Lecture Series: Values for the 21st Century

The Foundation organizes regular lectures, inviting forward-thinking experts in various fields to discuss new knowledge, values and wisdom for the 21st century.

Lecture series excerpts

The objective of the brain is to create a system in order to achieve a goal that has not yet been reached. We find happiness and purpose of life in this process of growth, not at our peak.

– Gen Matsumoto, PhD, neural scientist

By transforming pollutants into usable energy, we will be able to reverse the principle of entropy and revitalize the Earth and the environment.

– Teruo Higa, PhD, Developer of EM (Effective Microorganism) Technology

Intuition is derived from the space or the field where all information is stored. To recognize the existence of this invisible power is the new challenge of the 21st century.

– Keiichi Hamano, PhD, psychologist

All human desires boil down to three basic desires: to be loved, to love oneself, and to love others. They are the three conditions for attaining happiness and the nutrients that give us power to live.

– Tsunetsugu Munakata, PhD, Professor of Comprehensive Human Sciences

Words carry the unique vibration of the land where they are spoken. But on a deeper planetary level, we are all connected by the same vibration. Human beings are vibrations of consciousness—namely, spirit.

– Shomei Yoh, picture book author and poet

The vision of integrative medicine is to treat the whole person, both body and mind, from birth to death, not just to achieve physical health but also to continue raising the level of consciousness.

– Kazuhiko Atsumi, MD, PhD, President of Japan Society for Integrative Medicine

In difficult transplanting operations, I talk to the tree with humility while doing my best to find the right solution. Then, the tree teaches me how to overcome the obstacle.

– Konami Tsukamoto, tree doctor

The world develops as if it were climbing a spiral staircase. We go around in a circle, but we climb one level higher than before. “Progress and development” and “revival and restoration” occur simultaneously.

– Hiroshi Tasaka, PhD, President of Think Tank SophiaBank

Spirituality is the experiential knowing that we are able to live through the connection to a larger life beyond ourselves. It is not exclusive to saints and priests, but inherent in all human beings.

– Jin Tatsumura, film director

From a planetary viewpoint, even earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and typhoons have positive functions, working to revive the sea and land. What we need to do is to design a robust civilization for the 21st century that can adapt to the Earth’s dynamic nature.

– Shinichi Takemura, PhD, cultural anthropologist and media designer

Reconciliation cannot be provided or forced upon from outside. It must come as the will of the parties involved.

– Rumiko Seya, disarmament and peace-building specialist

Past lectures