In recent years, many social activities including economy and manufacture industry are rapidly globalizing. Further, social lifestyle is changing drastically because of the development of IT technology which is beyond expectations. The development of innovative technologies is extremely important for Japan in the future.
Although people talk “Rural Era” or “Japan Changing from Rural Areas”, infrastructure in rural areas is still not fulfilled on the capability of technology development compared to major companies. The new system construction is required for promoting technological and commercializing innovations to new technologies in rural areas.
Universities in Japan have taken a major role in innovation and development of new technologies, and the expectation of collaboration between industry and universities is more than ever due to recent social situation. Especially the capabilities of technical development are not sufficient in rural industries. Therefore, national and local governments support industry-academia collaboration. On the other hand, universities, mainly national universities, have academic research results that lead to new technologies. However, the system for commercializing these research technology is not yet established.
We are working on engaging or collaborating between technology development expected by local industries and research achievements possessed by the university, and that contributes to both the revitalization of rural industry and strengthening the research factor of the university. We endeavor to support for establishing an excellent system circulating between universities and communities by utilizing the local knowledge for the further development of our society.
15th December 2011
Representative Director and Chairman, Masahiko Ichii, Ph. D.
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