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Governor of Oita Prefecture
Mr. HIROSE Katsusada
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
March 2023 Graduation Ceremony: Governor's Congratulatory Address
Congratulations to all of you on your graduation from the prestigious Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.
I would like to express my deepest respect to President Deguchi and all of the faculty and staff for their enthusiastic guidance, and also extend my heartfelt congratulations to the families who have warmly watched over the growth and development of these graduates and have shown them their deep love and affection.
Since its opening in April 2000, APU has been a leader in the globalization of higher education in Japan and has accumulated an impressive record of achievements, including the acquisition of world-class international accreditation.
In November of last year, APU concluded an agreement with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to promote collaboration and cooperation in international academic research, industry-academia cooperation, and the development of high-quality global human resources. APU continues to develop as a center of knowledge that this prefecture can be proud of both here and abroad.
Furthermore, as a university that is open to the community, APU is constantly contributing not only to the internationalization of our prefecture but also to the revitalization of the local community through activities, such as the multicultural events at Suginoi Hotel and through its support for English language learning at elementary and junior high schools.
Today's graduates have devoted themselves to their studies on this multicultural campus, where students from 103 countries and regions are studying, so that they can play an active role in the international community. During your time at APU, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic at times made it difficult to study on campus until last year when immigration restrictions were eased. Nevertheless, we are confident that your experience in flexibly adapting to a new learning and educational environment will give you great strength to pioneer an era of change.
I hope that after graduation and completion of your programs, you will continue to fully demonstrate the global mindset and personal networks you have cultivated so far, and play an active role in your respective fields, contributing greatly to the development of the Asia-Pacific region.
In conclusion, I hope that you will always love Oita, a place filled with many memories, as your second home, and that you will become bridges between countries, regions, people, and between Oita and the world. I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors.
March 17, 2023
Katsusada Hirose
Governor
Oita Prefecture
Mayor of Beppu City
Mr. NAGANO Yasuhiro
Congratulatory Address
I am here to congratulate to all of you who are graduating from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University today. On behalf of the citizens of Beppu, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations. I would also like to express my gratitude and commendations to your families who encouraged and supported you.
The past three years of the COVID-19 pandemic have likely not been the student life you had envisioned. However, by accumulating experiences, such as ongoing online classes and communication with friends, I am sure that you have acquired a resilient attitude to live through crises and the strength to enjoy and prevail in any environment. I offer my sincere respect for the ingenuity and efforts of all of you graduating. I am sure that this experience will help you overcome the pandemic and create the wonderful world that is coming. I would also like to express my deepest respect and gratitude to everyone in the university community as well as the university's faculty and staff for their support of the students during this time.
It is very encouraging for our city to have people from more than 100 countries and regions, both virtually and online, living together as one team. Beppu has always naturally welcomed people from diverse backgrounds. Thinking about how to make visitors happy and wishing for the realization of diverse happiness is also linked to the spiritual richness of our citizens. I am sure that you have experienced the warmth and caring nature of the people of Beppu many times within this climate. The warmth of the people is our treasure, as is the warmth of the hot springs. I hope that many of you will want to return to Beppu in the future, want to see this or that person again, and want to soak in the hot springs. Beppu is your hometown now. We are your family and we will always be waiting in anticipation of your return.
Now, it is time for you all to start your journey. You have friends and alumni all over the world who will support you. Exciting encounters await you. I sincerely hope that you will cherish the connections you have with people, respect each other, and play an active role as leaders who will pave the way for the next generation.
I wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and sincerely hope to see you again in Beppu.
Come back to Beppu anytime!
March 17, 2023
Yasuhiro Nagano
Mayor
Beppu City
Dean of the College of International Management
Dean of the Graduate School of Management
ALCANTARA Lailani L
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Dean of the College of International Management
Dean of the Graduate School of Management
ALCANTARA Lailani L
I invite you to take a moment, have a deep breath and close your eyes to reflect on the past years of your life at APU.
What do you remember the most? Are they the pains, the struggles, the laughter or the adventures you had? Please cherish all these memories and let them be the source of your strength and hope for life! No doubt your APU journey was not easy. No doubt it was disrupted in many unexpected ways. Amidst these challenges, you have made achievements. friends and allies. Because of these challenges, you are stronger and have grown into a better version of yourself. Believe that you have the capacity to create new roads for yourself and others.
It has been a pleasure and privilege to be a part of your journey. I look forward to seeing you again. Please stay connected, visit and share your stories and aspirations with us and your kohais.
Congratulations!
Dean, College of Asia Pacific Studies
Dean, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
SATO Yoichiro
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Dean, College of Asia Pacific Studies
Dean, Graduate School of Asia Pacific Studies
SATO Yoichiro
Congratulations on an important milestone of your life-long journey.
This day marks your achievement and accomplishment at APU, where you and your peers lived, studied, and nurtured friendships. The hardships you have experienced in your life as a student will be bitter-sweet memories, forming the bones and muscles to carry you forward.
You had to endure three years of your student life under the Covid-19 Pandemic, and your life considerably differed from a normal student life as all our courses had to be delivered online for some time. But, you all overcame the hardship and met the expectations of the university, which on its part was trying to offer the best it could under the circumstance.
For all of you who pursue diverse paths in jobs or graduate schools, one thing is common—that you all will make a giant step towards independence. The knowledge and skills you have acquired will guide you in your next journey, whatever that might be. The change maker that you have become will carry the APU label wherever you go. The network of friends you built globally will be your ears, your eyes, and your brain, collectively informing your decisions. Strive to create positive changes, small or large, in today's increasingly complex society.