On May 13, the University of Tokyo President Fujii posted a message on the UTokyo website titled “Promoting DEI at Our University”. While noting current movements in some countries against DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), he reaffirmed the University of Tokyo’s commitment to prioritizing DEI in global and Japanese society, as well as towards the advancement of DEI policies at the University of Tokyo. Furthermore, the University of Tokyo stated its support for the advancement of DEI at universities worldwide. This is the first time in nearly a year that the president has posted a message directly to the UTokyo website. 

   President Fujii stated that promoting DEI remains a universal issue in  our current world, and that the University of Tokyo will “hold itself to a higher standard and vigorously promote DEI more than ever before.” He also elaborated that DEI is “a principle that embodies the inherent value of respecting fundamental human rights,” and that it is crucial for the University of Tokyo’s pursuit of “academic excellence,” as well as for the creation of research, scholarship, and innovation conducted in collaboration with diverse individuals and communities. At the beginning of his message, President Fujii mentioned that “in some countries, there are strengthening headwinds against the promotion of DEI,” though no specific policies or countries were named. His message was concluded by expressing the University of Tokyo’s support for the global advancement of DEI at universities, stating that the University of Tokyo would “stand in solidarity and move forward together” with them. 

    Aside from the annual New Year’s address, this is the first time the president has personally published a message on the UTokyo website since June of 2024, when he commented that media reports, which had implied a decision had been made to raise tuition fees, were “inaccurate.” Messages in this format are commonly released in the immediate aftermath of sudden events, such as major natural disasters or news of someone’s passing. As no specific event was mentioned, this message was unusual. Recently, the University of Tokyo has been strengthening its efforts to promote DEI, as seen in the establishment of the “University of Tokyo Diversity & Inclusion Declaration” in 2022 and the launch of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion last year. 

   As of May 1 of last year, the United States was the top destination for University of Tokyo exchange students. Under the administration of President Donald Trump, several DEI-related policies are being cancelled and notably, universities such as Harvard are being pressured to abolish their DEI programs.