Abu Dhabi Tomonkai

About the Abu Dhabi Tomonkai

The Abu Dhabi Tomonkai was established on 29 October 2013, consisting of 30 members, and has mostly remained unchanged since its establishment. Considering the major industries of Abu Dhabi, like oil and gas development and production, at the time of its establishment, more than twofold of their members had a science background, rather than a humanities one. Under the influence of the current government policy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that aims at industrial diversification, the current ratio between sciences and humanities is fifty-fifty.

Our prime activities include a year-end party and a quiz contest at the four universities’ gathering (Waseda, Keio, Hitotsubashi, and Sophia) every spring, but these had to be halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We also enjoy occasional astronomical observations and watch stars in the middle of the desert in different seasons.
Hyakutake Yoshiyuki（Graduated in 1980, School of Science and Engineering）

The attractive points of Abu Dhabi

When people hear that UAE is a Middle Eastern country, some imagine camels in the vast desert, while others imagine cities with high-rise buildings, in the likeness of the well-known Dubai. Abu Dhabi is a city with many high-rises (not as many as Dubai) amid its modernization.

One of the attractions in this city is desert activities. You can experience adventures such as driving in dunes in a four-wheel-drive vehicle (dune driving), camelback riding through the desert (camel ride), and camping. In addition, don’t forget occasional astronomical observations. A skyful of stars in the desert within one and half hours of drive from the city purifies one’s heart.

Yas Marina Circuit, the annual Formula One track, is open twice a week free of charge, where you can go around in a bicycle or take a jog. Nowhere else in the world, will you find a race-car circuit that you can run along.
Shimokata Noriaki（Graduated from School of Science and Engineering in 1999 and Graduate School of Science and Engineering in 2001）

Message from the Chairperson

Let me introduce the origin of the city name and the city planning.

About the origin of the city name, it sounds like one word, “abudabi” in Japanese, while it is a combination of “Abu” and “Dhabi” in Arabic. “Abu” is Arabic for “father of” and “Dhabi” for ”deer,” and so Abu Dhabi literally means “Father of Deer.” The city of Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Arabian Gulf, where abundant deer existed before humans arrived, and thus the city received its name.

Further, about the city planning, unlike the intricate road system in Dubai, Abu Dhabi is uncomplicated and clear. For example, if you magnify a view of the city with Google Earth, it looks like the blocks of the ancient city of Kyoto with “jo (streets)” and “bo (avenues).” It is because the city plan was developed by the Japanese architect Katsuhiko Takahashi who worked as a civil engineering advisor for the city government in the 1960s.

Abu Dhabi is the city of the “Father of Deer,” designed by the Japanese.
Hyakutake Yoshiyuki（Graduated in 1980, School of Science and Engineering）

Messages from the Members

Here, I briefly explain the nation’s Covid-19 measures as of March 2021. Since UAE is a federal state, each emirate has taken different measures. Abu Dhabi, where I live, has taken various steps to prevent the spread of infection. People can easily take PCR tests at hospitals or drive-through facilities. Even I take a test every week. It costs just about 2,000 yen, and one is notified of the result within a day via SNS. Under the present government’s leadership, more than 60 percent of the population has already been vaccinated, achieving the second-highest ratio worldwide. In addition, mask-wearing when going out is mandatory, as is social distancing, and limiting attendance at movie theaters and various other facilities. Checkpoints have been established between Abu Dhabi and Dubai where people must show a negative test result to cross borders. Besides, people who enter Abu Dhabi from overseas are required to wear a location management gadget (photo). If one goes out during the 10-day stay-home period, they will be taken into custody and be liable for a fine of about 1.5 million yen (50,000 AED). Even though it’s a bit inconvenient and strict, these restrictions have allowed us to live securely even during the pandemic.
Iwamoto Ryuichiro（Graduated from School of Science and Engineering in 1984 and Graduate School of Science and Engineering in 1986）

Abu Dhabi is full of energy. That is what I feel after three years of living here. First, it literally means “energy” as Abu Dhabi is one of the leading oil producers and a key producer of new sources of energies such as solar power, hydrogen, and ammonia. Further, more than anything else, it has “people energy.” The ratio of its nationals is just about 15 percent of the population. The city is vibrant, with various people coming together from around the globe, embodying diversity & inclusion. Everyone is kind to children and the elderly. You can feel hospitality in the very air of this modernized city.
Mitsukura Takeru（Graduated in 2008, School of Humanities and Social Sciences）

Two years have passed since I moved here. Summers in Abu Dhabi are scorching hot with the temperature reaching 50°C, while autumns and winters are comfortable with the temperature ranging from 20–30°C. These seasons are perfect for sports, and Japanese people enjoy playing golf, soccer, and tennis here. Another notable characteristic of the city is its multinationalism. Thanks to my devotion to hockey in my school days, I could befriend people from several countries in this foreign land. I now have greater appreciation of the experiences I gained during my student days.
Yasuda Taiga（Graduated in 2014, School of Political Science and Economics）

Covered in Waseda Gakuho, October 2021 Issue

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