A ceremony commemorating the 110th anniversary of the birth of the first female university student in Japan was held at Tohoku University with the attendance of Ms. Yoshiko, the second daughter of Prince Akishino and his wife.
110 years ago, in 1913, Tohoku University was the first university in the Japan to admit women, and a commemorative ceremony was held in Sendai City on the 30th.
First of all, President Hideo Ohno of Tohoku University explained how he wanted to accept three women for the first time, such as the fact that the president at the time decided to accept the three women based on the philosophy of "open doors" advocated when the university was founded, even though it was difficult for women to advance in society at that time, and that the Ministry of Education sent a letter asking about the acceptance of women during the entrance examination.
Next, Ms. Yoshiko said, "It is said that the atmosphere created by society is behind the low percentage of women going to university in the fields of science, and I feel that the social atmosphere and pressure created by prejudice also lead to restrictions on individual possibilities and options."
In addition, based on the university's efforts to respect diversity, he stated, "I sincerely hope that everyone can live with peace of mind, have a wider range of options, and become a society where these things are the norm."
Ms. Yoshiko was found to be infected with the new coronavirus on the 24th of this month and was recuperating in Tottori Prefecture, where she was staying, but returned to Tokyo on the 29th, attended a ceremony in Sendai City on the 30th, attended a commemorative lecture in the afternoon, and had a meeting with graduate students.