A Message from the University Chancellor

The Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies is located in Nagasaki, which was historically the contact point for foreign negotiations in Japan, and is the only specialist foreign language university in Kyushu.
The founder, Takeo Aoyama, stood on the site of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki after the war and founded a foreign language school centred on English in this area based on the spirit of Christianity principles. This was to empower young people who have been devastated by war to remove the emotional walls that separate people.
The ethos is contained within the phrase ‘I am the way [VIA], the truth [VERITUS], the life [VITA]. No one can go to my father without passing through me’ (John, Chapter 14). The first letters of each word from this Latin phrase, ‘VVV’ or , make up the emblem of our university.
The gospel emphasises the realisation that we are just ‘simple people’ against the influence of God, so we should treat others as ‘free spirits’, and that embracing God and nature can lead to the path of truth in life.
From the earthquakes, flood damage, and frequently occurring conflicts, the reality of the world has been made even more severe due to disparity and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. It seems that the wisdom to maintain flexibility (resilience) against these, cherish life and aim for realisation of a sustainable society is to be aware of our weakness as humans.

In this Christian spirit, our university is supported by two pillars: foreign language education and promotion of international exchange. Words are a means of communication that eliminate the emotional walls to connect people. At this university, to deepen their understanding of different cultures people have access to learn not only English but also the European languages of French and German, and the Asian languages of Chinese and Korean.

In addition, many of our students study abroad, just as we accept international students from various countries and regions to teach them about Japan’s language and culture. The number of foreign staff is also substantial, and this is reflected in our slogan, ‘the world is our campus, and the campus is our world’. The university’s system for developing global human resources is highly evaluated by those outside of our institution.

Students are the main element of this university. We hope that all of you who study at our institution will enjoy this environment independently, share diverse values, and fly from Nagasaki out unto the world.

Profile

Junichi HIMENO
Oita born, Kyushu University Doctoral graduate in economics Specialises in studies relating to Nagasaki’s economic and intellectual history, and old photography
1979 – became a Nagasaki University lecturer in the Faculty of Liberal Arts
Went on to become a Professor in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Director of the Library
2016 – became a Specially Appointed Professor in the Department of Modern English at the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies
2018 – became Vice-Chancellor of the university
2021 – became Chancellor of the university
He has a passion for tennis.

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