On August 30, 2003, a ceremony to award a degree as well as a lecture to commemorate graduation was held at the Babel Headquarter located in Tokyo’s Roppongi Izumi Garden Bldg. for the first graduate of Babel University Professional School of Translation,

Ms. Hisako Shibata. Ms. Hisako Shibata is the first graduate of the Babel University Professional School of Translation which opened in January 2000, and she is the first MST holder in the world.

　Upon receiving words of congratulations from Chancellor Yuasa, Ms. Shibata thanked everyone saying, ‘In addition to joy, I also feel the responsibility of being the first MST holder’. Along with her graduation, Ms. Shibata also debuted as a professional translator.

Her text which she co-translated for completion of her degree, Homosexuality in Church/ Both sides of the debate, was published by the United Church of Christ in Japan Publishing Bureau making for an ideal development for her. In addition to many faculty members including University President Yuasa, University Vice President Hotta, Dean Ishida and Professor Ozawa, Ms. Shibata’s husband and daughter, who have supported throughout her studies, attended making the ceremony quite congenial.

　In the afternoon, a lecture was held at the Akasaka Campus where University President Yuasa made the following opening remarks, “This has been a day to commemorate for Babel as well as for myself.

Along with congratulating Ms. Shibata, I also hope that all of you still studying in this program will follow in Ms. Shibata’s footsteps and utilize the knowledge gained from this program to make a contribution to society”. After words of congratulations from various professors, Ms. Shibata gave a commemorative lecture.