At 2:46p.m. on March 11, 2011, the massive earthquake off the coast of Sanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, caused us unimaginable misery and deep sorrow. A year has passed from that day. Over 15,800 people including 3 students of our university died, over 3,200 people are still missing, and many people were injured. We can never forget such tragic and harsh realities.

 I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims who unfortunately passed away and to all the survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. One and a half months after the disaster, Tohoku University made a recommencement declaration in which we stated "our intention to focus all our efforts on turning sorrow into the light of hope by simultaneously focusing on the sustainable development of human society, as well as the recovery and restoration of affected areas".

 From that time, right up until today, Tohoku University has made efforts to recover its educational and research environment, supported by encouragement and assistance from all over the world. Now we are conducting educational activities as usual, and our students, who come from all over the world, are continuously studying, researching, and playing an important role on the front lines of social contribution. In addition, as a university in the devastated area, we established the Tohoku University Research Institute for Disaster Restoration and Reconstruction, and immediately started multidisciplinary research and development for disaster reconstruction. We are launching international cutting-edge research advancement programs, such as the International Research Institute of Disaster Science and the Tohoku Medical Megabank Plan.

 On the other hand, large-scale disasters keep happening and taking lives in many parts of the world. We have to more directly address the realities of natural disasters such as large earthquakes and tsunamis that occur on our living earth.

 After the occurrence of the disaster, our campuses were covered with heavy snow. This snow may have been trying to tell us something. What is life? What is it to be human? What is the earth? In considering these things, we keenly feel that we have to face the earth and the natural environment to create a safe and secure human society with new wisdom and creativity. In addition, the institution that can open the way to the future with such wisdom and creativity is the university, and so now more than ever the value of Tohoku University is being examined.

 Today, on the anniversary of the disaster, I would like Tohoku University's teachers, students, alumni, and others with ties to the university, to reflect on the tragedy of the disaster victims, have sympathy for the affected people, and open the door to the future with their wisdom, ambitious spirits and actions. We at Tohoku University hereby pledge to advance as a World-Class University for the benefit of the next generation.

March 11, 2012

Akihisa Inoue

President of Tohoku University