Development of leaders in the twenty-first century

Harusuke Imamura Vice Chairman of the Board of Councillors, Keidanren Chairman of the Board and Representative Director, Shimizu Corp.

On my desk, there are two books, "Gakumon-no-susume (exhortation to learning)" written by FUKUZAWA Yukichi in 1873 and "To you who will live in the twenty-first century," a speech to school children made by SHIBA Ryotaro in his closing years. We can say that these two suggestive books, which were written in different eras, indicate "how to develop human resources" to us living in modern times.

Thinking back to the Meiji era, Japan was blessed with "talent." The ethos of the samurai society and the high intellectual level resulting from Terakoya - private schools - in the whole country were successfully combined with the western rationalism. As a result, the discernings sprang up like so many mushrooms in the political, economic, and cultural areas. Japan itself effloresced, creating a profound and gallant era.

Unfortunately, this did not last long. During the unhappy period of wars, many "human resources" for the next generation lost their lives. Furthermore, rationalism was excluded and only spiritualism was emphasized aimlessly.

Today we should put the postwar education in question. As a reaction against the overemphasis on the spiritualism before the war, the spiritual area which is most important for "human beings" and education about spiritual foundation were tabooed and excluded. Excessive competition in examination aimlessly requiring only good scholastic marks and the cramming education with overemphasized deviation value will never produce matured "human beings."

In the twenty-first century, we will see further development in science and technology. Human beings must control them and profit by them for the future of the earth. For that purpose, higher ethics are required. People should gain expertise and, as being pointed out by the two gentlemen, learn philosophy and history to come in touch with lives and wisdom of many predecessors, seriously think how to live as human beings, and try to cultivate spirit. Only this process will produce youngsters with strong will and "established self."

I hope Japan will produce many reliable people with "established self" required by the two gentlemen and they will be the support and driving force of the world in the twenty-first century.