2021 is 120 years after the death of Yukichi Fukuzawa, a historical person who was born in Oita. Editors of "GENSEN" received the suggestion that "I would like young members who challenge in Oita Prefecture to participate" from the newspaper project "Reimei Hana-The Life Transformation-", the spirit which was created from the challenging spirit of Yukichi Fukuzawa. 

On behalf of the team, writer Daishi Utsunomiya (3rd-year Faculty of Economics, Oita University) participated in the roundtable discussion. He talked about what he is working on at GENSEN and his challenges in the future.

Before the roundtable discussion, We visited the Fukuzawa Yukichi Museum, Ms. Rina Matsuoka (who is on the right side in the photo), a curator of the Social Education Division of Nakatsu City and professor of the Keio Fukuzawa Research Center, explained the projects that Yukichi Fukuzawa was involved in. After that, We　were able to think of Yukichi, who continued to take on challenges before and after the Meiji Restoration.

After leaving the museum, we head to the "New Nakatsu City School" that opened in 2019. This was the venue for the roundtable discussion. The place where the new Nakatsu City School is built is the birthplace of Atsujiro Obata, one of the co-authors of "Gakumonnosusume".

Everyone had a passionate discussion on the themes of "each person‘s  challenge," "how you think of the corona era," "your own challenges," and "Your Future image."

Mr. Utsunomiya introduced the "Taiyo Museum" and the venture company "JIITAK" that he had previously interviewed at GENSEN.

"Beppu has a strong image of a tourist destination, but at the same time, it is a city full of diversity, and I want to dig in more and more what is hiding in Beppu. At GENSEN, there are many international student writers as team members, so I would like to proceed with various interviews regardless of the situation, " he said enthusiastically.

Apart from Mr. Utsunomiya, people who are interested in the thought  "innovate the society" participated in this roundtable discussion, and everyone had wonderful visions and I listened with deep interest.

Keigo Rokuo (3rd year, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Nippon Bunri University) hopes that Oita Prefecture will become a "space prefecture". He is working as a member of a space-related circle on campus with his dream of working in the space-related industry.

Ms. Masaki Matsuoka (graduated from the Faculty of Economics, Oita University in September last year), who started her own comprehensive body odor management application development company, which was inspired by her worries. In 2019, She won the Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade, and Industry Director's Award at the "Kyushu University Venture Business Plan Contest".

Rina Matsuoka, who served as an advisor for this roundtable discussion (curator of the Cultural Properties Office, Social Education Division, Nakatsu City, and visiting staff of the Keio Fukuzawa Research Center). She is studying the materials of Yukichi Fukuzawa that remain in Nakatsu City and introduced various hints that could be utilized in this era from the achievements of Yukichi.

It is said that this special feature will be published as a reprint special feature of the Oita Joint Newspaper on March 1, 2021 (Monday).

The corona outbreak is a difficult time for the world, but the innovation that transforms the world tends to occur at such a timing. Yukichi Fukuzawa, who has lived from the isolation and the opening of Japan after the arrival of Black Ships (Perry Expedition), the Meiji Restoration to the civilization period, and the historical persons who created history during the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration has proven it.

Please look forward to the enthusiastic discussions of young people who continue to challenge the era of Reiwa.