Exchange of views with the core members of
RAKUSEIKAI
In the city of Singapore, Kyoto University graduates residing in Singapore and Singaporeans who studied at Kyoto University got together to inaugurate RAKUSEIKAI, as a regional Kyoto University alumni association ("sei" is the Japanese reading of the Chinese character abbreviation standing for "Singapore"). The ceremony was attended by forty-five participants, including Kyoto University staff members.
During the inauguration ceremony, with Mr. Makoto Nakahara (1996 graduate from the Faculty of Economics) serving as the master of ceremonies, Executive Vice-President Yuzo Ohnishi gave a speech, followed by Professor Tetsuji Atsuji from the Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies (assistant to the executive vice-president), who presented a lecture on the historical position of Chinese characters in Singapore. Then, Mr. Masakazu Yoshida (1967 graduate from the Faculty of Engineering) gave a speech and proposed a toast as the first chairman of RAKUSEIKAI.
Participants later exchanged their views on future activities, during which time Mr. Yew Hoong Lau, the vice-chair of RAKUSEIKAI (1983 graduate from the Faculty of Engineering), said that graduates would need to contribute to Kyoto University. He told the attendees that while he encouraged his children and relatives to study at Kyoto University, he had to explain to them that he suffered from a language barrier as a Singaporean. For this reason, he was happy to learn from Executive Vice-President Ohnishi and Professor Atsuji that it is becoming less of a problem since courses are now offered in English, after which he expressed his love and hopes for the university.
The ceremony concluded in a festive mood with participants singing Shinsei no Ibuki, as proposed by Mr. Sho Hisahara (1997 graduate from the Faculty of Education).
 Speech by Executive Vice-President Ohnishi |  Lecture by Professor Atsuji |
 Commemorative photo of all participants | |