＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
It has been reported that the national university, Osaka University, has put a hold on the English name “University of Osaka” for the new Osaka Public University, which will be formed in spring 2022 through the merger of Osaka Prefecture University and Osaka City University, citing the possibility of causing confusion.
While the English name of the national university, “Osaka University,” is a registered trademark, “University of Osaka” is not. However, it seems that Osaka University is widely known overseas as “University of Osaka.”
By the way, the English name of the University of Tokyo is “the University of Tokyo.”
According to one lawyer, “Since the name “University of Osaka” is not registered as a trademark, it is possible to use the name, but there is a risk of being charged with violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.”
There is also the possibility of misunderstandings and confusion, such as international students applying to “Osaka Public University” when they intended to study at “Osaka University.” There is also the possibility that international researchers may mistakenly choose the wrong venue for an international conference.
1. How about changing the English name to “Osaka Metropolitan University”?
Personally, I think “Osaka Metropolitan University” would be fine.
2. How about changing the Japanese name to “Osaka Metropolitan University” in the future?
If the Osaka Metropolis Plan is approved by a majority of residents in the referendum, I think the Japanese name should also be changed to “Osaka Metropolitan University” in the future.
Tokyo Metropolitan University, which was created in 2005 when Tokyo merged four public universities, reverted to its original name of Tokyo Metropolitan University, its core university, in April 2020, but its English name remains “Tokyo Metropolitan University.”
As a university in Osaka, a metropolitan city that is a counterpart to Tokyo Metropolitan University, I think the name “Osaka Metropolitan University” is appropriate, and the English name “Osaka Metropolitan University” would also be perfect.