Arrests of football team members, “infighting” at the top… The surprising reason why Nihon University, which has been in trouble after trouble, is safe and sound even though it has received no subsidies for three years in a row.

Many current and former students may be wondering, “Is my alma mater going to be all right?

Many current and former students must be wondering if their alma mater will be all right. On October 31, a third-party committee found that “governance is dysfunctional” at Nihon University due to a series of troubles. The following is a look back at the series of disturbances stemming from the possession of illegal drugs by a member of the American football team and the lousy handling of the situation.

In the fall of 2010, the parents of a member of the American football team informed the director of the football team that a member of the team was smoking marijuana in the dormitory. As a result of an interview, one member of the team testified that he had smoked with others.

In November of the same year, the University of Japan recognized that it had consulted with the police and was instructed that “it is difficult to prove the case and a strict caution should be given. In reality, it was later revealed that he had only spoken to an alumnus police official.

On July 6 of this year, prompted by the police, Vice President Yasuhiro Sawada and others investigated the dormitory. They found plant fragments, but did not contact the police until July 18, 12 days later. Vice President Sawada explained that he wanted to make the students reflect properly and turn themselves in.

On August 5, police investigated the dormitory and arrested one member.

On August 10, Nichi-Dai announced its opinion that it was a “personal crime committed by one of its members. The indefinite suspension imposed only five days earlier is lifted.

On August 22, the police re-examined the dormitory. Suspicions of marijuana use by 11 members of the club surfaced, and Nihon University apologized, saying that it had not been fully aware of the situation. The team was again suspended indefinitely.

On September 4, Chancellor Mariko Hayashi demanded Vice President Sawada’s resignation, saying, “There is a very high possibility of non-granting of subsidies. Vice President Sawada refused. The “infighting” at the top was revealed.

On October 16, the second member of the department is arrested.

The Japan Private Schools Foundation, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, made a harsh decision on October 23 in response to the problems that showed no signs of abating and the backward response. The organization has decided to deny all subsidies (private school subsidies) amounting to approximately 9 billion yen to Nichi-Dai, deeming the university to be suffering from a lack of governance.

The university was the second largest recipient of subsidies after Waseda University. However, the former chancellor and others were arrested for tax evasion and other offenses, so the university has decided not to grant subsidies in their entirety since FY2009. This is the third consecutive year that the university has received no subsidies.

It is not surprising that Japan’s mammoth university, the largest in the country, would be in financial trouble if it were to receive no subsidies totaling approximately ¥27 billion over the next three years. In fact, however, it is surprisingly safe. University journalist Reiji Ishiwatari tells us.

The total assets of Nihon University are said to exceed 700 billion yen. The total assets of Nihon University are said to be well over 700 billion yen, and medical income from affiliated hospitals alone is 47 billion yen. In addition, there are more than 25 affiliated schools scattered across the country from Hokkaido to Kyushu. When vocational schools and kindergartens are included, the total number of affiliated schools is nearly 40. The land and other real estate alone would be a considerable asset. It is true that not receiving the 9 billion yen subsidy for the third year in a row is a blow, but I do not think it is enough to shake the foundation of Nichi-Dai.

Is there any fear that a series of troubles will cause a bad impression among students, which will lead to a decline in popularity and gradually put pressure on Nihon University’s management? Mr. Ishiwata continues.

If there is a problem such as a large increase in tuition fees, it will have a direct impact on students, but the marijuana incident involving a member of the football team has no direct relationship to the applicants. However, the marijuana incident involving a member of the football team does not directly affect applicants, so there will be no major impact. In fact, the number of applicants for the 2010 academic year, the year following the arrest of the former chancellor, decreased by about 40,000 compared to the previous year, but this year, on the contrary, the number of applicants increased by about 50,000. The “Nichi-Dai brand” is something that will never change for students taking the entrance exam.

No matter how solid the management may be, there is no doubt that the trust of more than 1.2 million graduates and 70,000 current students has been lost due to a series of troubles. The road to restoring the University of Japan’s credibility will be a difficult one.