AGU Insight -Aoyama Gakuin University

Faculty of Law
Based on the French idea of "the right to be disconnected"
New ways of working in the COVID-19 era
Professor Ryo Hosokawa
The year 2020 may be remembered as the year in which COVID-19 transformed society and values. Teleworking, where work is done online from home or elsewhere, is being encouraged within companies to prevent the spread of infection. Is being "connected" to the internet 24 hours a day really healthy? In France, the "right to be disconnected" was enshrined in law in 2016, and discussions about how to interact with the internet continue to this day. Here, I would like to consider the new ways of working symbolized by teleworking and the challenges that come with it from the perspective of law and labor law, my field of research. (Published in 2021)

College of Science and Engineering
The fun of understanding things we don't understand through mathematical models
Associate Professor Naoyuki Ichihara (Published October 2020)
There is research in the world that is directly linked to solving problems, and there is also academic study that explores the essence of problems. Needless to say, both are necessary. The results of the latter are not usually visible, but the idea of the calculus of variations, which has long been known in mathematics, was developed into optimal control theory and used in the field of space engineering, as exemplified by the Apollo program. This theory is currently applied to a variety of engineering fields, and continues to evolve as basic research. One area we would like to focus on is stochastic optimal control theory, which is an area that combines probability theory. We will look into the essence of how to handle and model trade-off relationships. (Published in 2020)

College of Science and Engineering
Learning about the dynamic universe through sudden celestial phenomena
Professor Takanori Sakamoto
In space, violent celestial phenomena such as gamma-ray bursts and supernova explosions occur, but because these phenomena occur suddenly, it is necessary to constantly observe changes in the universe using artificial satellites. Japan is currently planning to build an artificial satellite to monitor gamma-ray bursts, but the preparations will take a lot of time. Therefore, we thought we would use ultra-small satellites, which are easier to manufacture, to demonstrate technologies such as communication systems. Here, we would like to consider the future of space observation while touching on the "Rapid Report Demonstration Satellite ARICA" project. (Published in 2020)

College of Literature
A journey into the heart of literati painting
Associate Professor Sachiko Idemitsu
Literati paintings are works of art consisting of poetry, calligraphy, and paintings that began to be created by bureaucrats and other intellectuals during the Tang and Song dynasties in China in their spare time from official duties. Many of them lost factional struggles at court and, despite their ideals as politicians, had to step down from the political stage for one reason or another. When Chinese literati paintings, which express the frustration and regret of these intellectuals (literati), were introduced to Japan in the mid-Edo period, they developed in their own way in the salons of cultural figures who admired China. Here, we will explore the generous and free creativity that flows through them, while interpreting the thoughts that famous Japanese artists such as Ike Taiga, Yosa Buson, and Sengai, who were greatly influenced by literati paintings, put into their works. We would also like to consider the role of art and museums during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Published in 2020)

College of Science and Engineering
The great power of very thin inorganic films
Professor Yuuzou Shigesato
You probably don't hear the term "inorganic thin film" very often in your daily life. However, inorganic thin films are indispensable for electrical appliances such as smartphones and computers, and are so pervasive in our daily lives that the everyday world looks different when you learn about inorganic thin films. What are inorganic thin films, and what kind of world could we realize by continuing to conduct research in the future? I would like to talk about this using my own research as an example. (Published in 2020)

College of Literature
Passing on the "history of infectious diseases" to the future
Professor Wataru Iijima
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that became a global pandemic in 2020 (hereafter referred to as the novel coronavirus) has had a major impact on the world and is threatening to change the very nature of society. The relationship between infectious diseases and humanity can be traced back approximately 10,000 years ago, when agriculture began, wild animals were domesticated, and cities began to be built. Various infectious diseases, including smallpox, have had a major impact on human civilization. Please understand that studying infectious diseases from a historical perspective allows us to understand the world today and envision the future by learning about the past. (Published in 2020)

Faculty of Letters, Department of History
Learn about human wisdom and broad culture from a variety of angles through history
Professor Hiroshi Sakamoto
While some believe that humans repeat the same things throughout history, and therefore can learn lessons by studying the past, Judeo-Christian thought has a more linear view that humans are not the same but progress. ... (Published in January 2020)

School of Cultural and Creative Studies
Understanding the Olympic Opening Ceremony's "Arts Program"
Professor Sayoko Iizasa
The Olympic and Paralympic Games kick off with a spectacular opening ceremony. A distinctive feature of opening ceremonies in recent years is that, in addition to ceremonies such as the athletes' march in and the lighting of the torch, the "arts program" has become a grand spectacle. From the perspective of my specialty, multicultural society theory, what is interesting about the content of this program is the production that appeals to the coexistence of multiple cultures and ethnicities. In this column, I will focus on the "arts programs" of the Sydney, London, and Rio de Janeiro Games, and try to unravel the stories of diversity and coexistence that each tells. (Published in 2019)

Graduate School of International Management
Developing business leaders with ethical business practices
Professor Fumio Takahashi
Since the beginning of the 21st century, corporate scandals have been occurring one after another. In this context, Professor Fumio Takahashi is devoting himself to nurturing business leaders who are humble and rich in humanity. A company's existence is not just about pursuing profits... (Published in March 2019)

Graduate School of International Management
Human Resources Embedded in Society
Professor Toshiko Suda
Human resources is often thought of as something that only concerns people who work for a company.
However, in reality, it is directly connected to each and every person living in society, including those who are not working.
Keywords of modern society such as parental leave, scholarships, and job changes can also be interpreted from the perspective of human resources strategy.
How does the Japanese personnel strategy of "long-term employment, seniority system, and gender-specific quotas" affect society, and what changes are needed in the future? (Published in 2019)

School of Global Studies and Collaboration
Build a fortress of peace in your heart
Professor Akiko Fukushima
Research on conflict resolution deals with themes such as politics, security, and economic recovery, but there has been no in-depth analysis of culture. Therefore, I have investigated cultural activities that lead to post-conflict peacebuilding and attempted to analyze their role. In this column, I will introduce examples where sports and cultural and artistic activities have played an important role in peacebuilding, and consider how they function in the peacebuilding process. (Published in 2018)

College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies
Let's practice philosophy
Professor Motoyoshi Irifuji
"What is the use of philosophy?" I have been asked this question many times. This question is based on the premise that I have standards for determining whether something is "useful" or not, and that I can judge my answer based on those standards. However, philosophy begins with asking myself, "Am I really allowed to decide what is useful or not?" In this column, I will actually put philosophy into practice and explore what use it is. (Published in 2018)

College of Economics
Thinking about the economy "spatially" - A recommendation for "regional economics"
Professor Masaya Suda
When you hear the term "regional economics," some might think it's "a field of study that considers the economy of a particular region." However, this is not the case. Regional economics is a field of study that incorporates the element of "space" into economic theory to specifically consider measures to address various economic issues that arise in reality. In this column, we will introduce the basic ideas of regional economics by looking at several economic activities and considering where they are taking place and where they should be taking place. (Published in 2018)

College of Literature
Changing the way we look at Renaissance art
Professor Chiyori Mizuno
We tend to think of artworks as objects to be appreciated as "beautiful things." However, many pre-modern works were rooted in people's lives and faith, and the images embodied in them do not merely have aesthetic value; they also evoke a wide range of emotions in the viewer, such as reverence, awe, and fascination. This column will introduce the fascinating aspects of appreciating Renaissance art, focusing on the images that were alive in people's "daily lives." (Published in 2018)

School of International Politics, Economics and Communication
Immigration from an economic perspective
Professor Akinori Tomohara
Accepting immigrants means they take away jobs and wages fall. I'm sure many people have this image. However, economic research has shown that immigrants have little impact on wages and contribute to economic growth, revealing an impact of immigrants that is different from the general image. Refugees and immigrants are very complex issues, but in this column I would like to discuss immigration to developed countries from an economic perspective. (Published in 2016)

College of Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biological Science
"Photochromism" that supports our daily lives
Professor Jirou Abe
High-speed photochromic molecules are innovative optical functional materials that instantly change color when exposed to light and instantly lose color when blocked. They are used in a variety of applications in our daily lives, including cataract treatments that require intraocular lenses and authenticity checks on banknotes that utilize complex color changes... (Published in March 2018)

College of Education, Psychology and Human Studies
The key to revitalizing the region lies in "high schools"
Professor Daijiro Hida
In recent years, the debate over regional revitalization has become heated due to concerns that the functions of communities will shrink due to population decline, and there is a demand to build an "autonomous decentralized society (a society in which each region becomes independent by utilizing its own characteristics and finds its own way of development)" as a measure for regional revitalization. In this column, we focus on high school education in regional areas in building an autonomous decentralized society, and use the example of a project to make high schools more attractive in remote islands and mountainous areas of Shimane Prefecture to argue that high school education holds the key to regional revitalization, and further explore the potential that education holds in regional revitalization.

College of Literature
Literature supports our lives
Professor Yoichi Hijikata
Recently, based on a one-sided judgment of whether something is "useful to society or not," there has been a tendency to value practical studies and to neglect humanities studies, including literature, calling into question the very existence of humanities studies. In this column, we will explain the significance of studying the humanities using literature as an example, as well as the appeal of literature and the value of reading books. (Published in 2017)

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Items marked with include video content.