Today is the last day in Seattle. I found an e-mail message when I returned to my hotel room from the meeting. It was from the senior student at Keio SFC (Ref.1) who is now studying at ISAYA, University of Washington for a semester of 6 months.
The message went as follows;
? “How do you do? I am a senior student at Keio University SFC. Please forgive me for this abrupt contact.
? I am currently studying at University of Washington in Seattle, taking a leave of absence from school. To my regret, I was not able to join the dinner you had because I did not find your message in twitter early enough.
? If you plan to have another such gathering, I would very much like to join.“
So, I quickly responded by e-mail; ‘I am having dinner with your ‘senior’, a Keio alumnus, so why not join?’; ‘Thank you. My class will be over in an hour, so I would be happy to join you then..’
It took a while for him to come because he took a bus, but he managed to arrive in time to the Waterfront Seaffod Grill His ‘senior’ whom I mentioned, is Dr. Kubota, the founder of a Biotech Venture ‘ACUCELA’, formerly an ophthalmologist graduating from Keio University School of Medicine. Another guest is Ms Claire Topal of ‘National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR)', an organization that started in Seattle, whom I have been working with for these 4 years.
Just as we were having a good lively conversation in Seattle, in Japan, my course at the Keio SFC was being held. Today, the guest is Mr. Kazuhiko Toyama, well known for his open and frank remarks such as in his books; ‘Yubi ippon no syunen ga shyobu wo kimeru (A finger-tip of obsession decides the winner)’ and ‘Kaishya wa atama kara kusaru (A company will rot from the head)’. I made a phone call to find out how things were going at the class, thanked Mr. Toyama over the phone and we had a good conversation. Truly, the world is one world, and things are getting so convenient. Lectures in my course are posted on this web site for free viewing.
I advise you all to go ‘out’ of Japan, just as this student at Keio did. Something good will happen.