Looking Back on My Life of 40 Years as an Academic Person

There are fateful encounters that may be turning points in your life. I regard my retirement as a professor to be an excellent opportunity to look back on my life. I have been blessed with encounters that would never come again, for instance, when I decided to become a physician, then a hematologist, when I was appointed a professor, and when I selected a new path after a mandatory retirement age. Although my life was chosen by myself, it is true that it went in a completely different direction I had vaguely imagined or expected in the past. However, I have no regrets at all. Looking back on my life, it is totally attributed to wonderful encounters with many people, inspiration from them, and their support in various places. Now that I have completed my 16-year-plus responsibility as a professor and reached the retirement age with no troubles, I am just grateful to all the people who supported me. There are many things I experienced as a professor, but what struck me most is "people are the treasure." I cite here a famous word of a great commander Shingen Takeda, "The people are your castle, your stone walls, your moat. We show compassion for our allies, and vengeance for our enemies," which shows us "the importance of people." The word "Jin," the motto of Juntendo University, can help us to take the first step ("Jin" means "I live surrounded by other people" and "thoughtful consideration to others, affection for others.")