Vol.56 "Diary and Letters of Kiyoshi Miki" by Keisaburo Masuda

Kiyoshi Miki, known as the author of "Notes on the Theory of Life," arrived at Hosei University in April 1927 as a professor in the Department of Philosophy in the then Faculty of Letters. The year before, Miki had made his debut on the world of philosophy with "Pascal's Study of Man," and immediately after his arrival, he published research papers on the historical view of materialism, making a name for himself as an up-and-coming philosopher.

Keizaburo Masuda, a scholar of Kierkegaard who would later become a professor at TUFS, entered the Department of Philosophy in the Faculty of Letters at the same time Miki arrived, and was deeply impressed by Miki's lectures at the time. According to Masuda's recollection, "Whenever Mr. Miki gave a lecture, students from almost every university in Tokyo would crowd into the classroom, and the room would always be filled to overflowing with students in attendance" ("Recollections of Kiyoshi Miki"). From that time on, Masuda looked up to Miki as his mentor for the rest of his life.

Miki was dismissed from his professorship in 1930 for violating the Security Law, but his relationship with Masuda and his other beloved students at Hosei remained close thereafter. It is recorded in his diary that they frequently visited Miki's residence, and when Miki passed away in 1945, it was his disciples who went to retrieve his body.

Soon after the war, Masuda borrowed Miki's diary and letters to his fiancée from the bereaved family and transcribed them in order to edit "The Collected Works of Kiyoshi Miki. Since the originals were subsequently lost, Miki's diaries and letters in Masuda's handwriting have become extremely valuable. These materials were used as the basis for the compilation of the "Complete Works of Kiyoshi Miki," and are now kept in the University History Office of Hosei University.

Masuda was a professor at Hosei University before moving on to Chiba University, Tokyo Metropolitan University (now Tokyo Metropolitan University), and Toyo University, but he continued to teach at the university for many years as an adjunct professor and part-time lecturer. He also devoted himself to the task of conveying Miki's achievements, and in 1970, a philosophy monument inscribed with Miki's writings was installed on the grounds of the university. After his death, Masuda donated the entire collection of books to the university library to repay his debt to the university. Today, the "Keizaburo Masuda Collection" stands next to the "Kiyoshi Miki Collection" in the library.