The 15th Tohoku Asia Youth Forum (hosted by the South Korea MRA/IC Headquarters) took place from August 20–26 in Seoul, South Korea, where youth from South Korea, China, and Japan had exchanges. Ms. Chisato Takahashi of Soka University (sophomore, Faculty of Economics), who belongs to the Global Citizenship Program (GCP), also participated. The forum was attended by a total of 63 participants, including 16 from Japan, 23 from South Korea, and 24 from China.

Under the overall theme of “The 4th Industrial Revolution and Youth,” the forum consisted of lectures by professor of South Korea’s Sejong University and Future Education Department Chief of the Korea Education and Research Information Service, as well as discussions based on themes such as education, international cooperation, and views on values. A joint declaration was announced at the end of the forum. In addition, presentations and experience-sharing on the traditional cultures of various countries, as well as sightseeing in the city of Seoul, were conducted.

As a participant, Ms. Takahashi commented: “We discussed how AI and robots will impact our future in our daily lives and how we should cope with changes. Our conclusion was to view the birth of AI and robots as an opportunity to discover new values, which can only be created by human beings, instead of as a threat that deprives people of employment.”
She continued, “During this student conference, we were also able to experience living together with friends from South Korea and China. My roommate was Korean, so all our conversations were in English. I was able to make cherished friends and trusting friendships with other students from South Korea and China. We teach each other languages and discuss issues on politics and diplomacy, which can be sensitive topics. During the exchange meeting, we laughed so hard, and we ran, sang, and spent a joyful time together, which significantly closed the distance between our hearts.”
Ms. Takahashi also stated, “At first, I was anxious about jumping into an international student conference by myself, but we quickly opened up to one another, and I am convinced that this experience will become a lifetime treasure for me. I was also able to fully utilize the English I studied at GCP. I think this is a program of great quality in which people can gain many precious experiences. I really hope that all our juniors will participate in the future as well.”