Universities and colleges always been centers of wisdom. And now, thanks to the development of modern means of communication, we can cooperate with each other closely.

Higher education and high quality academic research form one of the pillars of human society. For precisely this reason public spending on universities and colleges is needed. In a world where globalization is advancing, no nation can escape this responsibility.

However, on a plea of financial difficulty, the Japanese government is about to shirk its responsibilities. The result will be deterioration in the educational circumstances of students and in our working conditions. Japan's responsibility for promoting global co-operation will be impaired.

According to estimates, the average tuition fee for higher education in Japan would exceed 40,000 dollars per year if the government withdrew its support for universities. This is equal to the average income of a Japanese worker, Similar fees would have to be charged to foreign students studying in Japan.

Even now scholarships and grants available to students are insufficient to cover tuition fees and living expences. Moreover, repayment of educational loans can extend over many years and involve heav interest charges. Many people worry that, in future, these burdens will become even heavier.

The withdrawal of government support would also meat that various educational and research programmes that help to solve world problems would stop. This means that the people of the world would be penalized by the government's action.

We reject a free ride on academic research and higher education. We believe in global cooperation, We protest against the Japanese government's proposal to reduce spending on academic research and higher education.

For the brilliant future of the world's peoples, For global solidarity we send this message from Japan.