Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki
We are privileged to welcome Mr. Ichiro Fujisaki to Sophia University as Distinguished Visiting Professor effective January 2013.
After joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1969, Mr. Fujisaki held numerous positions of responsibility with the Japanese Government. As a diplomat, he was assigned to Jakarta, Paris (OECD), and London. In 1999 he was appointed director-general of the North American Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While he was deputy minister for foreign affairs from 2002 to 2005, Mr. Fujisaki sat as one of the Japanese representatives in a series of diplomatic negotiations during which time he served as Japan’s chief negotiator for free trade agreements. From 2005 to 2008, he was ambassador and permanent representative to the International Organizations in Geneva.
Furthermore, as a member of the policy-making organ of the government, he has given many years of his diplomatic career to Japan’s international strategic planning. Ichiro Fujisaki remains one of the most prominent names in the diplomatic scene of the world.
We are hoping that his lectures and talks will promote open communication with students and help them think about global education. His deep understanding of diplomacy and wide network of human resources will help us upgrade our student’s skill building in a variety of areas in foreign studies.
As an international strategic advisor, he will support international efforts or political affiliation with educational and research organizations around the world. By attending international symposium, he will take part in education and research activities that will contribute to globalization of our school.
As one of the Global 30 universities, plans are underway for globalization at Sophia University. We have been improving our curriculum to meet the challenges of leading global universities by adding more courses in which students can attain the bachelor or graduate degrees by completing the required courses solely in English. Through our new initiatives the affiliated schools have increased in number. We have also heightened our outreach to students overseas to encourage them to study abroad at Sophia University.
Last year our “3 languages and 3 perspectives” programs set forth by the Faculty of Foreign Studies has won recognition by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for its Type B Project for Promotion of Global Human Resources Development.
We are very pleased that former Ambassador Fujisaki will help bring even more international exposure to our students at Sophia University, and share his insights about the role of Japan in international community.
＜Profile＞
1969 Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1994 Deputy Director-General, Asian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1995 Political Minister, Japanese Embassy in the US
1999 Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2002 Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (assigned to economic matters)
2005 Ambassador and permanent representative to the International Organizations in Geneva
2008 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the US
