About Toyo University NEWS

Pick up the latest spotlight information about Toyo University

NEWS 01
Call for Entries for the AY 2022 “What Was Enryo Inoue’s Aspiration?” Award Ceremony Held for the Prize Winners

The AY 2022 award ceremony for submissions to “What Was Enryo Inoue’s Aspiration?” was held at the Hakusan Campus on December 10, 2022. 
In this contest, we select excellent literary work that explores, with a central focus on educational principles, what the great aspiration of Toyo University founder Enryo Inoue was, compares his aspirations with the writer’s way of life, and depicts how the writer will make use of Enryo’s aspirations in their future.
There were 2,106 entries this year. The President’s Award (grand prize) was awarded to Shintaro Yanase (1st year student, Faculty of Sociology) for his work “Candid” in the Toyo University student division and Rina Goto for her work “Enryo Inoue as an Educator” in the general division.
The award ceremony was attended by 40 people including online attendees, and congratulatory addresses were given by President Etsuko Yaguchi, Director of the Inoue Enryo Philosophy Center Hidetoshi Kobayashi, and Vice Chairman of the Hosuikai Atsushi Kanazawa. The winners were then presented with their certificates and supplementary prizes. Also, acceptances speeches were given by Shintaro Yanase, winner of the Toyo University student division, Rina Goto, winner of the general division, and Chika Sato (2nd year student, Faculty of Letters), winner of the Hosuikai Chairman’s award.

AY 2022 award ceremony

NEWS 02
AY 2022 English Speech Contest and Japanese Presentation Contest

On November 26, 2022, the 8th English Speech Contest was held at the Hakusan Campus, making the first time that the high school student division for students from affiliated schools was held on the same day as the university student division. Contestants selected their topics from this year’s themes, such as the SDGs, technology, Japan’s aging society and more, conducted research to prepare a five-minute speech for the competition. Nine university students and four high school students were chosen for the final after making their way through the preliminary rounds. Reika Shimakura, a third-year student from Faculty of International Tourism Management, and Ichiri Unate from Toyo University Himeji Senior High School won first prize in the university student division and in the high school student division, respectively.
Furthermore, the 5th Japanese Presentation Contest for non-native Japanese students was held at the Hakusan Campus on December 3. This year, international students utilized their perspective to speak on the topic of “Diversity and Coexistence in Japan.” Cheng Cheng, a second-year student from Department of Global Diversity Studies, Faculty of Sociology, was awarded first prize for her outstanding presentation, which highlighted the current issues in Japan surrounding the growing number of non-Japanese people and the need for true coexistence.

Reika Shimakura

Cheng Cheng

NEWS 03
Marugame Udon, Butaya Tonichi, and Subway to Open at the Hakusan Campus in Spring 2023

As new restaurants in the Hakusan campus, Marugame Udon and Butaya Tonichi (TORIDOLL Holdings Corporation) will open at the basement 1st floor Building 3 in March 2023 (planned), and Subway (SUBWAY JAPAN, G.K.) will open on at the 1st floor, Building 8 in April 2023 (planned).
Marugame Udon is a major udon chain restaurant that serves made-to-order authentic Sanuki udon at reasonable prices. Butaya Tonichi is a chain restaurant mainly located in suburban shopping centers known for its katsudon with freshly cut pork cutlet. They will serve reasonably priced dishes only offered at universities and free large servings of rice.
Subway is a chain of sandwich stores that began in America and boasts the largest number of stores in the world. Subway is known for its order-made style to fit the tastes of all customers, and its wide variety of healthy sandwiches are popular. With the opening of these restaurants, we are planning to hold collaboration events with students and allow them to be used for parties. Note: As of present, these facilities can only be used by persons affiliated with Toyo University.

Pre-opening

NEWS 04
76.8% Of Students Responded to an Emergency Contact, and Safety Confirmation Implemented in Simulation of a Large Earthquake

In December 2022, Toyo University implemented an emergency contact and safety confirmation drill to simulate a disaster for all students, faculty, and staff.
This was the second time we implemented this drill (July) for students. This time scope of the drill was expanded to faculty and staff and was a simulation of a large earthquake occurring during the class period. A message was sent using the Official Toyo University App stating, “Rail services in the metropolitan area have been suspended due to the earthquake and are not expected to be restored today. Are you able to return home?” Together with checking the safety of students and staff, we conducted data verification to help those who have difficulty getting home.
As a result of the drill, we were able to confirm the status of 76.8% of students (previous drill 68.0%) within the so-called “golden 72-hour” time limit for saving lives in a disaster. Subsequently, we held a simulation for contacting people individually, aiming for a response that ensures no one is left behind.
We will continue to work to improve the safety management standards in the event of fires and disasters so that students can study safely with peace of mind.

NEWS 05
Reliving Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic With a Focus on Interpersonal Relationships
Results of the AY 2022 Student Questionnaire

The results of the questionnaires are available at the below link.（English unavailable)
https://www.toyo.ac.jp/about/ir/survey/results/

NEWS 06
Working on Fostering Human Resources through Sports
Toyo Sports Center to Open in April

NEWS 07
Industrial-Academic Project between Toyo University and Isetan Shinjuku Implemented by the Department of Human Environment Design, Faculty of Human Life Design

In an industrial-academic project between Toyo University and Isetan Shinjuku implemented by the Department of Human Environment Design, Faculty of Human Life Design, where ten show windows were created. The project started in June 2022, with around 20 3rd year student volunteers from the Department of Human Environment Design participating, and was held in a workshop format. With “New Year” as the theme, the decorative design was decided by the students splitting into five groups and holding a design competition. Detailed design was carried out with cooperation from Tansei Display Co., Ltd., and the students were responsible for material procurement (selection of Japanese patterned fabric for interior walls, selection of bamboo), part of the creation (hanging decorations designed to look like plants, painting gravel gold, and silver, painting some of the bamboo, attaching confetti, etc.). A beautiful and colorful show window based on the design concept of fairyland was completed. The students' valiant efforts in production were introduced on TV Tokyo’s “Gaia no Yoake (The Dawn of Gaia).”

●Exhibition period: December 26, 2022 – January 17, 2023
●Exhibition location: BF1, Isetan Shinjuku Main Building

NEWS 08
Students From the Faculty of International Tourism Management Propose the Future of Tourism.
1st Tourism Business Plan Contest

The final judging session for the Faculty of International Tourism Management‘s 1st Tourism Business Plan Contest was held on January 26, 2023, at the Hakusan Campus. This was the first time this contest, led by 2nd year students of the Faculty of International Tourism Management, was held, and students scientifically analyzed the state of tourism, identified social and business issues, and proposed plans to solve these issues. Of the 21 teams that participated, 10 teams that passed the initial screening participated in the final screening. 1st prize was awarded to Masami Morishita Seminar’s “Tomioka Silk Mill x MICE: Protect World Heritage Sites with Post-Convention Activities,” which focused on MICE tourism*1 and proposed a plan to preserve cultural heritage sites using unique venues.*2 Professor Hiroyoshi Sano, the committee chairperson for the contest, noted, “The tourism industry suffered a blow in the COVID-19 pandemic, but I want you students who are responsible for the future of tourism to pave the way for its future by yourselves.”

*1: MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism is a general name given to corporate meetings, incentive and training trips carried out by companies, and international conferences, exhibitions, trade fairs, and events held carried out by international institutions and organizations and academic societies.
*2: Unique venues refer to venues such as historical buildings or cultural facilities where conferences and receptions can be held to create a special atmosphere to or show regional characteristics

1st prize winners, Morishita Seminar

NEWS 09
A Learning Service to Foster DX Human Resources and a New Career Support Service to Introduce “TETSUKON” Companies

At Toyo University, we are focusing on fostering DX human resources who can contribute to the realization of Society 5.0. In January 2023, Toyo University partnered with Paiza, Inc., who operate “paiza,” Japan’s largest employment and learning platform, to launch a learning support service where all students, regardless of their faculty, can learn programming. The service targets 1st and 2nd year students, and after the students apply for the service, they receive a free coupon. This coupon allows them to learn from the entire catalog of paiza learning, a state-of-the-art video learning service for programming used by actual IT engineers. After their learning, students will take an online test using a programming skill checklist. This provides them with proof of their skills which they can use on “paiza shinsotsu,” a job-hunting website dedicated to IT engineers to appeal their acquired skills to companies and receive scout messages from companies. As a result, students will be able to conduct their job-hunting activities all on one website. 101 students have applied to use the service. Also, we have identified and visualized excellent companies that we recommend to students, referred to as “Toyo University TETSUKON Companies.” We carefully select all of the companies using Toyo University’s unique standard that includes factors such as profitability, growth potential, stability, and independence. We launched an animated film on February 7 to promote this initiative to many students and companies. The film is also beneficial for students’ company research as in the film, we introduce an actual TETSUKON Company (located outside of Tokyo) as an example to show the key points of excellent companies. We will continue to enhance our job-hunting support in a variety of ways so that we can produce human resources who acquire the ability to act independently and play an active role in society.

●The introduction video for Toyo University TETSUKON Companies
can be viewed from the below link. 
https://youtu.be/LYsQ2i3gqoA