To all students of the Faculty of Marine Biosciences, the Faculty of Marine Engineering, and the Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, to all graduates of the Department of Marine Science, to all graduates of the Master's and Doctoral Programs, and to all those who have obtained their doctoral degrees through the submission of their dissertations, congratulations on this special day. I express my heartfelt respect to all of you who have persevered in achieving your initial aspirations upon entering or advancing to higher education, and have attained the great goal of graduation, completion of your studies, and obtaining your degrees.

　Please share your joy today with your family and friends.

　Furthermore, we would like to express our sincere gratitude once again to Mr. Nobuaki Okamoto, Vice Chairman of the Rakusuikai Association, and Mr. Hiroshi Sekine, Chairman of the Kaiyokai Association, for taking the time out of their busy schedules to attend this ceremony, as they have provided us with numerous forms of support to help students learn.

　Now, to all the graduates and postgraduates who are graduating from our university today and embarking on a new journey in life, I wish you a smooth and uneventful voyage. Of course, a long voyage will not always be sunny; there will be times when you are forced to navigate through rough weather. In particular, given the current international situation, unfortunately, it appears that a low-pressure system in the distant seas is likely to develop into a typhoon. The sea connects the entire world, so strong winds may soon begin to blow in our waters, and eventually we may be tossed about by rough waves. In such circumstances, what kind of mindset will you bring as you start your new careers as members of society?

　According to a survey conducted last year among new graduates entering the workforce, the most common answer regarding what they value most in their work was "personal growth." This seems to reflect a shift in mindset from working for one company until retirement, as was common in the Showa era, to a desire to eventually make a living through one's own efforts. Therefore, I would like to offer the phrase "unwavering determination" to all of you who are about to embark on a long journey through life.

　"Hyakusetsu Futō" means "never giving up, even after failing a hundred times." As you enter society, you may encounter many difficulties in the increasingly chaotic international situation. Even in such circumstances, I hope you will overcome these difficulties with the spirit of "Hyakusetsu Futō." However, simply enduring in difficult and painful situations can lead to mental and physical exhaustion. Therefore, there is one more thing I would like you to remember. That is the phrase "Fail Fast, Learn Faster."

　The phrase "Fail Fast, Learn Faster" originally comes from the Lean Startup methodology in the business world. Viewing difficult and challenging situations as simply another aspect of business can give you a different kind of strength. The "Lean" in Lean Startup means "without waste" or "simple." And while you've probably heard the term "startup" before, it's formally defined as "a temporary organization that explores and establishes a scalable and reproducible business model in a short period of time." In Lean Startup, the basic principle is to reach the final form as quickly as possible by iterating through three loops: Build-Measure-Learn, which means "develop a new product," "investigate sales," and "identify areas for improvement." In that sense, "Fail Fast, Learn Faster," using the minimum necessary experimental model, becomes an important development philosophy.

　SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, embraces the development philosophy of "Fail Fast, Learn Faster." Apparently, when a rocket launch fails and explodes, cheers erupt in the control center. While it may seem strange to celebrate failure, SpaceX employees don't express despair over the failure; instead, they rejoice in the fact that the failure provides a wealth of information for future success. A rocket launch failure undoubtedly results in enormous losses, far exceeding those of a lean startup, but it is precisely by embracing this positive mindset that SpaceX has been able to grow and expand so rapidly.

　In Japan, there is a space venture company called Space One Inc. that provides space transportation services for small satellites. Unfortunately, their independently developed solid-fuel rocket, "Kairos 3," failed to launch on March 5th of this year. This was their third attempt, and after taking every precaution, including three launch postponements, the failure must have been a huge blow to the development staff. However, we hope that they will embrace the spirit of "Fail Fast, Learn Faster" and succeed next time.

　It's not just in space development; everyone working at the forefront of their field is constantly battling mental pressure. Those of you about to enter the workforce may also face pressure at work. When that happens, remember that you are at the forefront of your field, embrace the spirit of perseverance, and embrace the fundamental principle of "Fail Fast, Learn Faster." Don't be afraid of failure; overcome it with a positive attitude.

　Even so, if you still can't shake off your anxieties, please come back to Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology and talk to your academic advisor. Your professors will share your anxieties, and you will naturally feel more energized. Also, finding and talking to many people who will give you unbiased advice is an effective way to overcome a deadlock. You are surrounded by many alumni who graduated from Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, which is about to celebrate its 23rd anniversary, and its predecessors, Tokyo University of Fisheries and Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine. By utilizing the network of experienced alumni, you will be able to obtain a lot of advice to minimize losses in case of failure. We encourage you to take this opportunity to become a full member of the alumni association, Rakusuikai or Kaiyokai, and become part of the alumni network.

　I believe that failures that do not affect people's lives or health can always be recovered from. I think that the effort to make up for losses caused by failure is what makes people grow faster and greater. The bright future of our country and the world depends on your efforts, woven together by the spirit of "unwavering determination" and the positive thinking of "Fail Fast, Learn Faster." So please, do not be afraid, and take the first step into your new life.

 

Reiwa 83Mon25Sun
Toshio Iseki, President of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology