The Department of Policy Studies cultivates individuals to enable them to approach complicated problems from broad angles, as well as to propose and execute policies aimed at solving them. Global-scale environmental problems; conflicting international relations; developmental problems in developing nations in Asia; problems with Japanese national and local administrations; management strategies for corporations; and even immediate problems, such as the revitalization of local communities, are all problems of modern society with various factors that are intricately intertwined and difficult to solve simply by one preeminent expert of a single field.

Therefore, we offer extensive classes to students in the areas of social science, environmental studies, and civilization theory. Our curriculum is set up so that each student can find an academic topic of interest and, when they do, can delve deeply into it.

The stage for recognizing and solving problems is assumed to be in three areas: international policy, public policy, and environmental policy. Not only are these three areas deeply related, they are each engaged in civilization theory. In order to solve individual problems that arise between nations, or within countries or regions, one must be competent in the background (history, religion, society, etc.) of the culture. In such a way one is able to balance universal and individual views. Our intensive-study classes in foreign language and computers are also attractive.

A characteristic of the Department of Policy Studies is to have students enter the wide-open doors of academia, begin studies according to their interests, and deepen their ability to recognize and solve problems. I look forward to students finding an academic area of interest that suits them well.