Association in July 2019.

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

19

Refining: Chronobiology

Focusing on the biological clock for improving human health

Chronobiology
Biological clock plays a crucial role for mental andphysical health
Circadian rhythms are approximately 24-h fluctuations
in physiology, behavior (sleep-wake cycle), and physicalperformance. The biological clock located in the
suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus is the central
circadian pacemaker and plays a crucial role in generating thecircadian rhythm. The circadian pacemaker entrains to an
environmental light-dark cycle caused by the Earth’s rotation
period of 24 h and regulates the internal temporal order of

YAMANAKA Yujiro
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education

Doctor (medicine). Expertise: Chronobiology. Dr. Yamanaka
received his Ph.D. from Department of Physiology, Graduate
School of Medicine, Hokkaido University. Dr. Yamanaka started
his academic carrier in Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido
University as Assistant professor (2010-2016) and assumed thepresent position in 2016. Dr. Yamanaka’s research focused on theeffects of light, physical exercise, and meal on sleep and circadianrhythm, which are closely associated with people’s lifestyle inmodern society. His future research success is greatly anticipated.

20

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

physiological function. As a result, we can be active during thedaytime and sleep well during the night. Associate Professor
Yujiro Yamanaka of the Faculty of Education specializes inchronobiology, which deals with the biological clock, and hehas been pursuing comprehensive research on the effect of thebiological clock on mental and physical health.
“When I was in high school, I had a goal of becoming
a physical education teacher,” says Associate Professor
Yamanaka. After graduating from Nihon University SeniorHigh School in Kanagawa Prefecture, he entered theDepartment of Sport and Physical Education, Kokushikan
University. He had the opportunity to attend a lecture on
exercise physiology, after which he started research under
Professor Tsuyoshi Watanabe of the Department of Exercise
Physiology. Associate Professor Yamanaka’s graduation thesis
was on “Effect of psychological satisfaction from mountainclimbing exercise on diurnal variations in autonomic nervous
activity in healthy elderly persons.” In cooperation with friendsof his mother who loved mountain climbing, he compared
the diurnal variation of cardiac autonomic nervous activity
on normal days to that on days when they went mountainclimbing. The parasympathetic nervous activity duringnocturnal sleep was found to be greater on days when theywent mountain climbing than on normal days. “Although
I wasn’t aware that the research was addressing circadianrhythm, the measurements in a 24-hour cycle might have beenconnected with my current research,” says Associate Professor
Yamanaka. Although he obtained the teaching certificate forhealth and physical education, he entered the master’s course of
the Graduate School of Education, University of Yamanashi,in the hope of continuing research on autonomic nervous
system, which he had become interested in when writing his
graduation thesis. He conducted research to create a normal
value (diagnostic criteria) for assessing the cardiovascularautonomic function response to postural change together
with Dr. Koichi Honma of the Department of Neurology,
Chiba Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center. After presenting
his first scientific article paper in English, seeing how his
research results were reflected in clinical practice and feelingthe difficulties and joys of research, his goal changed fromteaching to research.
“As I thought I should do something different from others
to survive in the academic world as a researcher, I looked
into research on chronobiology,” says Associate Professor
Yamanaka. He focused his attention on the relationshipbetween exercise and the biological clock, which not yet
fully understood in those days. As he learned that pioneeringresearch in this field was conducted at Hokkaido University,
he decided to enter the doctoral course of the university’s
Graduate School of Medicine. He began to conduct
isolation experiments in humans under Professor Ken-ichi
Honma of the Chronophysiology Laboratory, Departmentof Physiology (formerly the Department of Physiology I) in
2004. Concurrently with research to clarify the structure of
the human biological clock and the mechanism involved inphase-adjustment of human circadian rhythm by light andexercise, he also conducted animal experiments to clarify
the brain mechanism of photic and non-photic entrainment
in humans, which was difficult to study in humans, and heacquired his doctoral degree (medicine) in 2008. Since then,
Associate Professor Yamanaka has continued his research as astaff member of the Chronophysiology Laboratory. And since
becoming an associate professor in the Graduate School of
Education and establishing the Laboratory of Life and Health
Sciences in 2016, he has been conducting research from broad
perspectives, with a main focus on the biological clock andcircadian rhythm.

Toward the social implementation of research
results
A major research finding of Associate Professor Yamanaka is
his elucidation of the non-photic entrainment mechanism of
the human biological clock. Concerning the human biologicalrhythm, a two-oscillator model has been proposed. The model
consists of a central clock (the primary oscillator) that controls
the core body temperature and melatonin plus a peripheral
clock (the secondary slave oscillator) that controls the sleepwake cycle. However, which oscillator is affected by exercise
had remained unclarified for many years. Associate Professor
Yamanaka found out in the isolation facility kept under thedim light condition that habitual exercise acts as a zeitgeber(synchronizer) for the secondary oscillator, which mainly©️JAXA/NASA

A hierarchical multi-oscillator system, which is controlled by a self-sustained
circadian pacemaker generate and regulates the circadian rhythm. Dr.
Yamanaka has been investigating the effect of daily scheduled wheel-running
exercise on circadian rhythm of behavior and clock gene expression in the SCN
in mice.

controls the sleep-wake cycle, and that there is a feedback
pathway in which exercise secondarily affects the central clock
via the oscillator that controls the sleep-wake cycle. He also
conducted isolation experiments based on these results andfound that the combination of timed exercise under bright
light accelerates the reentrainment of circadian rhythm to alarge shift of sleep schedule, which will help overcome jet-lag
sleep disorders when one travels internationally. Based on thisscientific evidence, Associate Professor Yamanaka has been
supported the Japan national football team by providing astrategy for overcoming jet lag.
“The biological clock is fundamental and essential
physiological functions for keeping our mental and physicalhealth,” says Associate Professor Yamanaka. “To maintainmental and physical health, it’s important to understand themechanism of the biological clock and to design the daily
rhythm in consideration of our internal biological clocks varyfrom individual to individual.” He is working on research toelucidate the mechanism whereby behavioral rhythms are fed
back to the biological clock of mice, in parallel with research
to elucidate the mechanism whereby light and exercise adjust
the human biological clock. He is also active in joint researchwith companies in Hokkaido, such as research on the stressreducing effect of fermented milk, the development of awearable device for regulating sleep and biological clock andthe development of a health-support app. He always strives
to deliver his research findings to society while continuing
chronobiological research.

Mountain climbing
for a change!
Associate Professor Yamanaka
has enjoyed mountain climbing since early childhood. He works
hard on research every day, looking forward to those days when hecan climb with his family while enjoying the flowers and scenery.
The photo was taken in front of the Matterhorn (Switzerland).

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

21

Alumni Interview

Think and practice from “exactly halfway between”
arts and sciences
Identify changes of the times, and predict the future

my master’s thesis was due, so I had trouble. Even so,
I managed to complete it. Thinking about the logicalstructure of research myself was a great experience.
Besides studies, I was enthusiastic about rugby, traveling,
tennis and other club activities, as well as playing in aband. In those days, I did everything to improve mycommunication skills in order to avoid becoming a biased
person. I also held various part-time jobs, among which I put
the most effort into teaching at a cram school. The school
had a “class-based teacher assignment system,” so I was
responsible for guiding my students. It was hard working
long hours preparing for classes and giving makeup classes
late at night, but I had a feeling of achievement and theexperience became the foundation for my current job.
You found a job in a field totally different from science,
didn’t you?
I thought about advancing to the doctoral course, but I
joined Recruit Co., Ltd. and later left there for a venturecompany. The business world depends heavily on individual

ONO Hiroyuki

SunBridge Inc. Chairman & CEO (at the time of interview)
United-bus Corp. President (from April 2021)| School of Engineering - Graduate School of Engineering Graduate |Mr. Hiroyuki Ono is operating a business to improve thesales and productivity of companies through the centralized
management of customer information using cloud (online)
computing services. He spoke with us about the backgroundto his creative ideas and active behavior, looking back on his
corporate activities and school days.
Please start by telling me about your current work.
A decade ago, companies usually conducted sales byorganizing exhibitions, placing ads and conducting personal
sales. However, the spread of the Internet has changed
the situation completely. Customers obtain productinformation from websites. Therefore, a method called“marketing automation” was introduced. It redirects sales
activities toward only those customers who have a certain
22

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

level of interest, through the centralized management andautomatic analysis of information on customer behavioral
patterns and motivation to buy. As a result, the sales andproductivity of companies will improve dramatically.
Business is a science based on calculable predictions, rather
than on spiritualism. We support corporate activities by
proposing such marketing mechanisms.
How did you spend your university days?
As an undergraduate, I conducted basic research on opticalsensors in the Division of Applied Physics of the Schoolof Engineering. In graduate school, I was interested inbionics and ventured into the unexplored field of artificialorgan development. My joint research with an American
university hospital was discontinued immediately before

expertise. I thought such expertise could be “structuralized”
as something that could be scientifically reproduced,
and I put that idea into practice. A key phrase I’ve beenusing for many years is “analog-digital conversion.” The
world of relationships with customers is an “analog” art,
whereas the world of technology is a “digital” science. I’ve
practiced matching with customers by giving presentations
on how they can use technology to solve their problems,
as I think such matching is necessary and creates business
opportunities. The analog world will never becomecompletely digital no matter how hard we try. That’s why
it’s so important to facilitate analog-digital conversion assmoothly as possible. Human resources who can play activeroles “exactly halfway between the arts and the sciences”
will be required in the future.
What do you try to do in everyday life to cultivate acreative point of view?
I watch what happens in emergencies—for example, in the
Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. In the world of IT,
cloud services have increased dramatically, because of theircheaper prices than existing methods and the increased
awareness of the importance of safety to ensure thecontinuation of corporate activities at times of disaster. In
the days of the pandemic, what society values has changed
completely, as can be seen in the general use of the term
digital transformation (DX). For example, workers haveshifted from commuting to working remotely, and non-face-to-face sales and project activities and online corporate
seminars have become common. By providing services tokeep up with such changes, our company’s productivity has
improved and our sales have increased significantly.
What do you see as the potential of Hokkaido?
Because of its extensive land and geographicallyadvantageous position, I expect Hokkaido to play a central
role in terms of economy, and I have a strong desire to be
involved in the prefecture and give back to it. Its food selfsufficiency is 200%, which is the highest in the country
by far, and there’s technology to produce delicious ricein a cold climate. New business models that integrate IT
and agriculture have already emerged. I personally believethat food and health are the most important subjects forthe future. I expect Hokkaido University to create new
innovations, and I hope to work together with it.
Lastly, please give a message to the students.
When studying, it’s sometimes necessary to think
autonomously and act on your own initiative. Even when
you’re in such a situation, you’re in an environment where
you can try different approaches, and that’s one advantageof the university. The same can be said about activities otherthan studying. Don’t hesitate to try innovative new things
with an open mind.

Memorabilia from university days: a videotape of band activities and a master’s thesis written by Mr. Ono
PROFILE
Born in Hokkaido in 1964. Graduated from the Hokkaido University
School of Engineering in 1987. After completing the master’s course of theuniversity’s Graduate School of Engineering in 1990, joined Recruit Co., Ltd.
and launched the commercialization of Internet services as the manager incharge of new projects. Involved in the creation of numerous new projects fordomestic IT vendors. Has participated in the management of Sunbridge Group
Ltd. since 2009, and assumed the current position in April 2021. His uniqueapproaches and provision of services from the viewpoint of companies havealways been highly valuated.

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

23

From

Colombia/Mexico

Letters from Ambassadors and Partners

A bridge between Hokkaido University and the world

This issue features contributions from Mr. Fanor Mondragón Pérez, who is active as a Hokkaido University
ambassador in Colombia, and Mr. Makoto Hirata, who is active as a Hokkaido University partner in Mexico.

1

2

1

Dr. Fanor Mondragón Pérez

Mr. Makoto Hirata

Emeritus Professor of Antioquia University, Medellin, Colombia. Member of the Colombian National Academy of SciencesT

visited the University of Antioquia
in November 2018 to deliver lectures
and to carry out a mini symposium
which was attended by students from
HU and University of Antioquia.
Since then, we had two missions
from HU to University of Antioquia
as part of the Learning Satellite Program between both universities withthe collaboration of Professor Kiyoharu Tadanaga, Professor Carolina
Rosero, and Professor Toshihiro Shimada. We also have had some Colombian students doing research in
HU for short periods of time.
Unfortunately, in 2020 we had
to postpone some student visits to
HU due to the pandemic. Professor
Franklin Jaramillo from Universityof Antioquia was scheduled to deliver some lectures at HU as part of a
HSI this year, but that activity was
also cancelled.
We also have a student applying
to the MEXT scholarship, if successful, she would like to carry out her
PhD at Hokudai.
I hope that this year we will beable to resume active exchanges between the two universities.

will be very interesting for Japanesescholars to come to Antioquia to participate in joint research projects andto learn about the local culture.
The Ambassador Program is agood way to make this happen and I
am most happy to give back to HU,
the university that means a lot to me.
Although there are not many exchanges between our universities dueto the distance, the two-way learning
will be very important for both universities. The University of Antioquia
is the second largest and most prestigious university in Colombia, so its
promotion to the world will make adifference to our students.
Last year, we were visited by Professor Kiyoharu Tadanaga, a materials scientist from the Applied Chemistry Department who delivered some
lectures to the graduate students in
Chemical Sciences.
Together with Professor Tadanaga, we filed an application to the
Learning Satellite Program of HU.
The proposal was approved for 2018and 2019.
Under this program, two lecturers and 5 graduate students from HU

he Hokkaido University (HU)
Ambassador and Partner Program is an excellent way to promote
the university to the world and to create two-way communication with different universities, institutions, andregions. This kind of communication
is especially beneficial for a country
like Colombia, which has very little
contact with its Asian counterparts.
For me, it has been a very good
opportunity to collaborate with HU
where I obtained my doctoral degreein 1984 with my thesis on the chemistry of coal conversion into liquids.
Since my return to Colombia, withthe help of my advisor the late Professor Koji Ouchi, I started a researchlaboratory working on renewable andnon-renewable energy resources.
Through this, I have publishedmore than 130 scientific papers, 8
patents and supervised 16 PhD theses.
Now through the Ambassador
Program, my wish is to have moreyoung people from Colombia who
would like to carry out their Masters,
PhD, or internships at HU.
At the same time, I also think it

Representative, Mexico Office, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

I(lamb barbecue) on the campus lawnwith friends from seminars and clubs
is also a good memory, although I
hear it’s banned now.
I often hear the name of Hokkaido University during my JICA
activities. I’m quite impressed by
Hokkaido University’s cooperative
activities, such as research on zoonoses in Zambia, Africa, and cooperation on livestock farming in Bolivia,
South America, to solve global-scale
problems in natural science, a field inwhich the university has advantages.
JICA also has many members from
Hokkaido University who are activeon the front lines, such as Director
General Satoshi Yoshida (formerly in
the Keiteki-Ryo student dormitory)of the Latin America and the Caribbean Department, who’s also been a
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer; Chief Secretary Hiroo Tanaka of
the Office of the President; and Chief
Representative Jiro Takeichi of theBalkan Office (in Serbia). I feel thatthe great number of people involvedin support for developing countries isan embodiment of Hokkaido University’s frontier spirit.
Mexicans are kind to Japanese ingeneral, as Mexico has pro-Japanesesentiment fostered by people of Japanese descent, starting with the Enomoto Colonization Company that wasapplied to become a partner, as I
saw the inauguration of the Ambassador Partner System as a messagefor Hokkaido University to further
promote international partnerships
and I thought there must be something I could do as a graduate working in the international cooperationindustry. I’m very honored to havebeen appointed as a partner as a result.
Latin America, in which I’ve
been deeply involved during my career, is probably unfamiliar to Japanese, as it’s far from Japan and in adifferent language zone. Even so, I
feel that such unfamiliarity is exactly
why I can repay the favor to my almamater through my expertise and work
experience there.
When I was a student, I felt—
and I still feel—that Hokkaido University has an excellent environment,with great natural splendor, eventhough it’s in downtown Sapporo. I
was in the Laboratory of Horticultural Science of the Faculty of Agriculture. Under the policy of thenProfessor Katsuji Osawa that studentsof the Faculty of Agriculture shouldhave experience growing vegetables, I
cultivated all kinds of vegetables withthe help of technical officials, usingpart of the field (approx. 600 m2) behind the faculty. Enjoying jingisukan

1. Staff and researchers of Professor Tadanaga‘slaboratory
2. Professor Franklin Jaramillo‘s lecture for thecourse on solid state materials for batteries
3. Professor Shimada and Professor Jaramillo
visiting Medellin with Japanese students
4. Japanese and Colombian students duringlecture break
3

24

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

2

4

led by Takeaki Enomoto, who landed at Chiapas State in the southernpart of the country in 1897. There arealso many Japanese people working
and living in Mexico, as more Japanese companies are expanding tothat country with the recent growthof economic ties between the twocountries. There are many Japaneserestaurants in downtown Mexico
City with dishes as good as thoseserved in Japan. Although the security problems of Mexico often attract
attention, it’s one of the most livable countries for Japanese in Latin
America.
International society is now
moving together to resolve common
challenges by setting sustainable
development goals (SDGs). Against
such a background, Hokkaido University is expected to take the leadin promoting further industry-university-government collaboration
by making the most of the human
network of its alumni. I believe thatpeople with experience and the willingness to take on new challenges fostered in the liberal academic
culture of Hokkaido University canbe leaders anywhere in the world.
Although a mountain of challenges
remains to be solved, let’s put ourenergy into our tasks with the spiritof keppare (doing one’s best).

1. The Mexican flag in the Plaza del Zócalo at the center of
Mexico City
2. The famous Japanese restaurant Kura in Mexico City
3. An event held by the Association México Japan
4. A Japanese international disaster relief team engages in rescue
activities after an earthquake that occurred in central Mexico in
September 2017.
3

4

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

25

Hokkaido University Archives

140 yearsofchallenge

2

3

SCENE-14

1880-1909
Establishment of the
School of Fishery
6

8

10
1. Kazutaka Ito, who led fisheries in Hokkaido (ca. 1890, Hokkaido University
Archives)
2. Tsunenobu Fujita, Chief of the School of Fishery (ca. 1910, Hokkaido University
Archives)

4

3. Shunjiro Nozawa, Professor of the School of Fishery (ca. 1910, Hokkaido
University Archives)
4. Oshoro Marine Station (ca. 1910, Hokkaido University Archives)
5. Draft of Kanzo Uchimura’s Catalog of Japanese Fish (1883 – 84, Hokkaido
University Archives)
6. The Fishery Laboratory (ca. 1910, Hokkaido University Archives)
7. Sketch of an aquatic animal by Rei Nakamura, the first student of the School ofFishery (1907, Hokkaido University Archives)
8. Notebook of Naoharu Hiratsuka, from the 14th graduating class, that records
a fisheries science lecture given by Shosuke Sato (1894, Hokkaido University
Archives)
9. Fishing net-making training in the School of Fishery (ca. 1910, Hokkaido
University Archives)

1

5

In addition to the regular course and the preparatory course
designed for students planning to enter the regular course,
Sapporo Agricultural College had courses of various grades andfields required in Hokkaido in those days. Such courses included
an agriculture training course to teach farming techniques tosettlers, an agriculture course that was equivalent to secondary
school, a military science course to foster tondenhei (farmersoldiers) and forestry and civil engineering courses for juniorhigh school graduates. When Sapporo Agricultural College wasreorganized as the College of Agriculture of Tohoku Imperial
University in 1907, those attached courses were also reorganized
as courses to provide vocational education.

professional knowledge in foreign languages, specialist schoolsof business emphasized the acquisition of expertise and skills.
Those schools were also equivalent to colleges under the postwar
educational system.
In 1912, the College of Agriculture at Tohoku Imperial
University had 206 college students, 283 students in the
preparatory course, 85 in the practical course of agriculture, 79
in the practical course of forestry, 95 in the civil engineeringcourse and 116 in the fisheries course. By grade, 24% werecollege students, 33% were high school students and 43% werestudents of specialist schools of business. The mixture of many
students of different grades on campus was a feature that was
not seen at other imperial universities.

Grades of the Specialist School of Business

Fisheries science at Sapporo Agricultural College

Various attached courses

7

Of the courses in the specialist schools of business, the fisheries
In prewar days, the most standard way to complete university
course stands out. It reflects the geopolitical environment ofeducation was to take the route of studying six years in elementary
Hokkaido, which is surrounded by the sea and has the utilization
school and five years in junior high school, then studying aof marine resources as an important challenge.
foreign language and basic subjects for three years (ages 18 to20) in high school and finally studying
special fields for three years (ages 21
The School of Fishery shall be established in this college to foster
to 23) at university. In the case of
the College of Agriculture of Tohoku
develop and improve fishery.
Imperial University, students entered
The educational organization of the college shall be expanded asa preparatory course (equivalent to(“Statement on the expansion of Sapporo Agricultural College” by President
high school) before advancing to theCollege of Agriculture (equivalent to
Sapporo Agricultural College emphasized fisheries. In thethe faculty of agriculture).
College’s early days, Professor J.C. Cutter, who taught
In addition to the preparatory course and the college, thephysiology, included marine organisms in his lectures on
College of Agriculture of Tohoku Imperial University had
zoology. Kazutaka Ito, who was a member of the inaugural classfour attached courses: the practical course of agriculture, theand attended Cutter’s lectures, later led the Hokkaido fisheries
practical course of forestry (renamed from the forestry course),
industry as the head of the Fisheries Division of the Hokkaido
the civil engineering course and the fisheries course. All wereGovernment. Kanzo Uchimura, who was a year junior to Ito,positioned as specialist schools of business under the prewar
gave a graduation speech entitled “Fishery is also an academic
education system. The grades of the specialist schools of businessfield.” After graduation, he engaged in fisheries surveys andwere equivalent to high school and preparatory courses andtests, and created the List of Fish of Japan.
were institutions of higher education where students aged 18
Sapporo Agricultural College added fisheries science to theto 20 studied for three years and acquired professional businesscollege lecture subjects in 1891, and Professor Shosuke Sato, who
skills. In contrast to universities that focused on the learning of
26

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

9

specialized in agricultural economics, took charge of teaching
the subject. At a teachers’ meeting in 1893, Professors Kingo
Miyabe, Inazo Nitobe and Takajiro Minami proposed adding
the School of Fishery to the specialty fields for college students.
In a statement on the expansion of Sapporo Agricultural College
that President Sato submitted to the Ministry of Education in
1898, he made an appeal for the establishment of a school offishery to teach about fish catching, fishing gear and fisheryproduction.

Establishment of the School of Fishery

The School of Fishery was established in April 1907, immediately
before Sapporo Agricultural College was elevated to the status ofuniversity. Tsunenobu Fujita studied in the College of Scienceof the Imperial University of Tokyo (presently the School of
Science of the University of Tokyo) after being in the eighth
graduating class of Sapporo Agricultural College. He worked
as an engineer for the fisheries training institute of the Ministryof Agriculture and Commerce (presently the Tokyo University

fishery operators in Northern seas and to further
part of the promotion of business in Hokkaido.

Shosuke Sato of Sapporo Agricultural College)of Marine Science and Technology). He became the director of
the School of Fishery. The main teachers included Mr. Fujita,
who was in charge of aquaculture science, Shunjiro Nozawa(in the fifth graduating class of Sapporo Agricultural College),
who taught reorganized fisheries science, Kichisaburo Endo(from the College of Science, Imperial University of Tokyo),
who taught hydrophytology, and Shigeo Sasa (in the 16th
graduating class) and Yasushi Suzuki (in the 22nd graduatingclass), who taught fisheries production. The fishery classroom,training room, laboratory and other facilities were built on the
Sapporo campus, the Oshoro Marine Biological Station wasestablished near Otaru and the Oshoro-maru training ship was

10. The Oshoro-maru training ship of the School of Fishery (ca. 1910, Hokkaido
University Archives)

built. In those days, the only other institute of higher education
specializing in fisheries science was the fisheries training instituteof the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce.
The School of Fishery was later reorganized as the School ofFishery of Hokkaido Imperial University, the Hakodate College
of Fisheries, and in 1949, as the College of Fisheries, Hokkaido
University. At present, there are only a few other institutesof higher education with independent fishery departments,
including Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology,
Nagasaki University, Kagoshima University, Kitasato University,
Tokai University, and the National Fisheries University, the lastof which was under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Agency.
Fishery can be regarded as a field that has distinguished
Hokkaido University’s research and education for 140 years.
Ho k k a i d o Un i ve r s i t y

HISTORY
1880-1909

January
1880
June		
1881
			October 1891
February 1893
			
September 1894
January
1898
			
			
December 1905
December 1906
April		1907September 1907
			
October 1907
November 1907
March
1908
February 1909

Professor J. C. Cutter gives lectures on marine organisms.
Kanzo Uchimura of the second graduating class gives a speech entitled“Fishery is also an academic field” at the graduation ceremony.
The curriculum of the college is revised to include fisheries science.
Professors Miyabe, Nitobe and Minami propose at a teachers’ meetingthat the School of Fishery be established as a specialty field.
Professor Shosuke Sato gives lectures on fisheries science.
President Shosuke Sato submits to the deputy minister of education astatement on the expansion of Sapporo Agricultural College that makes
an appeal for the establishment of a school of fishery.
A decision is made to establish the School of Fishery.
A new Fisheries Course classroom is built.
The Sapporo Agricultural College School of Fishery is established.
Sapporo Agricultural College is reorganized as the College of 		
Agriculture, Tohoku Imperial University.
The Fisheries Chemistry Laboratory is built.
The Oshoro Marine Biological Station is built.
The Fisheries Training Room is built.
The Oshoro-maru training ship is built.

Hokkaido University Archives
This facility collects, classifies and preserves historical documents andrecords of Hokkaido University. It also conducts investigations andresearch on its history.
Litterae Populi Spring 2021

27

To p i c s

A comprehensive partnership agreement
concluded with the Hokkaido Branch of
the Yomiuri Shimbun
On March 1, 2021, Hokkaido University and the
Hokkaido Branch of the Yomiuri Shimbun concluded acomprehensive partnership to promote social contribution
activities through mutual cooperation.
Various collaborative activities have been conductedwith the Hokkaido Branch of the Yomiuri Shimbun,
including the Science Lecture event to convey the fun ofscience to elementary and junior high school children. With
the conclusion of the partnership, activities to contribute to
the advancement of the university’s education and better
lives in local communities will be further promoted.

President Mitsuaki Inaba and Vice President Seiji
Hasegawa of the Hokkaido Branch of the Yomiuri
Shimbun and President Kiyohiro Houkin and Director/
Vice President Hiroshi Yoshimi of Hokkaido University
attended the conclusion ceremony, and President Inaba
and President Houkin each expressed their wishes for the
future.
The parties will establish a collaboration council tomaintain close partnership and cooperation with each other,and ensure smooth promotion of measures to contribute to
the development of Hokkaido.

nano tech 2021: We presents research seeds
for the first time
The first time that the Institute for the Promotionof Business-Regional Collaboration ever made apresentation was at nano tech 2021, held at Tokyo Big
Sight from December 9 to 11, 2020.
Almost half of the visitors to nano tech 2021
were R&D-related people. This exhibition is ideal for
opening up new markets and finding partners for new
projects.
We exhibited six nanotech-related research seeds.
Due to the pandemic, the 10,615 attendees made up

only about a quarter of last year’s attendance. Evenso, about 70 people visited the university’s booth andconsultations were given on joint research and othertopics.
The Institute for the Promotion of BusinessRegional Collaboration will continue to promoteindustry-university collaborative activities whileplanning various matching projects with privatecompanies and other organizations.

Exhibition content (research themes/researchers)

The Hokkaido University booth

1. A light wavelength conversion film: for higher efficiency ofsolar cells, Faculty of Engineering
Professor Yasuchika Hasegawa
2. A photo a c ou s t ic i m a g i n g a g e nt t h a t e n a ble s t heobservation of abnormalities in the body using color
variations, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Professor Mikako Ogawa
3. A small fluorescent mutual correlation detection system,
Faculty of Advanced Life Science
Professor Masataka Kinjo
4. A full-spectrum visible light photocatalyst using strong
coupling, Research Institute for Electronic Science
Specially Appointed Professor Hiroaki Misawa
5. The identification of nano materials by electronic trap
density analysis, Institute for Catalysis
Professor Bunsho Otani
6. T he de velopment of hig h-speed mea surement a nd
diagnostic equipment, Research Institute for Electronic
Science
Professor Tamiki Komatsuzaki

The group photo of the final screening for the EAEVE

Professor Hasegawa (right) gives explanations to visitors.

28

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

29

Campus Landscapes

The campus shows signs of spring.
Photographer: Akihito Yamamoto

a

b

c

d

e

Winter has ended, and pleasant spring breezes blow.
This pandemic year was unlike any other year. Although education andresearch activities are limited at the university, students and faculty
members have adapted to the changed environment and a “new normal”
seems to have taken hold.

30

Litterae Populi Spring 2021

b. Former School of Agriculture Libraryc. School of Medicineba

The seasons change quickly. Soon cherry blossoms will bloom and fresh
greenery will spread on campus.
Note: For videos showcasing the natural splendor of the campus indifferent seasons, please visit the University website.

a. Central Lawn

dd. Poplar Avenuecee. Furukawa Hall
N

Videos ofcampus views
QR codeMain
Gate

North13
Gate

Litterae Populi Spring 202131

https://www.global.hokudai.ac.jp/

32

Litterae Populi Spring 2021