Welcome

Welcome Message from the Dean

Sato, Motohiro
Professor, Dean of Graduate School

The world has changed since the Covid 19 pandemic. With soaring resource prices, the long-lasting deflation (fall in prices) has turned into an inflationary trend. Moreover the security situation surrounding our country, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has become significant concern. It may be that the time has come when "business as usual" no longer applies. Japanese society has tended to place too much emphasis on past experience, especially successful one. Nonetheless, as uncertainty increases in the world, it is becoming difficult to assess what is going on and what will be based on past experiences. Then what economics provides is the skill to think based on evidence and logic.

19th-century British economist Marshall once noted that confronting social challenges requires a "cool head and a warm heart." I dare say that a calm head is evidence and logic, and a warm heart is a sense of mission. I think that a sense of mission or awareness of issues comes from your motivation and curiosity to learn. I have to say that a university is not a place to look for a give answer to a "given" question like an exam. You have to find the problem yourself, and you have to search for the answer yourself. University professors "accompany" students through lectures and seminars, but do not give them answers. Take the lead in learning. It requires the ability to "think".

Schumpeter, one of the leading economic giants of the 20th century, along with Keynes, cited "innovation" as a driving force for economic development. In Japanese, innovation is translated as "technical advancement", so you may think that we are talking about science such as engineering. However, innovation includes not only the creation of new technology, but also the "combination" of different technologies to create new business. Japan has been cited as a country of "manufacturing" and has been proud of its high technological capabilities. On the other hand, the Japanese economy has been stagnating for a long time. What is required here is the knowledge of the social sciences. Hitotsubashi University is a social sciences university, but we have also strengthened our ties with science universities through the four-university alliance. You can have multiple perspectives.

To do so you need to acquire advanced knowledge of economics. At Hitotsubashi University, undergraduate courses are offered in stages, from introductory economics to basic courses and applied courses. For students who want to learn more, there is a "five-year integrated program" where you can get a master's degree in five years (four years of undergraduate and one year of graduate school). In the graduate school (master's course), in addition to specialized subjects such as theory and demonstration, "advanced professional training program" that allows practical learning has been implemented. Please be able to put what you have learned into practice in society without stopping it in your studies. In addition, Hitotsubashi University has many partner universities overseas, and we are blessed with opportunities to study abroad. I hope that you will make the most of these opportunities.

I hope that through your studies at the Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School of Economics, you will acquire the ability to play an active role in various fields both in Japan and overseas.


Policy of the Graduate School of Economics

The Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School of Economics have been core faculty of Hitotsubashi University since 1949 when the institution first became accredited as a university, and have educated economists and business-people active both in Japan and abroad who have made significant contributions to the improvement of Japan's international status through their leading role in developing the Japanese economy. Additionally, we have also produced many outstanding researchers at the forefront of academia in a wide range of social science fields who have dramatically raised the level of economics in Japan. At Hitotsubashi University, education that reflects the latest research inspires students on a daily basis and plays a very important role in their personal development.

This virtuous cycle of research and teaching has been a tradition since the founding of our predecessor institutions, the Commercial Training School in 1875, which is recognized as the first business school in Japan, and the Higher Commercial School in 1887, both of which shaped modern Japan by leading the industrial development of the country since the Meiji period. In the 20th century, the activities of the Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School of Economics of Hitotsubashi University in the postwar period greatly enhanced the practices of our predecessors by moving Japan’s development into the international sphere, helping Japan and the rest of the world to progress together.

Today, in the 21st century, we are in the midst of globalization, with its unpredictable speed and complexity. In a world where people, goods, money, and information are swirling around us on a global scale in an instant, we must be able to accurately grasp and analyze these movements. However, in addition to understanding these short-term effects, we must also be able to accurately perceive economic and social trends that change over the medium- and long-term, like the gradual ebb and flow of the tides beneath the whitecaps on the surface of the surging sea. Understanding trends over multiple time frames is important because we cannot predict when and how the doors of a new era will open, precipitated by such changes as technological innovation or evolving social norms.

Both the Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School offer a number of programs designed to nurture individuals who can clearly identify these issues and conduct advanced world-class research. Through seminars and lectures, students learn how to accurately grasp the fundamental socioeconomic issues underlying observed phenomena and analyze them empirically. We hope that you will not only learn a great deal about the principles of economic thought but also acquire an attitude of "social freedom" that supports objective, value-neutral scientific discussion.

The Diploma Policy, Curriculum Policy, and Admission Policy of the Faculty of Economics and the Graduate School of Economics (Master's Course and Doctoral Course) at Hitotsubashi University are as above. This set of policies is designed to respond appropriately to contemporary needs. In the future, as the missions of our faculty and graduate schools are re-examined and revised to reflect changes in the Japanese and international economy and society, these policies will be updated along with adjustments to the university’s mid-term plan and goals.