Tetsuya Sogo (十河哲也)

March 18, 2026: I visited Kyoto University for the first time in a while to attend the final lecture of Professor Tetsuo Kitani, who has been teaching Innovation Management Science (IMS) and will be retiring this March. I had the opportunity to hear highly insightful perspectives on the challenges of fostering entrepreneurship in Japan, grounded in his many years of practical experience. Professor Kitani is an old acquaintance of mine, and I have fond memories of delivering a lecture at Kyoto University at his request on the global expansion of Japanese Monozukuri culture. The Growth Strategy Headquarters of Kyoto University, newly established to integrate the functions of research outcome utilization and fundraising, seeks to create new value by serving as a strategic interface between the university and society. At the request of Professor Kitani (木谷), I had the opportunity to deliver lectures on Japanese Monozukuri culture to government-sponsored international students at Kyoto Univ...

March 15, 2026: Attended the final lecture of Professor Takahiro Ohno of the School of Creative Science and Engineering at Waseda University, who will retire this March. The lecture was held at the Ibuka Memorial Hall and was attended by approximately 450 people. It was a truly inspiring lecture filled with the spirit of Waseda. After the lecture, a grand celebration was held at the Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo, attended by more than 300 alumni. Professor Ohno is a leading figure in the field of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering in Japan and a highly respected leader with great personal integrity. Since my student days, he has supported and guided me both professionally and personally. As Professor Ohno said, “Waseda graduates unconsciously absorb the spirit of Waseda by singing the university’s alma mater, which has been passed down for more than 100 years. In pursuing the realization of ideals for the happiness of people, the first verse speaks of the importance of innovation,...