Chancellor & President Nagai: "Never forget how you feel at this moment."

The party began at 6 o'clock in the evening. 144 students who passed the examination appeared with radiant expressions and were greeted by thunderous applause.

The party began with a speech by Chancellor & President Kazuyuki Nagai, who gave the following words of encouragement to the students: "I would like to offer my congratulations to you all. In my case, the first thing that I did after confirming the examination results was to contact my parents. Even now, I still remember the events of that day. I also hope that all of you will never forget your feelings upon confirming the examination results and your feelings at this moment."

Next, Mr. Shuji Hisano, Chairman of the Board of Regents at Chuo University, gave a greeting to the students. "Congratulations. In the future, I hope that all of you will be active in various areas of society, will follow a righteous path of law, and will bring honor to Chuo University." Chairman Hisano also had his own words of encouragement for the students who had passed the exam. "Internationalism will be required of legal professionals in the future. Within globalization, internationalism is required of all people. I hope that you will continue to further your studies and will perform as outstanding legal professionals."

Next, Mr. Akio Chiba, Secretary General of the Chuo University Legal Association, gave a speech with requests for the students. "I have two things that I would like to ask of you. The first is to study while you are young. The second is to have high aspirations."

Furthermore, a congratulatory speech was given by Supreme Court Justice Tatsuo Kainaka. In his speech, Justice Kainaka raised points regarding the Shinpei Group case in which a pardon was granted for the crime of insurgency in relation to an attempted coup d'辿tat prior to World War II. "This was an unreasonable verdict even when considered from a modern perspective. Justice Hisashi Yoshida (a Justice on the Supreme Court of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan) issued a verdict invalidating the general election of 1942." Justice Kainaka also extended his congratulations to the students who had passed the exam. "The legal profession to which you aspire is not without its ups and downs. I encourage you to move forward one step at a time and to persevere in the face of adversity. I hope that you will not be motivated by short-term gain, but will constantly walk a righteous path and will become outstanding legal professionals."

Next, a congratulatory toast for the students who had passed the exam was made by Mr. Saburo Abe, former Chairman of the Board of Regents and currently an Advisor to Chuo University. The party then shifted to relaxed social interaction.

There are a variety of reasons and objectives associated with the goal of becoming a legal professional, a goal that is held by the successful students who studied together at Chuo Law School.

Change of direction from judge to lawyer

Mr. Kazuaki Kobayashi (graduate of the Chuo University Faculty of Law) became interested in the legal profession after taking a civics class during junior high school. At that time, he studied the work of judges and was deeply impressed by what he learned. This led to his dream of becoming a judge in the future.

Mr. Kobayashi moved steadily towards the realization of his dream, studying at the Chuo University Faculty of Law and the Chuo Law School. However, he then reached a turning point in his life. The turning point occurred when he underwent training at a legal office as part of a course at the Chuo Law School. During this training, he was able to get a firsthand look at the work of lawyers.

"Until that time, I had pressed forward with the vague dream of becoming a judge. However, I decided to become a lawyer when I saw how lawyers gained the true gratitude of people in the community and of surrounding individuals."

Since this revelation, Mr. Kobayashi has devoted himself to his studies in order to become a lawyer, not a judge. He expressed his resolution towards the future with the following statement: "In the future, I hope to become a lawyer who can provide an environment in which surrounding individuals can enjoy life and be happy."

Become a lawyer in order to realize social justice

Mr. Hiroshi Yabunouchi (graduate of the Chuo University Faculty of Commerce) describes his aspiration to become a lawyer by saying "I wanted to work independently and realize social justice." Initially, he had also considered becoming a certified public accountant. However, Mr. Yabunouchi had the opportunity to hear active lawyers speak at the law and accounting association to which he belonged during his days as an undergraduate student. This experience convinced him to aim for a career as a lawyer.

It is easy to imagine that Mr. Yabunouchi spent his time as a student engrossed in rigorous study. However, it seems that reality was a bit different. "Of course, I did a fair amount of studying, but I was also a member of a baseball club until my 3rd year. I also worked part-time and enjoyed hanging out with my friends." It seems that Mr. Yabunouchi also spent a fulfilling student life in areas other than studying.

In the future, Mr. Yabunouchi wants to work independently. He seeks to utilize the knowledge that he gained while studying at the Faculty of Commerce by becoming involved in the work of legal departments at private corporations.

Seeking to contribute to business restoration among small and medium-sized corporations

"Ultimately, I want to become a lawyer involved in business restoration." This is the aspiration of Mr. Takenobu Sato (former student in the Chuo University Faculty of Commerce). Mr. Sato says that he wants to work in business restoration among small and medium-sized corporations, not major corporations. Mr. Sato was affiliated with the Tama Legal Profession Laboratory from his time as an undergraduate student. After 3 years of study at Chuo University, he left the university and entered Chuo Law School.

"I wanted to take both the New Law Examination and the Certified Public Accountant Examination," says Mr. Sato. Individuals who have passed the New Law Examination are exempted from certain sections of the CPA Examination, so Mr. Sato began by taking the New Law Examination. In addition to preparing for classes and reviewing the material which was taught, he also engaged in activities which, at first glance, may seem unrelated to the examination. Mr. Sato wrote a research thesis and also participated in 3 weeks of training at a law office as part of an externship.

"Writing a research thesis is a form of study that heightens the abilities of logical composition and cognition. Many people chose not to participate in externships because they take time away from classroom study. However, I chose to participate because I wanted to know in what kind of environment I will be working in the future."

Mr. Sato offers the following advice for younger students who aim to enter the legal world: "Focus on an image of your future, not just on the immediate task of preparing for examinations. Then, study in accordance with that image."

Seeks to create a field in which she is the leader

"I want to create a field in which I am the leading figure."-Ms. Momo Nakandakari (graduate of the Chuo University Faculty of Law) has her sights firmly fixed on the future. "It is said that the number of lawyers will increase in the future. In order to survive in the midst of such fierce competition, I want to find my own special strength to stand apart from others."

During her time in law school, Ms. Nakandakari conducted a grueling daily schedule of going to school early and taking the last train home. She also made use of her daily commute time and studied in the train. According to Ms. Nakandakari, studying was incorporated as part of her daily time and she did not find it difficult.

When asked what she wants to do most now, after having overcome a major examination like the New Law Examination, Ms. Nakandakari answered by saying "I want to go and thank the many people who have supported me and cheered for me until now."

Ms. Nakandakari has the following message of encouragement for younger students who seek to follow the same path: "Once you have decided to do something, I hope that you act quickly and move forward with conviction. During difficult times, imagine a vision of your future. Break through the difficulty and work as hard as possible."

Creating rules for fines and studying hard with friends

The eyes of Ms. Hitomi Horita (graduate of the Chuo University Faculty of Law) sparkle when she says "Even now, I still can't believe it." Ms. Horita says that she and her friend confirmed their having passed on the examination homepage and that they both then collapsed from excessive joy. "Afterwards, I went to the Ministry of Justice to have my picture taken. I was so excited that I couldn't sleep that night." Ms. Horita's face is full of happiness while she speaks.

Ms. Horita says that the most difficult part of Law School was balancing class preparation with preparation for examinations. She was faced with the task of balancing preparation for answering problems posed in class with preparation for examinations which require the solving of past problems. Ms. Horita is not a morning person, and she and 4 of her friends created a rule to motivate them in their studies. Anyone who was not seated in the school classroom by 9:00 AM had to pay a fine of 300 yen. Ms. Horita says that this rule was highly effective and helped her to make time in the morning for class preparation.

Ms. Horita encountered the appealing profession of lawyer during an externship and seeks to become a lawyer herself. Now, she vows the following: "I want to work my hardest during my legal apprenticeship in order to further improve myself."

Dreams of becoming a prosecutor since elementary school

Ms. Akiko Yasuda (graduate of Chuo University Faculty of Law) has dreamed of becoming a prosecutor since her days in elementary school. She entered law school in order to fulfill her dream, and reflects upon her experience as follows: "The second year of law school was really difficult. I was working feverishly just to keep pace with my classes, and I spent a great amount of time preparing for classes. The time that I spent preparing was always equal to or greater than the time spent in class."

Ms. Yasuda's efforts ended in glory, and she offers the following advice for younger students: "It is important to maintain a balance when studying. When you start to hate studying, you can regain your motivation by taking the time to refresh yourself."

Ms. Yasuda also discussed the Chuo Law School. "There are many opportunities to listen to the experiences of graduates who actually work as lawyers. Reality is contained in the stories of people who are actually working, and listening provides hints for considering your own future. I am truly glad that I chose to study at this school."

Seeking to become a lawyer based on admiration for his grandfather

"It was natural for me to consider becoming a lawyer."-This statement was made by Mr. Kentaro Toda (graduate of the University of Tokyo), who had spent his days as a young child watching his grandfather work as a lawyer. Mr. Toda firmly resolved to become a lawyer upon entering high school.

After graduating from the University of Tokyo School of Law, Mr. Toda entered the Chuo Law School. "At law school, I wanted to avoid becoming self-satisfied. Instead, I wanted to study a variety of perspectives and ways of thinking. For that purpose, I focused on meeting and communicating with as many people as possible, including legal professionals and instructors."

Also, through an international exchange program, Mr. Toda participated in short-term foreign study for two weeks at a law school in Australia. In Australia, he toured places such as courtrooms and law offices, and was able to obtain a more specific image of working as an international lawyer in the future. Mr. Toda has the goal of handling international cases in the future. This year, as the first step towards his goal, he acquired his legal license from the state of New York in America. Mr. Toda is steadily moving towards the goal that he set for himself.

Changing from medical to legal aspirations

"Originally, I wanted to become a doctor," says Ms. Aoi Namaizawa (graduate of Waseda University). Ms. Namaizawa, who wanted to perform work to help people, decided to become a lawyer when she was in high school. At that time, issues of medical malpractice were given extensive coverage on television and in newspapers. "At the same time that I realized that doctors were not God, I also felt the need to develop laws. I thought that the power of law could be used to save even more people, and I decided to become a lawyer active in the medical field."

During law school, Ms. Namaizawa used the self-study room to study from 9:00 AM to 11:30 PM even on days when there were no classes scheduled. "Even when I couldn't concentrate on some subjects when studying at home, I was able to make progress when using the self-study room." However, Ms. Namaizawa states that she also fully enjoyed her time in law school. Realizing that stamina was also necessary in order to pass the New Law Examination, she took tennis lessons to refresh herself.

"I want to become an easily accessible lawyer who is like a big sister in the neighborhood," says Ms. Namaizawa. She voices her focus on the future by saying "Until now, legal professionals have seemed distant to ordinary people. Legal professionals should become more familiar to people, and I want to be that kind of lawyer." Although she had wanted to become a lawyer active in the medical field, she is now reconsidering her future after passing the New Legal Examination. "I want to work in a variety of fields without restricting myself to the medical field."

Becoming a familiar and friendly legal professional

"I had never thought of becoming a legal professional when I entered university," says Ms. Ayuko Takato (graduate of Aoyama Gakuin University) when reflecting upon the time at which she entered university. Although Ms. Takato had trained in the equestrian arts since her first year of elementary school, she was placed in a position where she had no choice but to retire from horse riding during her 4th year of university. When contemplating her retirement from the equestrian arts, Ms. Takato decided that she wanted to acquire some sort of skill before entering society, and she committed herself to following the path of a legal professional.

"In law school, I had encountered with a variety of people, books, and places." In addition to study, Ms. Takato refined herself by engaging fully in activities that are only possible for university students. However, Ms. Takato decided to become a legal professional during her 4th year of university, and she says that it was extremely difficult to follow an absolutely new field of study upon entering law school. Ms. Takato says that she was able to overcome that difficulty by following the spirit of staying true to the basics, a principle that she learned while training in the equestrian arts. She also received support from fellow students.

"No matter what type of career I select, I want to become a familiar and friendly legal professional," says Ms. Takato when imaging her career as a legal professional. "Lawyer, prosecutor, judge-all of these occupations are very appealing to me. Through the experience that I will gain during my legal apprenticeship, I hope to narrow down the career that suits me, the career that I want to engage in," says Ms. Takato with a lively expression.

Aiming to perform work that benefits society

Ms. Chikako Inoue (graduate of Rikkyo University) seeks to become a lawyer. When considering her future during job searching activities, Ms. Inoue decided that she wanted to perform work which benefits society, and she set her mind on becoming a lawyer. After graduating from the Rikkyo University School of Law, she engaged in rigorous study for 2 years and then entered the Chuo Law School.

"I selected Chou University because I knew an older student studying at the university and had heard many good things about the school. Also, the penal courses of Chuo University have a high reputation." Regarding her method of relieving stress while studying, Ms. Inoue says that "Talking about trivial matters with friends gave me a break from studying." Ms. Inoue also has strong advice for younger students: "Spend time on the basics. Thoroughly read legal clauses. Perseverance is the most important thing."

Ms. Inoue expresses her desires for the future as follows: "There are many things that I want to do. In particular, since I wrote an undergraduate thesis on conflicts in relation to the construction industry, I would like to do work related to that field."

Feels fulfillment in the work of a lawyer within the citizen judge system

"My interest in criminal cases led me to aspire to become a lawyer," says Mr. Yuki Morimoto (graduate of Meiji University). His interest in criminal cases began when he was a junior high school and high school student. At that time, the media gave heavy coverage to murder cases committed by young men under the age of 20.

Mr. Morimoto offers the following insights regarding the defense of criminal cases: "There certainly are a number of difficulties. If the accusation is groundless, then I want to put up a thorough fight as the defense. In cases when the defendant is guilty, then I hope to fight for an appropriate sentencing while also urging the defendant to repent. People's interest in the legal world has increased due to the implementation of the citizen judge system. It is a very fulfilling field to work in."

Although Mr. Morimoto had also been accepted to the Meiji University Law School, he chose to enter Chuo Law School because of the school's tradition and because he knew older students studying at the school. "I have been able to engage in study which is even more fulfilling than I had heard about from my friends. I am truly happy that I selected Chuo Law School," says Mr. Morimoto when expressing his gratitude.

Gratitude for patient instruction

After a period of relaxed social interaction at the party, Ms. Chikako Inoue acted as a representative of the students who had passed the exam and gave a speech to express their gratitude to the instructors at Chuo Law School. "At Chuo Law School, instructors were always available to give patient explanations when I went to office hours after classes had ended." Ms. Inoue also expressed her gratitude towards friends and colleagues through the following statement: "I was able to study together with and learn from my friends. The presence of such friends is the reason why I was able to persevere in studying for examinations over a period of two years."

Finally, the congratulatory party was closed with a message of encouragement from Mr. Norihiko Fukuhara, Dean of the Chuo Law School. "Congratulations to all of you. Now that you have passed the New Law Examination, you are faced with the even more difficult task of legal apprenticeship. In difficult times, you will have to return to your origin. I hope that Chuo University, your alma mater, can serve as that origin. It is my wish that you perform in a variety of ways for the good of citizens and society, not just for advancing your own careers."

Student Reporters:
Tomohiro Ito (4th year student in the Faculty of Economics), Megumi Komada (4th year student in the Faculty of Law), Tomomi Takeda (4th year student in the Faculty of Law), Yurika Yoshida (4th year student in the Faculty of Law)