On June 15, 2016, Josai University Educational Corporation (Noriko Mizuta, Chancellor) hosted a lecture by former Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Masanori Aoyagi, on the topic of “Nature, Mankind, Science and Technology” at Seiko Hall on Josai University’s Sakado campus in Saitama. Mr. Aoyagi was appointed director of the Institute of Advanced Studies which was established opened at Josai this spring. His lecture, which drew upon experience gained throughout his lengthy and rich career as a researcher, and which served as a pointer for the future of humankind at large, drew nearly 500 attendees, including faculty, students, and members of the community.

The Mikio Mizuta Global Lecture series was established to celebrate Josai’s 50th anniversary by inviting internationally recognized and distinguished scholars from both Japan and abroad to promote the development of global human resources. The series was first launched last year on May 21 with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, followed by Harvard professor Ezra F. Vogel ( June 13), Nobel Prize winning physicist Makoto Kobayashi (July 9), Studio Ghibli general manager Toshio Suzuki ( July 10), chairman of the Japan Business Federation Hiromasa Yonekura ( October 1), chairman of the International Ukiyo-e Society Tadashi Kobayashi ( November 21), and dean of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California Elizabeth M. Daley ( December 4). Mr. Aoyagi is the eighth speaker in the series.

Mr. Aoyagi is one of the foremost scholars of ancient Rome and Greece. Born in Dalian, China in 1944, Mr. Aoyagi’s career includes time as Literature Department Chair and Vice President of the University of Tokyo, Director of the National Museum of Western Art, and Japanese Commissioner for Cultural Affairs. He is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a board member of the Japan Academy. Mr. Aoyagi received the Purple Ribbon Medal in 2006 and the NHK Cultural Award in 2011. His numerous scholarly works include The House of the Ship Europa and The Ancient Roman City.

Chancellor Mizuta made introductory remarks before the lecture, saying, “While Josai celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding last year, it also achieved another milestone five years in the making by establishing the Institute for Advanced Studies, a facility which exceeds the boundaries of natural science and humanities through a commitment to the investigation of state-of-the-art research and educational fields. I can think of no better-suited person for the task of reflection upon the natural science and humanity fields than Professor Aoyagi, who we were delighted to welcome as Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies. His talk today, which will span the topics of science, technology, and humanism, will be an excellent opportunity to contemplate the future of both Japan and the world.”

Mr. Aoyagi began his lecture with the statement that, “All of us reap the benefits of science and technology, but it is just as important to be aware of its dangers.” He added that, after witnessing an initial “world-system” during the Age of Discovery, we have now entered a new stage of the modern “world system” as we confront complex problems of population, environment, poverty, disease, and immigration in the age of globalization. Mr. Aoyagi stated that, “by far the most serious issue is that of climate change,” that is, for humankind, the most dangerous issue is now the environment. “If climate change worsens to the point where it begins to affect population, then the cycle of life will be suspended, and humans will begin to perish,” he said.
　 In addition, Mr. Aoyagi said that, “If one traces the rise and fall of civilization, there is the idea that innovation, discovery, and labor could lead to the extinction of humankind… In an age where it is impossible to discern advanced science in its entirety, and is often so frightening as to cause people to fear for their lives, we must not just eagerly receive the benefits of science and technology, but also as individuals consider the contributions and harmful effects of the technology in question.”
　 During the Q&A session that followed, Mr. Aoyagi replied to one query by saying, “In approaching environmental issues, the most important thing is to think how each of us can exhibit restraint in our lifestyles,” for which he received a hearty round of applause from the audience.