Japanese

On October 18, 2025, the 99th Hiroshima University Lecture Series was held at the Ryoun Lecture Building on the Kasumi Campus. Hiroshima University invited historical demographer and family anthropologist Emmanuel Todd to deliver a lecture titled “Today's Japan Facing the Moral Crisis of the West.” A dialogue with HU President Mitsuo Ochi was also held.

Todd had originally been scheduled to speak at the Hiroshima University 75+75th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony on November 2, 2024, but his appearance was postponed due to illness. This visit, made a year later, fulfilled his promise to “definitely come” to Hiroshima.

In his lecture, reflecting on his first visit to Hiroshima in 33 years, Todd shared the profound impressions he gained from visiting the Peace Memorial Museum and Miyajima, while discussing the threat of nuclear weapons and the shifting values of the world. He noted that while the West once placed importance on freedom, equality, and peace, people’s values are now crumbling due to deindustrialization, declining education, and the weakening of religious consciousness, leading to the spread of nihilism. Regarding the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, he remarked, “Despite being the aggressors, Western countries believe they are in the right and feel a sense of crisis.”

He further analyzed that the disappearance of religion leads to moral collapse, resulting in individual isolation and social division. Todd pointed out that the influence of nihilism is particularly strong in Protestant cultural spheres, where a tendency toward war can be observed. In contrast, he assessed that Japan has a lower risk of falling into nihilism, owing to its preservation of religious diversity and its sensitivity to beauty.

During his dialogue with President Ochi, the two exchanged views on Japan’s nuclear armament. President Ochi expressed his opposition, stating, “Possessing nuclear weapons carries great risks, and given Hiroshima’s historical background, it would be extremely painful psychologically. We cannot have them.” Todd, however, argued that “the notion of Japan being protected by America’s nuclear umbrella is an illusion, and that the balance of terror through nuclear weapons leads to peace,” offering a contrasting perspective that deepened the discussion.

Approximately 240 participants, including Hiroshima University students, faculty, and staff, attended the event and listened attentively to the lecture and dialogue. Following the lecture, President Ochi presented Todd with a letter of appreciation and a commemorative gift.

In his opening remarks, President Ochi stated, “In the world of academia, it is important to listen to one another’s opinions and align our thinking with those around us.” This lecture served as a valuable opportunity to deepen reflection on the essence of peace and its realization through dialogue between two individuals with differing viewpoints. It also provided participants with a meaningful opportunity to understand the current global situation from multiple perspectives and to reexamine their own positions.