Special lectures were held by Masanori Aoyagi, former Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and specially-appointed Director of Josai University's Institute of Advanced Studies on Humanities, on the theme of “Areas and Culture”in the Seiko Hall on the Sakado Campus (Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture) and in the Mizuta Memorial Hall on the Chiba Togane campus (Togane City, Chiba Prefecture) on November 22 and 29, 2016, respectively. The lectures were part of the Mikio Mizuta Global Lecture series themed “Nature, Mankind, and Science and Technology” held in the Seiko Hall on June 15. His lecture fascinated an audience that consisted of students and faculty.

Masanori Aoyagi is an authority on Greco-Roman archaeology. The positions he has held include Director of the Literature Department at the University of Tokyo, Superintendent of the National Museum of Western Arts, and Director-General of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. He is presently professor-emeritus at the University of Tokyo, and a member of the Japan Academy. He was awarded with the Purple Ribbon in 2006. His many other awards include the 2011 NHK Broadcast Culture Prize. He is the author of many books, including Boathouses in Europe, The Ancient City of Rome, and Founding of a Cultural Nation.

In his lecture, Masanori stated, "In regard to abundance per capita measured by production capital, human capital, and natural capital, Japan exceeds the United States, and is ranked first in the world. This is the fruit of enriching human capital through education and so on. We should keep treasuring education and facilitate it with a sufficient budget in the days to come. Unless we succeed in doing so, we won't be able to pass on this abundance to the future generations. The status quo, however, indicates that the abundance has been gradually declining due to financial deficits and depopulation". He continued, "In order to feel happy by living a full life, it is very important to feel close to culture and establish a lifestyle that cherishes culture." He cited instances of many cities in Japan and abroad which have been revived or developed by enhancing the creativity retained in culture and art. He concluded, "When you plan to carry out a cultural project, it is necessary to fully understand what kind of features your area is endowed with."

At the end of his lecture at Josai University, Mr. Aoyagi announced that, in preparation for the 2020 Olympics, the Agency for Cultural Affairs is planning to create a portal site to list festivals, dances and theatrical plays from across Japan. He added, "The Olympics is also a festival of cultures. After 2020, the cultural artifacts will be a legacy for a culture-oriented lifestyle. I would like to urge each and every one of you young people to take part in the 2020 ‘Cultural Olympics’, the Olympics that will enhance our culture."
　 Mr. Aoyagi explained further at Josai International University, "Each and every one of you should work in a job which expresses your personality best. That will lead to the revitalization of Japan."