The OSP Group (headquarters: Tennoji-ku, Osaka City; President: Matsuguchi Tadashi), centered around OSAKA SEALING PRINTING CO., LTD. a one-stop manufacturer of stickers, labels, Carton Package, and promotional tools, and the Matsuguchi Scholarship Foundation (located in Tennoji-ku, Osaka City; Chairman: Matsuguchi Tadashi), held a lecture entitled "The Real Ukraine: Past, Present, and Future" by Professor Yoshihiko Okabe (PhD in Economics and History, hereinafter referred to as Professor Okabe) and Visiting Professor Nadia Goral of Kobe University on Friday, March 24, 2023.

Purpose of the event

This lecture was held with the aim of providing an opportunity for more people to learn about the current situation happening around the world, now that a year has passed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as to encourage people to reconsider the importance of peace.
The two speakers, who are well versed in Ukrainian affairs, spoke to us about the current situation in the country.

About the lecture "The Real Ukraine: Past, Present and Future"

Date and time: Friday, March 24, 2023, 6:00 p.m.
Location: New Osaka Hotel 3rd floor "Yodo Room" (Yodogawa-ku, Osaka)
Organized by: OSP Group, Matsuguchi Scholarship Foundation
Participants: Approximately 170 people including OSP personnel, business partners, and Matsuguchi Scholarship Foundation scholarship recipients

Teacher

Kobe Gakuin University/Professor Yoshihiko Okabe (PhD in Economics, PhD in History)

Professor of the Faculty of Economics at Kobe Gakuin University, Director of the International Exchange Center, and Chairman of the Ukraine Study Group, he has been researching Ukrainian politics, economy, society, and environment for many years. Due to his energetic efforts, including publishing 22 papers on Ukraine and visiting the country more than 35 times to deepen his relationships with important people, he has received the Ukrainian Cabinet Medal of Honor, Foreign Member of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine, and the Medal of the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine.

Kobe Gakuin University/Visiting Professor Nadia Goral

Originally from Ukraine, he worked as a Japanese language teacher at a university in his home country and now teaches Ukrainian language and culture at Kobe Gakuin University.

Contents of the lecture

At the start of the lecture, Professor Okabe called for all participants to offer condolences for the many precious lives lost in the recent war, and then a moment of silence was observed before the lecture began.
During the lecture, he spoke about Ukrainian culture, similarities between the two countries, and anecdotes about his interactions with President Zelensky and the Foreign Minister. He also mentioned Russia's pressure to halt and then resume gas supplies to Ukraine and other neighboring countries, and stated his view that Putin's "delusional view of history," which includes the idea that "Ukraine and Russia are originally one," is a major factor behind the war.
Visiting Professor Nadia Goral was living in Ukraine when the Russian invasion began, but as the footsteps of war loomed, she fled the country and, at the strong urging of her relatives, came to Japan last year.
He spoke vividly of his experiences, including the shock he felt when he saw refugees at a loss as to where to go along the way and tanks.
His closing remarks included, "Ukraine is tired and needs your support, so please continue to support us."

Professor Okabe, Visiting Professor Goral and students interacting

With the hope of cultivating an international perspective among young people and encouraging them to aspire to contribute to peace, we invited 17 scholarship recipients from the Matsuguchi Scholarship Foundation to the lecture.
After the lecture, there was also an opportunity for students to talk directly with Professors Okabe and Goral.
The students asked the two professors a lively array of questions, including "What would you like to tell young people today?", "How did you come across this research that you were willing to devote your life to?", "How have you developed strengths that only you have that others do not have?", "What is the outcome of the war? When will it end?", and "What should the international community do with Ukraine?"
The students listened to the answers with shining eyes.
We were able to provide the students, who will be the leaders of the future, with an invaluable opportunity to think about peace and to face themselves.

■OSP Holdings Company Profile

• Company name: OSP HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
• Address: 6-8 Ajihara Honmachi Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
• Representative: Matsuguchi Tadashi
• Founded: 1969
• Business description: Business planning and management of the corporate group and related operations
• URL: https://www.osp-group.jp

Founded in 1927, the OSP Group is a comprehensive packaging company with a total of 15 companies (9 domestic and 6 overseas), and has 18 production bases nationwide to fulfill its mission of social infrastructure, mainly food distribution. Since its founding, the company has expanded its business scope in response to changes in the times, such as customer needs and the social environment. Currently, the company provides products and services that enrich society and the lives of customers through the planning, design, and manufacturing of stickers and labels, Carton Package, and promotional materials. In order to achieve high quality and stable supply, the group also operates in a wide range of areas, from material procurement, development and manufacturing of sticker and label printing base paper and printing peripherals, to designing and research and development of labeling systems.

■ Overview of Matsuguchi Scholarship Foundation

• Address: 1-11 Obasecho Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
• Representative: Matsuguchi Tadashi
• Established: June 2012 (certified as a public interest organization in 2014)
• Objectives of the program: To carry out educational activities widely throughout Southeast and East Asia, as well as within Japan, and to foster talented individuals both at home and abroad who will contribute to world peace, prosperity, and the advancement of culture.
• URL: https://www.matsuguchi-sf.or.jp/