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Congratulations to all of you on your graduation. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of you graduating on this special day together with friends who studied with you at the University of Tokyo, as well as to family and others who have supported your academic journeys. Your paths from here will diverge—some of you will embark on careers, others will pursue advanced studies in graduate school, and still others will venture into new fields. None of your paths is likely to be entirely smooth. There will be days when things don’t go as planned, leading to disappointment. However, remember that you learn far more by taking action—even if you fail—than by letting the fear of failure hold you back. Think back on your time at this university. Reflect on those cherished memories—engaging conversations with friends, lively days spent in extracurricular activities, and the diligent efforts in your research labs—and consider how they, too, were interwoven with small failures.
Precisely because today is a day of celebration, I wish to take this opportunity to consider how you might view the various successes and failures that await you.

A familiar example of how failures in product development can unexpectedly lead to a successful product is the story of Post-it notes, which I am sure all of you have used. Around 1968, Spencer Silver at 3M was conducting many experiments trying to develop a strong adhesive. One prototype adhered well to nearly any surface yet could be easily removed—making it unsuitable as a strong adhesive. However, Silver wondered if this intriguing new property could be utilized in some way, and he discussed it with numerous people within the company. Several years later, Art Fry, also at 3M, was singing in his church choir and became frustrated by bookmarks constantly falling out of his hymnal. It occurred to him that small pieces of paper that could be repeatedly stuck and unstuck would be incredibly useful. These two men’s interests converged, and a new type of sticky note was developed. The Post-it went on sale across the United States in the 1980s, and today it is used all over the world.
Students in science and engineering may well recall that research and experiments at the university have often been a series of failures. It is widely known, for example, that Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate Hideki Shirakawa’s discovery of conductive polymers—plastics that conduct electricity—involved accidentally using the wrong amount of catalyst, and that Koichi Tanaka’s development of soft laser desorption/ionization also involved a mishap—using glycerin instead of acetone.
These examples show that the distinction between success and failure is relative, and that their meanings can change depending on the context in which they are understood. There is thus no need to view failure negatively nor to fear it excessively. If you hesitate to take a step forward out of concern for others’ opinions, or if you fail to choose what you truly desire, wouldn’t you be squandering your future potential?

That said, we must also acknowledge that people are often reluctant to admit their failures. There is a short essay titled “Can We Not Write a History of Failures?” by Keizō Shibusawa, a grandson of Eiichi Shibusawa, whose portrait graces the new 10,000-yen banknote. An alumnus of our Faculty of Economics, Keizō Shibusawa also served as Governor of the Bank of Japan and Minister of Finance from the wartime period through the post-war era. In that essay, he pointed out that the official histories of banks, companies, schools, and municipalities in Japan are largely self-congratulatory chronicles of success. He proposed that genuine success should be founded upon an honest and scientific examination of failure.
The problem is not solely about the individual mindset. In a society that harshly condemns mistakes, there is a tendency to be overly cautious and to avert one’s eyes from failure. Regrettably, Japanese society is widely perceived as unforgiving of failure. Moreover, the rapid evolution of online spaces—especially the explosive spread of social media, spurred on by the recent pandemic—has, in some ways, exacerbated social intolerance. When people participate in such highly anonymous environments without having fully cultivated the art of considering others’ thoughts and feelings, their language can become aggressive and one-sided, breeding mutual intolerance.
However, these new forms of society and the cultures that develop within them are, after all, human creations. Precisely for this reason, we must never lose sight of our power to change them and make them better. Tolerance toward others—in other words, kindness—is ultimately a choice we can make.

Intolerance increases the cost of failure, thereby hindering new endeavors. This leads to stagnation in innovation.
In the field of organizational behavior, scholars often discuss the trade-off between what they call “exploitation”—leveraging existing knowledge for consistent returns—and “exploration”—seeking out new ideas, even at greater risks. In essence, while relying on what is already known yields steady returns with minimal risk, failing to explore new knowledge—even at the cost of taking substantial risks—will eventually make it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances. The point is that failures are inevitable when launching new business ventures; if failure is not tolerated, companies will eventually suffer far greater setbacks.

Moreover, it is crucial to embrace an attitude that values the very act of taking on new challenges, rather than dwelling on the outcome of failure.
Those of you who watched the Olympic skateboarding competitions may have noticed the distinct cultural values within that sport. Athletes in that community value not only their final scores but also the spirit of attempting highly difficult and audacious maneuvers. At the Tokyo Olympics four years ago, when skateboarding debuted as an official event, Misugu Okamoto attempted an extremely challenging move but fell short of earning an expected medal. Yet, after her performance, other top athletes lifted her onto their shoulders, and her daring attempt was met with enthusiastic applause—more so than any other competitor. This display of sportsmanship deeply moved people around the world.
As you all know, Silicon Valley has long been a hub for innovation in the United States and worldwide, giving birth to countless startups and “unicorns.” This phenomenon is said to be closely tied to the geographical conditions of the U.S. West Coast, which played a crucial role in the very formation of Silicon Valley. Notably, the bedrock of Silicon Valley’s creative ecosystem is said to be its culture of embracing—and even celebrating—failure. Taking risks and challenging yourself—and, crucially, documenting where and how you failed so you can learn from it later—are essential. When you encounter the same problem again, you can apply what you learned from your failures to solve it. This ability to transform the lessons of failure into future success has been a cornerstone of Silicon Valley’s innovative spirit.

Now, of course, generative AI is evolving at an astonishing pace. In this process, errors play a crucial role—AI learns by repeatedly making mistakes and then correcting them, steadily improving its accuracy. Without our ability to recognize and address those errors, progress in AI would stall.

Thus, merely failing does not ensure growth. What is truly needed is thoughtful self-reflection and a proactive reimagining of our perspectives. While overcoming society’s deep-seated intolerance of failure might demand widespread behavioral shifts, there are still actions you can take at the grassroots level. As you acquire more experience, you will gain greater autonomy and assume more responsibility for the outcomes of your actions. That is why I encourage you to tackle challenges without fearing failure, always keeping in mind potential risks, and to learn from those failures. Those lessons will surely lead to further progress.

Reflect on the research you have conducted here at the University of Tokyo—whether in philosophical contemplation, literary interpretation, historical verification, economic analysis, or scientific experimentation. Was it not often true that only by encountering setbacks did you truly grasp the essence of the challenge? I am sure you experienced such lessons many times.

Your repeated experiences with trial and error here at the university will be a great asset that you can carry forward into your future. I hope that each of your paths will be bright and fulfilling, not only for yourself but also for your many friends and colleagues.
Once again, please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your graduation today.

FUJII Teruo
President
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March 25, 2025