Seven Chinese students have received the 2026 Tohoku University Professor Fujino Incentive Award, recognising their outstanding research and potential to contribute to future academic exchange between Japan and China.
The students received their certificates at a ceremony on September 25 in the lecture hall where Lu Xun, widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature, once studied.
This year's recipients are Wang Haomiao (Education), Bai Yukun (Science), Chen Geng (Medicine), Gu Ningquan (Engineering), Xu Yumeng (International Cultural Studies), Yao Sai (Information Sciences) and Wang Anqing (Environmental Studies).
In his congratulatory speech, President Teiji Tominaga drew a connection between the award and Lu Xun's experience as one of the first international students to study at a Japanese university. He said Lu Xun embodied Tohoku University's tradition of "open doors" to talented students regardless of nationality, gender or background.
A bust of Lu Xun stands at the centre of Tohoku University's Katahira Campus and is a popular destination for visitors, especially from China. Tominaga said that the many people who have visited the historical lecture hall and had their photographs taken with the bust "reaffirms to me the greatness of Lu Xun and the depth of his connection to Sendai and our university."
The president expressed hope that, like Lu Xun, the award recipients would also benefit from the guidance of their academic advisors and go on to "serve as bridges for Sino-Japanese exchange and grow into global leaders who will spearhead the creation of new social values."
Yuji Mito, Managing Director of the Miyagi Prefecture Japan-China Friendship Association, echoed this message in his congratulatory remarks.
Bai Yukun, from the Graduate School of Science, then spoke on behalf of the award recipients. He reflected on the influence of Lu Xun's novel, "Professor Fujino," and how it shaped his image of Sendai long before he arrived in the city.
"During my first Golden Week after arriving in Sendai, I visited the place where Lu Xun once lived," Bai said. "As I listened to the quiet flow of the Hirose River nearby, I felt his presence a little closer to me. It was the moment when I truly realised that the Sendai I had come to know through his books had now become my own place of learning."
As he experienced university life and received the support of his own professors, Bai said, Lu Xun's story took on a deeper meaning. "I feel that I am gradually beginning to understand the gratitude that Lu Xun held in his heart for so long," he said.
He also described the award as a responsibility rather than an endpoint. "With gratitude in my heart for the guidance and support I have received so far, I will tackle each challenge with sincerity and continue to hone my skills so that I may contribute to society through my research."
Established in 2005, the Professor Fujino Incentive Award recognises outstanding Chinese students enrolled in graduate programmes at Tohoku University. Recipients are selected based on their research achievements and potential to contribute to future academic exchange.
Contact:
Tohoku University Student Exchange Division
Email: sed2
grp.tohoku.ac.jp
