AISF News 1998.4 - 1999.3

Back

• FY1998 Recipient's Presentation

The eleven scholarship recipients for FY 1998 all gave very interesting reports on their research last March 6, 1999 at the AISF Hall. The presentators evidently exerted effort to make their reports understandable to the layperson. This is in conformance with the going policy set by the Foundation, which has the intention of promoting discussions, not only among peoples of different nations, but also of different specializations. In this sense, the last official duties of scholarship recipient can be considered as an appropriate baptismal rite which initiates each recipient into the growing, multi-national, and multi-discipline family of the Raccoon Association, the AISF alumni. The event was attended by many guests including Mr. Kazuhiro Hayashi, the Chief of the Foreign Students Section, the Ministry of Education, and the AISF recipients and the Raccoon members enjoyed the interchange with them. After the light meal and free discussions, the Raccoon Association held a strategic meeting focusing on the association's homepage. The meeting was actively and well-attended, to the joy of those who were in charge.

• Welcoming the Year of the Rabbit

On Jaunuary 9th, 1999, as has become the tradition, Atsumi scholarship recipients and the Raccoon Association members and their families got together at the AISF Hall to join the Atsumi family in welcoming the new year. There was the customary mochi-tsuki and Bingo game, both of which proceeded very well---thanks to the energies of the children. Three Korean recipients prepared the traditional New Year cuisine including the special Kimchi in the La family style. For this year, there was a slide show, again with the kids taking turns in reading a Mongolian Folk Tale (Soho's White Horse). This was followed by a real-live Mongolian musician who skillfully coaxed Mongolian music from their traditional Horse-head harp.

• 1999 Atsumi International Scholarship Recipients

The following have been selected as 1999 Atsumi Scholarship recipients:

• Get-together of Atsumi Foundation Scholarship Recipients

Attended by the Directors, Trustees, and Selection Committee members of the Atsumi Foundation, members of the Raccoon Association, and this fiscal year's scholarship recipients, the "get-together of scholarship recipients of Atsumi Foundation" was held at the Kajima Shinkan/Atsumi Foundation Hall on October 5, 1998, from six o'clock in the evening. After a brief report from Khin Maung Htwe about Myanmar, one of the directors of the Foundation and member of the Screening Committee, Dr. Yoko Ishikura of Aoyama Gakuin University gave a talk on "Is there a future for Japanese firms? What should consumers do?" The topic is very timely and provocative, making us think of what we consumers should do in the present dismal situation. The participants were pulled into the Harvard-style lecture, and enjoyed the free-wheeling discussions which went very much into overtime. After this, those present were treated to a sumptuous ethnic buffet prepared by the scholarship recipients, and enjoyed a pleasant moment chatting with each other. Thanks to Rijicho's consideration, the hall was decorated with silver grass and dumplings under a full moon, providing just the right ambience to the party of that Autumn's long night.

• To the many applicants: Thank you

Thank you for applying to the 1999 Atsumi Scholarship. With the coverage expanding to "universities in the Kanto region" starting this year, 182 applicants from 44 universities applied. Eleven scholarship recipients will be selected through a selection procedure which consists of document-based screening and two interviews. The results will be announced in the latter half of November.

• 1998 Karuizawa Trip

For the first time since AISF began spending wonderful weekends at Directress Atsumi's Summer House in Karuizawa, the scholarship recipients made the trip from Tokyo in the new bullet train which had taken over the good old Asanuma line. While summer's cicadas have started their joyous hymns in Tokyo, the Tsuyu season had not quite lifted, so that folks found themselves moving northwest with the rain cloud. This, however, did not stop people from making the yearly hike up and down Mount Hanare-yama, Jomuriji Imanishi's call for everyone to pray hard for better weather seemed to have worked. A shining window opened long enough for everyone to enjoy a nice afternoon barbecue with food prepared by some of the scholarship recipients (past and present), and joined by Ms. Naoko Sato, AISF Director, and her husband Mr. Shioguchi, and Mr. and Mrs Yoshio Hara , the Associate Director of the Kajima Foundation for the Art. It was a chance also for everyone to deepen their camaraderie while enjoying playing tennis and other games, spirited discussions, and the splendid environment that is so distinctly Karuizawa. The wet weather and the economic depression, however, seemed to have affected the sale of logo T-shirts. Stocks are still available for those interested.

• Fuji Gotemba Research Labs of Chugai Parmaceutical Co.,Ltd.

1998 FY Scholarship recipients, a member of the Raccoonkai, and AISF staff, went on a tour of Fuji Gotemba Research Labs of Chugai Parmaceutical Co.,Ltd. on July 8, 1998, Wednesday. The participants gathered in Akasaka Mitsuke at 9 AM, and headed for Gotemba on a mini-bus. In the bus, Mr.Mitsuyuki Saitoh, Senior Advisor of the Secretarial Office of Chugai,gave a short introduction of the company. The research laboratories were just completed by Kajima Construction last February, and is built on an expansive 143,417 square meter area with Mount Fuji as a background. The tour participants were simply awestruck at the magnificent surroundings. At the start of the tour, Mr. Akira Namiuchi, Head of the Gotemba Administration Section of the Research Administration Department, kindly gave the participants an overview of the research center. This was followed by Dr.Hitoshi Kuboniwa, Manager of the Research Planning and Coordination Section of the Product Planning Department, who kindly explained "Recent Drug Creation", and how Chugai Pharmaceutical carries out its research as it builds a research network in the Pacific Rim. The participants were treated to lunch at the VIP cafeteria where they were able to intermingle with laboratory staff. Even after a tour of the expansive research and recreational facilities, they were given ample time for questions and answers. The topic was not only regarding drug creation but also extended into genetic treatment, medical insurance, and culture. Grateful at the one-day opportunity to relax in such a splendid setting, the participants returned to Tokyo refreshed.

• The application form for the Atsumi Scholarships for fiscal year 1999 are now available.

Please take note that from this year, the scope of designated universities has been expanded. Those who are enrolled in doctorate courses in a Japanese university, and who expect to obtain their doctorate after one year, and belong to research departments/laboratories in, and reside in the Kanto Region (Metropolitan Tokyo, and in the prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Gunma) are eligible. The application details and forms (only in Japanese) can be printed out from this home page, and is also available from the foreign student section of different universities, as well as from the foundation's office. Mailed application forms will be accepted by the foundation's office between the 1st and the 30th of September.

• Revisiting Seoul (Reunion Abroad #2)

AISF's Executive Directress Junko Imanishi made another visit to Seoul last April 29, 1998, staying for two days and three nights to rekindle old friendships with former AISF scholarship recipients. She had a pleasant time,｡｡while catching up on how things are with Park Jungran ('95), Youn Seokhee('95), and Lee Nae-Chan ('96). She was relieved to note that, despite the great difficulties in getting employment in the wake of the Asian currency crisis, everyone was active in their respective universities and research centers.

• The following AISF fellows have been awarded Ph.D. in the accademic year1997. Congratulations!

1997 Atsumi Scholarship Recipients
Fang Meili	(F) Taiwan	Ph.D., Ochanomizu Women's University (Linguistics)	Researcher, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
Isananto, Winurshito	(M) Indonesia	Ph.D., Keio University (Chemistry)	Researcher, Institute for Research and Development of Leather and Allied Industries (Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Kim Woesook	(F) Korea	Ph.D., Waseda University (Health Science)	Waseda Public Health Research Center
Lee Hyang-Chul	(M) Korea	Ph.D., Hitotsubashi University (Economics)	Lecturer, Yonsei University (Seoul)
Nizamidin Jappar	(M) China (Uighur)	Ph.D., University of Tokyo (Chemistry)	Showa Denko, Ltd.
Wang Yuepeng	(M) China	Ph.D., University of Tokyo (Medical Science)	Researcher, University of Tokyo
Zhang Shao-min	(M) China	Ph.D., University of Tokyo (Medical Science)	Researcher, Yale Univesity (New Haven, USA)
1995 Atsumi Scholarship Recipients
Shi, Jianming	(M) China	Ph.D., University of Tsukuba (Mathematical Engineering)	Assistant Professor, Science University of Tokyo
Youn, Seok-Hee	(F) Korea	Ph.D., Senshu University (Marketing)	Lecturer,Soongsil University (Seoul)

• Directress Itsuko Atsumi Accords Atsumi Master Builders Award to Prime Minister Mahathir

(Kensetsu Kogyo Shinbun) March 25, 1998: "Prime Minister Mahathir is accorded the Atsumi Builders Award"

Formed by construction groups in the Asia and Western Pacific, the 29th convention of the International Federation of Asia and Western Pacific Contractors' Associations (IFAWPCA) was held from the 15th to the 19th in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. In this occasion, the hosting country's Prime Minister Mahathir was awarded the Atsumi Builders Award. The Atsumi Builders Award was established in commemoration of the late Takeo Atsumi who was the former Chairman of the Overseas Construction Association and the IFAWPCA, and former President of Kajima Corporation. The award is given to the person or group in the member countries, that has contributed most to the construction industry. This time the award is accorded to Prime Minister Mahathir in esteem of his work in promoting international projects such as the KL Tower, Petronas Twin Tower, and the New International Airport. Prime Minister Mahathir, expressing his appreciation, stated "Fortunately, they have succeeded. So, all these projects are not the result of my own effort but rather the dream of this country to have something worthwhile to show to others."