By Kwan Weng Kin, Japan Correspondent

TOKYO, JAPAN: Japan will have to adapt quickly to global changes that come with regional integration, and Japanese youth must recognise this reality, said President S R Nathan in Tokyo yesterday.
He made the comments after receiving an honorary doctorate from Japan's most prestigious private university.

'In the globalised world that we face, greater integration of our economies with the rest of the world will continue and is not reversible. That being the case, Japan, like other major economies, will have to adapt to such changes quickly,' he said in his acceptance speech at Keio University.

'It behooves Japanese youth to recognise this reality and move forward,' Mr Nathan told the audience, which comprised mainly students and faculty members of Keio.

The President, who is in Japan on a historic week-long state visit, noted that the country was able to transform itself in fundamental ways in the past, such as during the Meiji era in the late 19th century and in its post-war reconstruction after World War II.

He said that Japan will require another 'transformational change' to get out of its present economic crisis and that it will involve the joint efforts of politicians, business leaders and the nation's top universities. Young Japanese, he said, should take up the challenge to make Japan a world leader again.

'As Japan has done time and again since the Meiji era and after World War II, my call to young Japanese is to go out again into the world that is marked by technological innovations and scientific discoveries and profound change,' said Mr Nathan.

'Bring back ideas to revitalise your country and your economy and take the next economic leap that Japan must endeavour to re-establish its pre-eminence among the leading nations of Asia in the 21st century.'

Mr Nathan made the call after being conferred an honorary doctorate in media and governance by Keio's president Yuichiro Anzai.

The degree was in recognition of Mr Nathan's contributions to enhancing relations between Singapore and Japan and for helping to maintain peace and stability in the region during his very long and illustrious career.

Mr Nathan is the first Singaporean to be so honoured by Keio, and the first Asian statesman to receive the award since 2006, when Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was conferred a similar doctorate from the university.

During his speech, President Nathan also spoke about how World War II gave him 'a new lease of life' although he had left school without completing his studies before the war began.

'I acquired some proficiency in the Japanese language and was always encouraged by those I came into contact with. They frequently reminded me that I had a 'good head'.'

'This was what encouraged me after the war to continue studying, juggling my time between work and study. That was how I was led into entering the university at the age of 28,' Mr Nathan revealed.

The President ended his speech with a few words spoken in fluent Japanese to express his gratitude - a nice touch that was greeted with appreciative applause.

Earlier yesterday, President Nathan met the Speakers of Japan's two Houses of Parliament and had lunch with Japanese business leaders who had made significant contributions to the economic and technological development of Singapore.

In the evening, he had dinner with Japanese politicians who have long associations with Singapore.

Today, Mr Nathan will travel to the ancient capital of Kyoto in western Japan to continue his visit, after bidding farewell to his hosts Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.