Orientation

Apr 11, 2026

The new semester has begun!
The orientation and first lecture were held on April 11th at the Koganei Campus of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. As this was the opening session, the professors began by introducing the history of JDPSR and key perspectives on conducting research.

In the opening remarks, Prof. Hashimoto (UEC) warned that the widespread use of AI (LLMs) could lead to "cognitive disuse atrophy."He emphasized the importance of thinking for ourselves instead of relying too heavily on AI.

In the subsequent session led by Prof. Ito (TUAT), he introduced "academic integration" as a key concept, emphasizing the importance of exploring sustainability-related research challenges in one's own field by integrating insights from different academic fields. After that, Prof. Yasumura (TUAT) delivered a lecture on research ethics, stressing the importance of ensuring integrity and strengthening trust in the research process.

At the end of the orientation, faculty members and students introduced themselves. This semester, one new student from TUAT joined our program.

In the afternoon, Prof. Nakayama (TUFS) delivered the first lecture, "Modernization and Sustainability: Challenges and Issues in Developing Countries."

The lecture provided an academic perspective on the historical background of the SDGs and endogenous development theory, as well as an analysis of Minamata disease, a landmark case in Japan’s history of environmental pollution. Although it was the first class, participants showed remarkable engagement. Discussions on pollution issues continued even during the break, and were followed by an impromptu student presentation.

In the latter half of the class, a general discussion was held on complex questions, such as how to understand situations in which the distinction between perpetrators and victims is unclear. Ideas were actively exchanged from various academic perspectives.

The session concluded with a lively debate, offering students an opportunity to begin developing a multifaceted understanding of sustainable development through both theory and real-world experience.

We will continue to share updates on lectures and student life.