Research Student Life in Utsunomiya University

WANG YUXUAN (Research Student)

At the end of September last year, I came to Japan and embarked on a brand new life of studying abroad. I started my studies at Utsunomiya University as an auditor in the school of International Studies. I was confused about the unfamiliarity with Japanese and the inability to adapt to foreign life. However, with the help of my supervisor and mates of F's seminar, I gradually adapted to this new environment.

When I first came to Japan, my Japanese proficiency should have improved, and I hardly understood anything just by hearing it once. In order to improve my Japanese proficiency as soon as possible, the supervisor arranged for my seminar's mate to take turns eating lunch with me to practice daily communication. The session improved my Japanese speaking and listening skills and taught me more about Japanese culture through communication with friends.

In addition to daily communication, I also participated in lectures and learning with F's seminar mates. They helped me understand the teaching content in class and shared learning methods and experiences with me. In this process, I learned more Japanese knowledge as well as gained a deeper understanding of the Japanese education system and professional courses.

In terms of Japanese language courses, I followed the Japanese language courses offered by the university, including reading and dialogue classes. At the same time, I also attended some lectures and activities to understand Japanese culture and society further. These experiences, along with broadening my horizons, helped me better integrate into Japanese society.

As the entrance exam approached, experienced senior students provided me with much help and guidance, especially during preparation. They tirelessly answered my questions and helped me improve my preparation efficiency.

In the end, in December, I successfully passed the graduate entrance exam and embarked on a new journey in Japan. During this period of a research student, I made progress in language and academia, and I have also made many good friends and gained valuable experience in studying abroad. In the future, I will continue to work hard to learn new knowledge.

Participation in the International Humanitarian Law Role Play Competition

B3 Miyu NISHIMURA

I participated in the International Humanitarian Law Role Play Competition organized by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) at the University of Tokyo on December 9. In this essay, I will explain the ICRC and the International Humanitarian Law Role Play Competition and how I prepared for the competition. The ICRC is an international humanitarian organization that provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by armed conflicts. Participants compete on their knowledge of international humanitarian law (IHL) according to a fictional armed conflict situation provided before the competition.

In order to participate in the competition, I started studying IHL in July 2023 with other members of the Fujii seminar. The IHL is applicable in armed conflicts and the law protects people who do not directly participate in hostilities in armed conflicts. In the last competition, we were provided a situation in which two nations contested over an island to obtain benefits of undersea resources on the high seas. Therefore, we studied international humanitarian law and the law of the sea, the knowledge of territorial sovereignty, and so on. In addition, The role each university would play was not announced until the day of the competition, so We practiced using anticipated questions we created based on the provided situation. We also acquired knowledge about the prosecution of heads of state, environmental damage related to oil spilling into the sea, and the extradition of prisoners of war. Seniors who had participated in the competition advised us on what questions the examiners would ask and what to look for when answering them. For example, the mission visits POWs and refugee camps as ICRC staff. This mission consists mainly of 3 points. The first point is to explain about the ICRC. The second point is to confirm whether people are treated humanely in the facilities. The third point is to suggest what kind of assistance the ICRC can provide. In particular, a deep understanding of the ICRC's seven principles, such as Independence, Impartiality, and Neutrality, was crucial. We practiced three times a week. Since the competition was conducted in English, I had to improve my English to discuss with my colleagues whose English was better than mine.

On the day of the competition, I was relieved that the issues were partly similar to what I had studied. I was so nervous that I could not speak English as well as I practiced, and I realized I lacked knowledge about the legal basis necessary for negotiations. Although I could not win the prize, I am grateful to Professor Fujii for his guidance and to other members of the Fujii Seminar. I would like to continue studies related to international humanitarian law and rechallenge the competition next year to win the competition!!

An Introduction to My Life in Hokkaido

B3 Daichi Kono

I had lived in Hokkaido for 18 years until I entered Utsunomiya University. During that time, Days with my family were precious, and I enjoyed supporting my favorite baseball team. So, I would like to write about them in this essay.

My family has been cultivating various vegetables, including potatoes, onions, and melons, since I was a child. As summer arrives, our dining table is filled with various fresh-picked vegetables. The curries made with those are very tasty and would be as delicious as those of curry specialty restaurants if we were committed to the spices. My parents are not farmers, but they rent a large field next to our house to grow vegetables. Although I have only helped pick vegetables a few times, I can easily get attached to them, and they taste better when I pick them with my own hands. Recently, we have started to grow fruits and vegetables such as eggplants, squashes, cucumbers, and strawberries, which has dramatically enriched the variety. Therefore, I sometimes wonder if my family could be self-sufficient!

Additionally, I have been enjoying watching baseball games in my hometown since elementary school. My favorite team is the Nippon-Ham Fighters, a baseball team based in Hokkaido. At first, I was not very interested in baseball, but when I watched a baseball game for the first time just because one of my friends gave me the ticket, I was overwhelmed by the voices cheering up players and the fun of the game. Since then, I have watched about 4 or 5 baseball games live annually. I visited baseball stadiums many times in 2016 because the Nippon-Hum Fighters were strong enough to win the Pro Baseball Championship in Japan, a tournament to determine the strongest team in Japan. I was a big fan of Shohei Otani and used to sing cheer songs with fans when they were in the batter's box. In 2016, he was making a significant contribution, winning ten as a pitcher and hitting 20 home runs as a hitter. Shohei Otani has been to the MLB, but I will never forget his successes. Last year, a new home stadium for the team called ES CON FIELD was completed in Kitahiroshima City near Sapporo City. It is good for me because it is only about 30 minutes from my house compared to the Sapporo Dome, where baseball games used to be held before the new stadium was built, which used to be more than an hour from my house. It is more convenient to go to the stadium many times. When I returned home last summer vacation, I visited that place twice to cheer on the Nippon-Ham Fighters! Today, the team is made up mainly of young players. Even the players of my generation play an active role, which makes it very easy to relate to the team. They have not won a Pro Baseball Championship in the last seven years, so I hope the team wins this year.

I will continue to help pick vegetables and watch baseball games when I return to Hokkaido in the future!! Thank you for reading!