Japan Press Weekly

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2016 April 6 - 12 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Vote independently for brighter future: Kyoto Univ. president to freshmen

The Kyoto University president at this year’s entrance ceremony on April 7 cited the university’s wartime cooperation and the recent implementation of the 18-year-old suffrage, stressing the importance of young people’s participation in politics.

Kyoto University President Yamagiwa Juichi in his welcoming speech to incoming freshmen noted a picture hanging on the wall of the guest room of the clock tower. It is a work of painter Suda Kunitaro who began to paint after graduating from Kyoto University. He painted a depiction of the university’s farewell ceremony that took place on November 20, 1943 before the departure of many students to battlefronts.

In September 1943, the Imperial Japanese government announced a policy to mobilize university students aged 20 and over for military service.

Among 4,500 Kyoto University students were mobilized for the war, and the number of those who were confirmed dead on battlefields is 264.

The university president said that at that time, students were sent to the war fronts not on their own decision but by a decision made by the older generation. He explained that the suffrage was granted only to Japanese adult men aged 25 and older during the war and to all men and women aged 20 and over after the war, but now, the minimum voting age has been lowered to 18.

Stating that to have the right to vote means to bear the responsibility of choosing political options, Yamagiwa called on freshmen who will begin exercising their right to vote from June to use their vote based on their own informed decision in order to open a bright future for Japan.

Past related articles:
> University students 72 years ago mobilized for war [October 21, 2015]
> Keio Univ. students conduct research on wartime mobilization of students [October 20, 2013]