TOPICS
TOPICS
2026.05.28
Finally,
a group discussion was held on the topic of a “healthy diet.” The
students were given the following prompt: “What did you eat for lunch
today? And would you consider it a healthy diet?” Many of the students’
responses were thoughtful, with many noting that their lunches could not
be considered healthy due to a lack of vegetables or high calorie
content.
It was a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the FAO’s functions as well as related issues such as the food crisis and environmental destruction.
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Report on the guest lecture（Mr. Hiroto Mitsugi - JICA International Cooperation Expert; Former Assistant Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)）
For this lecture, we invited Mr. Keito Mitsugi, who served as
Deputy Director-General (No. 2) of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) at its headquarters in Rome for four and a
half years until December 2020, to speak about the FAO’s mission and
activities.
At
the beginning of the class, before delving into the topic of the FAO,
we briefly reviewed the United Nations system and established a shared
understanding of the reality that the UN faces a wide range of
challenges.
Regarding the FAO, it was explained that the
organization operates under the strategic framework of the “Four
Betters” (better environment, better life, better production, and better
nutrition). The FAO publishes an annual report titled “Food Security
and Nutrition in the World,” in which food accessibility is highlighted
as a key issue.
This encompasses both the lack of food and
the lack of cash to purchase it, as well as the inability to achieve a
so-called “healthy diet.” Malnutrition, in turn, encompasses three
challenges: undernutrition, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies.
Furthermore, the report identifies environmental issues, economic
crises, and conflicts as the three major causes of the global food
crisis. Regarding conflict, the war between Ukraine and Russia was cited
as an example, and an explanation was provided regarding the extent to
which a war between two major agricultural nations contributes
negatively to the global food crisis.
Next,
the topic of deforestation was addressed. A YouTube video was shown
illustrating how deforestation has progressed over the past
half-century, revealing the reality that environmental destruction is
advancing at a faster pace than previously thought. Although one-third
of the Earth’s land area is covered by forests, statistics show that
deforestation is particularly pronounced in Africa and South America.
While Asia shows a trend toward increased forest cover, this is
reportedly due solely to China’s afforestation efforts. Additionally,
the current situation was described: as production of cocoa, coffee,
rubber, palm oil, and other crops increases, forests are being cleared
to secure the land needed for cultivation.
It was a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the FAO’s functions as well as related issues such as the food crisis and environmental destruction.
2026.05.14
Report on the guest lecture“World in Turmoil – Record Displacement (How Today’s World Deals with the Global Refugee Crisis).”(Dirk Hebecker—former Representative of the UNHCR Office in Japan)
For the course Introduction to the United Nations (Instructor: Sachiko Ishikawa), we were honored to host Mr. Dirk Hebecker as a guest lecturer. He is the former Representative of the UNHCR Office in Japan and is currently teaching at several universities in Japan following his retirement from the United Nations.
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He delivered a lecture on the theme “World in Turmoil – Record Displacement (How Today’s World Deals with the Global Refugee Crisis).” Before delving into current refugee and IDP issues, Mr. Hebecker noted that many global challenges are already being negatively impacted by the policies of President Trump’s second term. Specifically, regarding refugee and immigration issues—his area of expertise—he expressed concern that actions disregarding fundamental human rights are being carried out under executive orders, citing not only a decline in the number of refugees being accepted but also the repatriation of immigrants to the third countries aside from their home countries.
Furthermore, it was pointed out that due to the steep cuts to contributions to international organizations, humanitarian aid activities worldwide are being affected by budget reductions, leading to a situation where adequate support cannot be provided.
He stated that the world is plunging into political and economic turmoil due to the U.S. adopting a backward-looking stance toward global challenges such as security, climate change, inequality, health, and radicalization (e.g., withdrawal from 66 international organizations and the Paris Agreement), as well as the recent attacks to Iran.
After providing this overview of the current global landscape, Mr. Hebecker explained that the theme of “Displacement” is caused by various factors, including war, internal conflict, natural disasters, environmental destruction, and poverty. It was noted that as of June 2025, the combined number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) stands at 123 million—equivalent to the population of the world’s 13th most populous country, Japan. This indicates that one in every 67 people in the world is a refugee. While there is a common perception that refugees flock to the United States and Europe, the reality is that 75% are sheltered in developing and middle-income countries, making international support for these host nations an urgent priority. A detailed explanation was provided regarding the current situation in each country of origin and host country.
After the lecture, students asked many questions and Mr. Hebecker responded to them thoughtfully. At the end of the class, he assigned the students five questions about refugees and IDPs as homework. Ishikawa decided to discuss these questions with the students during a future class on humanitarian aid.
2026.04.15
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Visiting Professor for Spring Semester 2026 (Professor ATIK KUBILAY)
For the Spring Semester of 2026, we have invited Professor ATIK KUBILAY as a visiting professor to conduct lectures.
Professor ATIK is an associate professor at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University in Turkey and specializes in East Asian studies.
Professor ATIK offered a lecture course on the theme “Central Asia: History, Politics, and Contemporary Geopolitics”.
Many students attended his class, and they listened attentively while taking notes.
In addition to this undergraduate course, Professor ATIK is also teaching a graduate-level course on the theme of "Turkey’s Foreign Policy and the ‘Asia Anew’ Strategic Pivot". Professor ATIK continues to teach until the end of the Spring Semester in mid-July.
2026.04.08
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Welcoming New Students Enrolling in April 2026 (Scenes from the New Student Orientation)
The College of International Relations welcomed 312 new students this April.
Congratulations on your enrollment!
During the first week of April, the campus was filled with energy as cherry blossoms bloomed and new students arrived.
Classes began on April 6.
2026.04.06
Students from the College of International Relations Participate in the Ministry of Justice–Hosted “Global Youth Forum”
Students from the College of International Relations participated in the 4th Global Youth Forum for a Culture of Lawfulness, hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Justice and held from March 5 to 7.
An overview of the event is available on the Ministry of Justice website:
https://www.moj.go.jp/EN/hisho/kouhou/hisho06_01406.html
Comment by Ms. Coralie De Jesus Arias
In this role, I led plenary sessions and directed the program with my co-chair. Alongside my peers, I collaborated on policy recommendations related to recidivism and reintegration. During my group's discussion, we answered specific questions and exchanged the research we had done prior to the forum. I acted as a Rapporteur for each group’s insights. I facilitated youth discussions and synthesized my peers' ideas into recommendations for the final United Nations report. I submitted them to the organizers and presented them to my peers at the final plenary session.
I had the honor to represent Ritsumeikan University, maintaining professionalism and adhering to Japanese cultural norms.
This was a meaningful leadership experience, which allowed me to hone my skills and expand my knowledge of criminal justice. In my motivational speech, I emphasized that an effective group communicates openly and operates as a unit. Oftentimes, collaborative work can be challenging, especially when people have differing opinions. I wanted to be a bridge between people, creating a space for meaningful dialogue and contributing to the discussion of “preventing recidivism.”
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The event brought together young participants selected through a competitive process from 43 countries and regions. Over the course of three days, active discussions were conducted under the theme, “Youth and Community Engagement in Preventing Re-offending Through Social Reintegration.”
https://www.moj.go.jp/EN/hisho/kouhou/hisho06_01406.html
Among the participants from the College of International Relations, Ms. Yukino Hashimoto, a fourth-year student who graduated in March, served as the representative of the Japanese participants. Ms. Coralie De Jesus Arias from the Joint Degree Program between American University and Ritsumeikan University acted as a co-chair. In addition, many students from the College of International Relations took part, including members of Professor Tomoaki Nishimura’s seminar, students in the GS program, and students from the JDP.
In this role, I led plenary sessions and directed the program with my co-chair. Alongside my peers, I collaborated on policy recommendations related to recidivism and reintegration. During my group's discussion, we answered specific questions and exchanged the research we had done prior to the forum. I acted as a Rapporteur for each group’s insights. I facilitated youth discussions and synthesized my peers' ideas into recommendations for the final United Nations report. I submitted them to the organizers and presented them to my peers at the final plenary session.
I had the honor to represent Ritsumeikan University, maintaining professionalism and adhering to Japanese cultural norms.
This was a meaningful leadership experience, which allowed me to hone my skills and expand my knowledge of criminal justice. In my motivational speech, I emphasized that an effective group communicates openly and operates as a unit. Oftentimes, collaborative work can be challenging, especially when people have differing opinions. I wanted to be a bridge between people, creating a space for meaningful dialogue and contributing to the discussion of “preventing recidivism.”
2026.03.24
Graduation and Commencement Ceremonies held
The Commencement Ceremony of the Faculty of International Relations for the Fall Semester of the 2025 Academic Year were held at the Kinugasa Campus on March 21.
We have 286 graduates from the College of International Relations.
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We have 286 graduates from the College of International Relations.
Congratulations on your graduations！