Congratulations on your graduation. To all of you who have finished your long university lives and are about to venture into the greater society, I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart.

The students who graduate this spring entered Chuo University four years ago amid the turmoil following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In April 2011, although there were no planned outages that we were prepared for, the monorail station escalators were out of use for energy conservation measures. Things that you took for granted were no longer guaranteed. Some of you who felt grateful to be living normal lives in Tokyo may have participated in volunteer activities in the affected areas.

There is one more fact that you may have been taking for granted. That is being blessed with the opportunity to receive a university education. It is said that more than 50% of Japanese go on to university. In other words, one in two people in the same generation receive a university education. However, this means that one in two people are not able to receive a university education. Remember that your parents and people who supported you have provided the opportunity to study at Chuo. Be grateful for this opportunity, and I hope that you will contribute what you gained to society. That is your duty.

To everyone who graduates today, I wish you success and hope that you remember the spirit of paying back your privileges to society. Congratulations on your graduation.