TUJ Dean Matthew Wilson (second from left) speaks at a panel held at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan on Sept. 18, 2025.
Matthew Wilson, dean and president of Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), shared his academic and professional perspectives during a panel discussion titled “The Role of Educating Future Journalists Based in Japan” held on the evening of September 18 at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan (FCCJ) in Tokyo.
Wilson joined a group of distinguished journalists who have represented major global news organizations, including Reuters, Bloomberg, The Guardian and The Economist. The panel also included FCCJ President and TUJ adjunct professor Dan Sloan who contributed insights from his extensive reporting career at Reuters and Knight-Ridder.
The panel discussion covered a wide range of issues related to preparing the next generation journalists. Panelists emphasized the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, which they acknowledged is rapidly reshaping the media landscape. During the session, panelists underscored the importance of strengthening media literacy and practicing due diligence in a media landscape increasingly influenced by new technologies.
In his remarks, Wilson emphasized that he is centering on four pillars to educate the next generation. Beyond AI (artificial intelligence), educators need to be ensured that students are developing RI (real intelligence), GI (global intelligence) and PI (practical intelligence). Wilson initially emphasized the importance of RI, explaining that educators must teach students how to extract, verify and confirm the truthfulness of real facts and information. Current AI tools are susceptible to generating fabricated quotes or inaccurate details so sources need to be checked and the veracity of information needs to be verified.
For example, he encouraged professors to allow students to write papers with AI but then require them to fact-check every sentence to test credibility. Because of the relevance of AI in today’s society, Wilson noted that Temple University is teaching students how to effectively and ethically utilize AI. Wilson also highlighted global intelligence as essential in an interconnected world where awareness and sensitivity to global issues are critical. Practical intelligence, he said, comes through critical thinking, communication and investigative skills, which are foundations of strong journalism and teaching methods at Temple University.
“I think that whether it’s AI, RI, GI, or PI, we all have an important role to play as educators and journalists, and we need to be specialists in these areas,” Wilson said.
Watch the entire recording here:
Speakers on the panel (from the FCCJ website):
- Matthew J. Wilson, Dean, Temple University, Japan Campus.
- Dan Sloan, Adjunct Professor at Temple University, Japan Campus; Reuters and Knight-Ridder veteran; graduate of Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Virginia; and current FCCJ president.
- Isabel Reynolds, Bureau Chief, Bloomberg, Japan; and former FCCJ president.
- David McNeill, professor at Sacred Heart, Tokyo; editor for Asia-Pacific Journal; reporter for “The Economist” (2012-20) and “The Independent” (2001-12); and member of the FCCJ Professional Activities Committee.
- Justin McCurry, panel moderator, is Japan and Korea correspondent for the “Guardian” and editor for the FCCJ’s flagship magazine, “Number 1 Shimbun.” He is also a published author.
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