T O H O K U U N I V E R S I TY
I N TE G R A T ED R EPO R T 2023

Cover: Tohoku University was founded on the principles of “Open Doors,” “Research First,” and “Practice-oriented Researchand Education,” and we have been home to a diverse range of people for more than 100 years. In 1913, Tohoku University
became the first university in Japan to admit female students. To mark the publication of the Integrated Report for 2023, thecover features the Tohoku University Archives, which houses numerous historical records on the rich diversity of the people at theuniversity, including documents related to the history behind Japan’s first female students. The cover represents the 110 years
since female students were first admitted and symbolizes the University’s history of diversity and equity.

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Message from the President

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Governance as a University Engaged With Society

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Governance as a University Engaged With Society
Toward a Sustainable Future - Resolving Environmental and Social Issues Diversity - Realization of an Educational, Research, and Work Environment Inclusive of Diversity and Equity -Pioneering the Future, Creation of Social Value
Promoting green growth through open innovation
Forward-looking Tohoku University Sustainability Bond issue enables autonomous university management
while bringing creation of new social value
Exploring the Convergence Knowledge● Convergence Knowledge: A wealth of world-class knowledge brought together at Tohoku University● Resource Supply Chains as viewed through the lens of Environmental and Resource Economics and the law of the sea● Prospect for the cutting-edge science to support future lifestyles● Heathy aging from emerging sulfur life science

A Platform for Value Creation
Aiming for Sustainable Geothermal Use and Regional Revitalization in Japan: Unleashing the World’s Third Largest Potential
From environmental DNA data to a Nature-Positive Future
Create a “world where people learn as they play” together with Tohoku University
From the Front Lines of Generative AI Research and Natural Language Processing Research
Strategic Digital Transformation as a University Leading Social Change
Sharing BOSAI (disaster risk reduction) with the world through the “World BOSAI Forum”
Becoming a Value Creation Platform Open to the World Through the Pursuit of Internationality● Revolutionizing information and communications technology by superconducting spintronics research● Strategic Housing Reconstruction and Land Use to Rebuild the Hearts and Lives of Disaster Victims● Overseas Experience Leads to NPO Research Based on Design Thinking● Connecting Local Regions with Overseas Countries and Taking on the Challenge of Local Development in a Global Era

Creating Startups That Drive Social Change
Toward the Realization of a Circular Economy That Utilizes Unused Biomass Resources
Creation of a new Spine Health-Tech Market
Social Implementation of Reference-Based AI Technology. A Role Model for Student Entrepreneurship

Summary of Financial Report
Forging the Path to a Better Future, Hand in Hand with Society
Tohoku University Data

We are pleased to announce the publication of our third Integrated
Report since 2021.In order to communicate our perspective as acomprehensive university, with characteristics distinct from thoseof a regular, for-profit corporation, we "comprehensively" integrate
our financial information (quantitative data) with our non-financial
information (qualitative data) on education, research, community cocreation, and management to provide our stakeholders with a clear
understanding of the direction that Tohoku University is heading andthe value that we are creating for communities.
In line with our origin as a university growing together with society,we hope that this report serves as an opportunity to further enhancethese efforts in co-creation through dialog with all of you.
Scope of the Report:
National University Corporation Tohoku University
Period of the Report:
April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023 *Includes some information fromoutside of this period.
Guidelines Referenced:
Inter national Integrated Reporting Framework, Inter national
Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)
Recommendations of Task Force on Climate-related Financial
Disclosures (TCFD)

Origin of the University Official Symbol and School Colors: The logo was developed in March
2005 based on the key concepts of “Creativity,” “Global,” and “Tradition,” with a motif thatincorporates the hagi plant, the native bush clover that has long symbolized Sendai. The
logo was adopted as the university’s official symbol in June 2007. The shape of the logo
represents the dignified movement of the hagi as it spreads further out into the world.
The colors purple and black have also been selected as official colors. Purple symbolizes
intelligence and creativity, while black represents diligence and practical skill. With the
adoption of the university official symbol, purple has also been adopted as the school color.

Message from the President

A New Vision for the University,
Becoming a Value Creation Platform
Hideo OHNO
22nd President of Tohoku University

Introduction
Tohoku University was founded in 1907 and is well known for
its guiding principles of putting research first, having an opendoor policy and committing to practice-oriented research andeducation.
Despite being Japan’s third national university, Tohoku
University has been first in many ways that matter. We were thefirst university in the country to accept women and one of thefirst to welcome international students.
T h e s e d a y s , To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y i s a v i b r a n t a c a d e m i ccommunity, home to 18,000 students across 10 faculties, 15
graduate schools and six research institutes. About 10 percent
of our students come from abroad, contributing to one of themost cosmopolitan academic environments in Japan.
Our diverse student population and research achievements,
coupled with our wide network of collaborative partners, haveearned us recognition from the Japanese government. In June
2017, we were among the first three institutions to be awarded
the status of a Designated National University and we are
currently the only remaining candidate for the “University forInternational Research Excellence” government project, whichaims to boost research activities at Japanese universities.
And in March 2023 - for the fourth year in a row - Times
Higher Education ranked Tohoku University number one on its
annual list of Japanese universities, highlighting our learning
environment, international outlook, and research influence.

Open Doors:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
This year, we celebrate the 110th anniversary of our first female
students. On August 21, 1913, the official gazette announced
the admission of three female students to Tohoku Imperial

Tohoku University

University, the precursor to Tohoku University. That moment
broke the gender barrier in Japanese higher education, marking
the first time in the country's history, that female students were
accepted into a national university.
Those three extraordinary women - Chika Kuroda, Ume Tangeand Raku Makita - were not only trailblazers as students, butalso in their successful post-graduation careers.
Another pioneering alumnus was writer Lu Xun, a leading
figure of modern Chinese literature. He was a student at the
Sendai Medical College, which later became the School of
Medicine. His experiences in Sendai are immortalized in a
famous collection of short stories, many of which revolvearound his professor Genkuro Fujino, who provided support andcare during a time when international students were a rarity inJapan.
For over a century, our unwavering "Open Doors" policy has
welcomed talented individuals, irrespective of gender, ethnicity,
nationality, or economic background.
In April last year, the university unveiled the “Tohoku University
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Promotion Declaration,”
renewing our commitment to create an environment where allvoices are heard and respected.

Practice-oriented Research and
Education: Creating New Social Values
Tohoku University has always been committed to fostering aculture of practice-oriented research and education, with theultimate aim of positively impacting our communities.
To that end, we have used our research success to addressa wide range of challenges. These include building resiliencein the aftermath of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake andTsunami, and establishing a Green Goals Initiative to promote
future sustainability.
For over a decade, Tohoku University has been a global leader

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Integrated Report 2023

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in the development of disaster science and risk mitigation
strategies through our International Research Institute ofDisaster Science (IRIDeS). For example, we are proud tohave developed RTi-cast, a system adopted by the Japanese
government that provides real-time data on tsunami inundationand damage estimation using our supercomputer.
At the 3rd World Bosai Forum held in Sendai earlier this year,
we submitted recommendations to the United Nations Officefor Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on ways to increase
global resilience. These recommendations will contributeto the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
An integral part of building resilience is also improving
healthcare. And at the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization,
which houses Japan's largest population biobank, we areworking on developing personalized medicine research that will
significantly enhance healthcare across the country.
Currently, we are building a 40,000m2 Science Park on the newextension of Aobayama campus. Upon completion, it will serve
as a hub for advanced science and technology research anddevelopment, and is expected to draw investments from privatecompanies and industry.
Together with NanoTerasu, the next generation synchrotron
radiation facility due to begin operations in 2024, the Science
Park is set to become one of Japan's premier researchcomplexes for developments in public-private partnerships.

Research First: Towards a New Model

To Our Stakeholders

for the University, Becoming a Platform
for Value Creation
We envision a future where Tohoku University will pursue

This integrated report presents our financial information in
combination with our non-financial information related toeducation, research, societal co-creation, and management.
It aims to clearly communicate Tohoku University's future

roadmap, the direction taken and planned contributions tosocietal value creation as the community as a whole embarkson the challenge of redefining the role of research universities
in Japan. We hope this report will serve as a catalyst to deepen
our collaboration through dialogue with all of our stakeholders.
Thank you all very much, and I look forward to your continued
support.

excellence in research and education on a scale greater thanever before. Going beyond the framework of conventional
institutions of higher education, we hope to evolve into amodern platform that creates value through engagement andco-creation with society.
Tohoku University aims to establish a new research ecosystemthat will further provide the means for positive change in theworld. We are dedicated to fostering an open environmentthat welcomes diverse talents, promotes internationalism,and develops a research support system that will enable
researchers, especially those in the early stages of theircareers, to make rapid progress.
We are strategically working on increasing and enhancing
engagement, including the creation of startups, facilitating
funding flow, nurturing talented individuals capable of creatingsocial values through research and co-creation, promoting
entrepreneurship, and implementing management reforms to
support these initiatives.

Excursion during the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Sendai, and Official Side Event High-Level Meeting “Quantum Innovation for a Better Future”

Achieving a Virtuous Cycle of Education, Research, and Community
Collaboration based on Our Founding Principles of “Research First,”

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Integrated Report 2023

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Tohoku University

Ope

The three principles of Tohoku University are “Research First,”“Open Doors,” and “Practice-oriented Research and Education.”
These are also the driving forces that effectively link together the
University's various activities in education, research, and community
collaboration. First, the tradition of “Research First” refers tofostering outstanding, bright individuals who will pioneer the future
through their research while creating internationally distinguishedresearch findings. Second, our “Open Doors” principle refers toaccepting talented people regardless of nationality, gender, or othercharacteristics to demonstrate the power of diversity and provide
society with the further enhanced talents of these individuals. Third,“Practice-oriented Research and Education” refers to the creation of
new social values based on original research findings. The virtuous
cycle of education, research, and community collaboration enabledby these three principles promotes co-creation by transcending
boundaries and forms the foundation of Tohoku University’s vision
for the future.

raa r ctic
ch ea n o ri e
d E nt ed
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a ti o n“Open Doors,” and “Practice-oriented Research and Education”

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GovernanceEver since its establishment as Japan’s third national university, Tohoku University has continued to benefit
from the support of the local community and private companies as a university engaged with society.
In the University’s ever-developing public role demonstrating its true value through collaboration with a variety of stakeholders,
Tohoku University will continue to implement engagement-oriented university managementwith an emphasis on relationships with its stakeholders.

Governance as a University Engaged With Society

Engagement-Oriented University Management Based on the Corporate Governance CodeTohoku University is committed to engagement-oriented university
management with an emphasis on relationships with a diverse rangeof stakeholders, and aims to transform itself toward a value creation
platform with the participation of a diverse array of actors. To thisend, we need to build a relationship of trust with communities in our

The following are some examples of the University’s activities based on the aims set forth in the Corporate Governance Code.

ever-developing public role, and as an aspect of this, we inspect
and publicize our governance from the perspective of the National
University Corporation Governance Code as well as the Corporate
Governance Code for companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange,
as a unique initiative not seen in other universities.

Corporate Governance Code Supplementary Principle 2-3 (1)Addressing sustainability-related issues● Activities to achieve net zero carbon in 2040

Details on p.10-11● Issuance of university bonds (Tohoku University Future-Creation Bonds)

Details on p.20-23

in the form of sustainability bonds (SDG Bonds)
Details on p.40-41● The first university in Japan to participate in the TNFD Forum● Hosting of the 3rd International Disaster Risk Reduction Conference

Toward a Value Creation Platform with the Participation of a Diverse Array of Actors

Details on p.48-49

Corporate Governance Code Supplementary Principle 3-1 (3)Improving information disclosure
Sustainability

Excellence international talentSocial change

Human capital revolution

Industrial competitivenessIndividual empowerment

Global presence

A sustainable world

TohokuUniversity

Actionpotential

Details on p.10-11● Career support for doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows

Employment rate for doctoral students(supported students)

The PhD Career Development Unit (PhDC) was established to provide doctoral students
and post-doctoral fellows with career support. We continue to improve our career support

88.7%
90.3%

82.4%

91.4%

86.6%
In recent years, the employment rate has remained high at over 90%.

● The Frontier Research Institute of Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS),

which provides an independent research environment for young faculty members
FRIS provides an independent research environment, recruits
outstanding young researchers through an international publicrecruitment process, and by enhancing support for researchfunding, creates an environment in which young researchers candevote themselves to their research as principal investigators (PIs).

FWCI
1.64

TOP10%
Percentageof papers

15.2%*2015-2020*2015-2020

Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences ▶ https://www.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en/

Overseas
students /Researchers

Corporate Governance Code Supplementary Principle 2-4

Diversity

Industry

Diversity

Students

We are building a management system that emphasizes diversity in terms of gender, background, and otherattributes, and 35.3% (6 out of 17) of the members of the executive committee (president, executive vicepresidents, and vice presidents) are from outside of the University, and 17.6% (3 out of 17) are women. (As of
April 2023)● Establishment of a Student Council

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6● Diversity-conscious management system
Citizens /Working
professionals

95.7%

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Co-creation
capabilities

Conceptualization
capabilities

92.4%

92.1%

PhD Career Development Unit ▶ https://pgd.tohoku.ac.jp/phdc/en/

Quality nations/regionst

Start-up
capabilities

Sympathy
The nation
andcommunities

nc

Researchcapability

Growthpotential

International
expansion
capabilities

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● Details of disclosure on climate change actions based on the TCFD

system by aiding in the development of transferable skills applicable to multiple specialized
fields in addition to internship training and other job-hunting support.

iouInternational Networks to Accelerate
the Circulation of Talented Researchers

xpa ns i on ond e(sustainability activities, status of investments in human capital, etc.)

17.6％

35.3％
11

Percentage from outsideof the University

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Percentage of women

We were the first national university to establish an official system to reflect student opinions in university management through direct dialog. In this way, a diverse range of
opinions are able to influence the management of the University.

[Corporate Governance Code]
The Corporate Governance Code is a set of principles outlining basic matters of governance for companies
listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It covers the principles of conduct necessary for universities to gain
the trust of a wider variety of stakeholders through proactive and active responses to sustainability-related
issues, investments in human capital and intellectual properties, and other means.

Tohoku University● Release of the Tohoku University Declaration of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)● Enactment of Guidelines on Sexual Diversity

Details on p.12-13● Fostering the next generation of female researchers through the Science Ambassador System

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Governance

Recognizing that global environmental conservation is one of the most important issues common to everybody,and aiming to serve as a model for society in the near future, Tohoku University engages in environmentally-conscious activities
in all aspects of its educational and research activities with a view to building a sustainable society.
Specifically, in order to embody its role as a university working hand in hand with society,Tohoku University remains sincerely committed to global environmental conservation,
the most important issues common to all of humankind, by actively reducing the environmental impact of its operations,fostering environmentally-minded talent, promoting environment-related research, and disclosing environment-related information.

Toward a Sustainable Future- Resolving Environmental and Social Issues -Climate Change Actions (Compliance with TCFD)

Carbon neutrality on University campuses

Tohoku University will analyze and evaluate the impact of climate change, identify climate change risks and opportunities, and proactively disclose
information on its activities to address climate change, including the financial impact (provisional calculation) to achieve the goals of Tohoku
University Green Goals Declaration.

In accordance with national strategies such as the Global WarmingCountermeasure Plan, Tohoku University aims to achieve “Nearly ZEB”
status or higher for new buildings and at least “ZEB Ready” status forexisting buildings.
In May 2023, work was completed on Kita-Aobayama Center Square,a renovation of existing buildings.
Kita-Aobayama Center Square loosely connects the dynamic spaceof the Kita-Aobayama Commons with the static space of the library via
the Knowledge Corridor (an enclosed connecting passage), creating adiverse venue enabling a broad range of activities. In addition, in orderto create a space to encourage dialog and exchange among students,
faculty, staff members, and a variety of other parties, an event space
was set up in the library to serve as a venue for educational andresearch activities open to visitors from outside of the university,transforming the area into an Innovation Commons.
In the process of renovating, the insulation capabilities of the exterior

Provisional calculations through FY2030
Impacts of climate change

Strategy and risk management

ExamplesTransition risk

Strengthening of national
environmental regulations

・Increased costs due to the introduction of a carbon tax
・Increased costs to achieve carbon neutrality

Transition to renewableenergyFinancial impact/year

Greenhouse-gas reduction/year

Physical risk
Opportunities

Carbon tax

Approximately JPY 820 million-

・Increased demand for renewable energy, rising prices
・Increased costs due to the upgrade of energy-conserving facilities

・Reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions
・Reduction of energy costs
・Upgrading to renewable energy facilities
・Transition to electrification and clean electricalpower

Renewable energy sources

Approximately JPY 90 million(4) 1,600t-CO2

Facility upgrades

Approximately JPY 900 million(2) 1,600t-CO2

Damage caused bytyphoons, torrential
rains, etc. / Supply-chain
disruptions

・Infrastructure and other supply suspensions, flooding of buildings
due to flying debris, inundation, etc.
・Delay in procurement of materials and equipment for research andexperiments, etc.
・Suspension of education and research activities, etc.

・Preventive maintenance (strengthening
vulnerable areas)
・Post-incident maintenance (disaster recovery)
・Stockpiling of frequently used materials andequipment for research and experiments, etc.

Damage to facilities andequipment

Approximately JPY 50 million-

・Strengthening activities to reduce one's own greenhouse-gas
emissions and energy use Research promotion and technology
development

・Strengthening energy conservation activities
・Reducing administrative work through digital transformation
・Reducing travel between campuses through online
conferencing

Energy conservation, etc.

Approximately JPY (490) million

Behavioral changes

・Strengthening activities to promote research, develop technology,
etc., that relate to intellectual contributions and mitigation
measures related to climate change

・Developing technology and readying society forrenewable energy, hydrogen utilization, etc.
・Developing high-performance storage batteries,etc.

Research investment /Technology-development
revenue-

Contribution to the
reduction of greenhousegas emissions in society
as a whole・Renewable energy generation investment and use
・Early resumption of education and research
activities, etc.
・Supplying the city during power outages

Renewable energy
generation

Approximately JPY 30 million(3) 60t-CO2

Research promotion
and technology
development

Business Continuity
・Infrastructure-supply suspensions
Plan (BCP) (utilizing the・Suspension of education and research activities, etc.
experience of the Great・Intake and support of local residents, etc.
East Japan Earthquake)(1) 2,300t-CO2
Reduced administrative work Approximately JPY (170) million*TCFD refers to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, which was established by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) at the request of the G20 and is chaired by Michael R. Bloomberg.
It studies climate-related disclosure practices and the way financial institutions respond. The TCFD published its final report in June 2017, recommending that companies and other institutions disclose

walls and roof were improved by incorporating vacuum double glazing
and double-hung sash windows, while high-efficiency air conditioning,
LED lighting, and image-recognition-based motion sensors forlighting were installed to ensure energy conservation. In addition, in
consideration of the campus landscape and environment, photovoltaic
power generation panels (220KW) were installed on the roofs of thebuildings. These efforts have resulted in energy conservation of 54%
and energy creation of 23%, for a total energy reduction rate of 77%.
Thanks to these renovations, the buildings have now acquired “Nearly
ZEB” status.
Going forward, we will continue to reduce energy consumption
and advance carbon neutrality on the University’s campuses, while
also promoting community co-creation, research and development,
and the fostering of talent that will contribute to realizing a green
society to ensure a sustainable future for the global environmentand humankind.

Conventional buildings

ZEB Ready

Nearly ZEB

ZEB

Energy requiredby conventional buildings
100%

Energy conservation results ina reduction to 50% or lower

Energy conservation +energy creation results ina reduction to 25% or lower

Energy conservation +energy creation results ina reduction to 0%

information related to climate change-related risks and opportunities.

ReduceToward Carbon Neutrality by FY2040

Energyconservation

ReduceEnergyconservation

ReduceEnergyconservation

CreateEnergycreation

CreateEnergycreation

Tohoku University aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions on its campuses by 50% by FY2030 (in comparison to FY2013), and toachieve net zero emissions by FY2040.
National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from the FY2013 level by FY2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by FY2050
Kita-Aobayama Center Square (completed in May 2023)（ｔ）
150,000

120,000〈Base year〉〈Current status〉〈50% reduction〉

137,526 t

113,188 t

68,763t or less

137,526(24,338)(24,338)

113,1880(24,338)(18,184)

90,000(13,089)(12,652)

50% line of the base year

68,76360,000(27,715)
(500)

0

2013
Emissions(1) Energy conservation, etc.

Tohoku University

2022(2) Facility upgrades(500)(21,785)(63,188)

4% reduction in GHG emissions
per year

30,000(Upper) Library / (Middle) Commons / (Lower) Knowledge Corridor〈Net zero carbon〉

10 years ahead of thegovernment’s target ofnet zero emissions by FY2050

2030(3) Introduction of renewable energy generation

2040

2050

(4) Introduction of renewable energy sources

Amount reduced

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GovernanceDiversity

We will pursue gender parity to eliminate the gender gap, and work to reform views
through awareness-raising activities to dispel unconscious biases in order to realize diversity.
Based on internal surveys and analyses, we will also provide an environment that guarantees equity so that all students,
faculty, and staff members are able to maximize their individual abilities,
and work to create an organization rich in inclusiveness.

- Realization of an Educational, Research,and Work Environment Inclusive of Diversity and Equity -Tohoku University’s Track Recordin Equal Opportunities and DEI Promotion

Fostering the Next Generation

110th anniversary of the first female students
100th anniversary of the first female humanities students

of Female Researchers
2023

Tohoku University 100th Anniversaryof the First Female Students Project Symposium“Tohoku University
Gender Equality Policy”
Japan's first female university students admitted

University isfoundedbrilliant female researchers

2001
1913

April 5, 2022
Tohoku University Declaration of DEI

Tohoku University Declaration
on Promoting Gender Equality(2002.9.28)

1923
1907

(Winner of the 4th Brilliant Female Researchers Award(Jun Ashida Award))

Jun Ashida Award recognizing

2013

First female humanities students
at an imperial university

through the Science Ambassador System

2022

2014
Establishment of the Centerof Gender Equality Promotion(Name changed to DEI Promotion
Center in July 2023)

Tohoku University Committee of Gender Equality established(Name changed to DEI Promotion Committee in July 2023)
Tohoku University Declaration on Promoting Gender Equality

The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) named Tohoku
University winner of the 4th Brilliant Female Researchers Award (Jun
Ashida Award), and Vice President Noriko Osumi attended the award
ceremony held at the National Museum of Emerging Science andInnovation on November 6, 2022.

2018
On-campus nursery school
established and expanded
2018
Tohoku University Vision 2030
Refers to D&I measures

The award was given in general recognition of the University’s
potential to serve as a model for other institutions, such as the
University’s efforts in encouraging female junior and senior high school
students to enter the sciences through the Science Angel System(currently the Science Ambassador System), as well as university-wide
efforts to increase the percentages of female faculty members andfemale doctoral students by actively hiring female faculty members andpromoting them to higher positions.
Percentage of Female Ph.D. Students (%)
32

Declaration of DEI & Enactment of Guidelines on Sexual Diversity

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28
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Tohoku University released the Tohoku University Declaration ofDiversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) on April 5, 2022, to carry on andfurther develop the Declaration on Promoting Gender Equality, Gender
Equality Policy, and other basic policies. The Declaration upholds
diversity, equity, and inclusion, and states that the University shallpromote awareness-raising and the development of an environmentand systems to ensure that all members respect diversity and that thediversity of all members is respected. As the world enters a periodof great change, Tohoku University will continue to promote diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI) as set forth in the Tohoku University
Declaration of DEI in order to continue taking on the challenge ofcreating new value to bring happiness to humanity, both now andin the future, by mobilizing the diverse knowledge of which Tohoku
University is proud.

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Tohoku University -Live as Who You Are-

Guidelines for Gender and Sexual Diversity

It is necessary to appropriately address the awareness of sexual
diversity that has been growing in recent years. With the aim ofrealizing an environment in which students, faculty, and staff members
respect sexual diversity in their studies, research, and duties at the
University, these Guidelines set forth the following policies and specificmeasures. The University will also develop and expand a variety ofother systems and facilities, including a one-stop consultation services,to raise awareness among its members.
● We will respect equal human rights of all members and promote DEI.
● We will promote awareness-raising and the development of anenvironment and systems to ensure that diverse sexualities arerespected.
● We will be supportive of diverse sexualities and will not discriminate
on the basis of sexuality.
● We will strive to reduce any inconveniences and disadvantages

caused by sexuality, and will continue to discuss issues and proceed
together in a future-oriented manner, even for issues that are
unsolvable at present.

Tohoku University

1222

Vice President Noriko Osumi of our university receiving award from President Kazuhito Hashimotoof the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).

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2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Ceremony and Lectures Commemorating the 110th Anniversaryof the First Female Students
The year 2023 marked the 110th anniversary of the first female
students (the 100th anniversary of the first female humanitiesstudents), and Homecoming Day theme was “Open Doors: Diversity at
Tohoku University.” It was an opportunity to reflect on the University’s
Open Doors principle, as the first university in Japan to admit female
students, and on the events leading up to their admittance, as well as
an opportunity to look to the future, in light of the history of diversity at
Tohoku University.
The commemorative lectures included introductions of the lives of
Chika Kuroda, Raku Makita, and Ume Tange––the first three female
university students in Japan––as well as discussions in which theirfamily members and other researchers relayed a variety of anecdotes
about the three, providing an opportunity to consider their significanceIntegrated Report 2023

and achievements.
The University will also pursue various other related projects, including
updating the special webpage on the first female students, setting up a
special site commemorating the 110th anniversary, and designing a 110th
anniversary commemorative logo.
By widely publicizing and developing activities commemorating the110th anniversary of the first female students among faculty and staff
members as well as among other officials (alumni, current students,
the families of current students, etc.) andthe general public, we will continue to work
together to realize inclusivity and become aworld-class research university in which all
members can participate with pride.

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Pioneering the Future,
Creation of Social Value
Tohoku University has always played a leading role in bringing together the power of knowledge andcreativity to create a sustainable future. This section looks at Tohoku University’s strategy and the talentbehind our actions. It’s a strategy that has made the University into a world leader with a global outlook
and innovative ventures.

Tohoku University

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The world is now moving toward circular economies. Open innovation provided through industry collaboration is essential
for enhancing technology development and productivity to keep pace with the changing times.
Located in Tohoku University’s Science Park,
the Research Center for Green X-Tech (Cross-Tech) brings cutting-edge research together with technological innovation.

Promoting green growth through open innovation

Current state & issues

Tomonaga Okabe (Director of the Research Center for Green X-Tech)

Changing corporate attitudes toward green innovation activities● Green growth is an important issue for companies● Coming up with solutions by individual companies alone is impossible

University and companies are working on green growth by forming new research complex(organization to bridge innovation gap)
Strategy

Research Center for Green X-Tech
A site for innovation through industry collaboration, aiming to provide solutions to green-related business issues
and social issues. It uses practical scientific research that brings together science, engineering, data science,
IT and other advanced technologies.

One of largest science parksof any Japanese national university(see details on next page)1(see details on next page)2

4

Co-creation
Research Centers

Number of Co-creation
Research Centers created: 17(as of July 2023)

Company

University

R&D / Business department
Intellectual property department
Industry cooperation

Department A / Department B
Research center C
Industry cooperation organization

Advantage

Advantage

Bringing together researcherswith experiencein acquiring major fundamental
research project funds

3

16

NanoTerasu and otheradvanced on-campus facilities

Advantage

while becoming more competitive on theworld stage. Needless to say, just leaving
industry, government and academia to eachwork on its own would prevent us frombeing able to keep pace with today’s radical
changes. Far from being competitive, we’djust become an isolated branch of alternative
evolutionary development—what we call the
Galapagos effect. Western countries foster
agile startups by forming strong businessgroups with members representing industry,
academia and government. The Center isimitating this model to create an environment
for open innovation that brings cuttingedge research together with technologicalinnovation while using laws and regulations
as business tools. The key is to set and work
toward goals driven by social implementation
instead of just starting with the product you
want to manufacture. Our goal is to augment
Japan’s industrial sector, which will leadto future prosperity. I’m confident that theCenter will be the lubricant that greases
the wheels of reform in Japan’s industrial
structure.”

Advantage

Tohoku University

experience in acquiring major research funds.
Consortium members represent industries
such as materials, chemicals, heavy industry,vehicles and IT.
T h e re s e a rc h d e p a r t m e n t s a re l e d b y
the Department of Soft and Functional
Materials Research, an area in whichO k a b e s p e c i a l i z e s . To b r i n g a p p l i e dresearch together with practical research,
practitioners from the corporate world havebeen recruited to serve as Chief TechnicalAdvisors (CTAs). Research division heads ofmajor manufacturers have also been asked
to take part. Determining how to analyze
d a t a f ro m N a n o Te r a s u a n d a p p l y i t t o
product development is the key to becoming
more competitive. Creating advances in thedigital transformation technology used forresearch is also an urgent issue. NanoTerasu
is providing help in this area.
Says Okabe, “Industry, academia and thegovernment work as a vertically integrated
system in Japan—they have a top-down
structure. This structure has been a limiting
factor in keeping pace with global trends

Advantage

The Research Center for Green X-Tech(Cross-Tech) was established in January
2023. Director Tomonaga Okabe, has abackground in research and development forthe carbon fiber-reinforced plastics used inaircraft.
He says, “Green is a keyword encompassing
the concepts of carbon neutrality (thec a r b o n c y c l e ) a n d c i rc u l a r e c o n o m i e s .
Carbon neutrality is about the steps taken
to reduce CO2, while circular economies aremodels used to create resources from theproducts and materials we once discarded.
Sustainability is a concept related to circular
economies. But while sustainability is asocial issue, circular economies, whichstarted to enter the spotlight around 2020,are focused more on financial factors. The
recent discussion of circular economies
shows a clear shift in the world’s focus awayfrom work on the environment and towardbusiness growth.”
The ability to achieve green growth
in response to tougher environmental
regulations in Europe and around the world
has become an important issue for the
corporate world. But it’s not a struggle
that companies can win on their own. The
Research Center for Green X-Tech was
created by Tohoku University as a venue forpartnerships among industry, academia andgovernment. Its aim is to bring advanced
digital technology together with real-world
manufacturing (a combination known ascross-tech), through open innovation andteamwork among a wide range of companies
and research institutes.
The Center is located in a science park next
to NanoTerasu, a 3GeV-class high-brilliancesynchrotron radiation facility that will start
operating in FY2024. The Center is oneof the largest of its kind among Japanesenational universities. It contains cuttingedge facilities and equipment such as the
AOBA supercomputer, a large-scale scientificcomputing system. The Center hosts cocreation research done by a consortiumof about 30 major companies having theoverwhelming advantage of being able tobring together front-line researchers with

Creating
startup ecosystem

5● Provides venue for open science● Creation of company activity center on campus● Tohoku University Startup Garage (TUSG)● Researchers with experience in advanced research● Representatives from participating companies are● Assistance with business feasibility verification (BIP,

and industry cooperation are recruited from insideand outside University● Private joint research cost of over JPY 7 million per
project (for engineering projects; third highest in Japan)

appointed as General Managers● Scope extending to all University departments● Investigating fundamental research topics and othercomprehensive activities for industry collaboration

Integrated Report 2023

Michinoku Gap Fund)● Startup investment by Tohoku University VenturePartners Co., Ltd.

17

TOPICS

Tohoku University Science Park Project
Tohoku University Science Park is a hub for co-creating social value
where diverse participants such as industry, academia, government
and finance (private companies, universities, communities, andfinancial institutions) gather and unite. The west side of the NanoTerasu
3GeV-class high-brilliance synchrotron radiation facility located in the
new extension of the Aobayama campus is currently home to a 40,000
square meter plot designated as the Science Park Zone. It contains
the research wing of the International Center for Synchrotron Radiation
Innovation Smart, along with Aobayama Universe (tentative name).
The latter functions as a facility for open innovation, incubation andjoint research with the private sector. Both facilities are scheduled to
begin operation in FY2024. The Science Park Zone will take the leadin stepping up the pace of projects by private-public co-creation.
These projects will promote green transformation throughout anumber of different industries in areas such as semiconductors, drug
discovery and food processing. They will be made possible by digitaltransformation for research that brings together measurement andcomputing in areas extending from analysis of big data obtained fromcutting-edge equipment owned by NanoTerasu and the University, tomodeling and simulations.
By providing a new site for an industry cooperation, the SeiryoCampus will step up the pace of projects for community co-creation. It

International Research Institute of Disaster Science

brings together a number of facilities providing unique cutting-edge life
science research functions. Examples include several medical graduate
schools and research institutes, the University hospital that stores
clinical data for over 900,000 subjects, and the hospital’s translational
research unit CRIETO (Clinical Research, Innovation and Education
Center, Tohoku University Hospital). It is also home to the ResearchCenter for Pharmaceutical Development, along with the Tohoku
Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo; one of Japan’s largest
population-based biobanks).
The Tohoku University Co-Creation Initiative, Inc. is a subsidiarycreated in April 2023 through joint investment with Sumitomo Mitsui
Trust Bank. Working on a number of new growth schemes for the
University, the Initiative is expected to produce the sort of significant
real-world impacts that would be unattainable by the University alone.
Examples of its activities include consulting work on areas such as
creating business plans for collaborations with the Science Park
Project.
Seeking to become a collaborative platform for creating new knowledge
and disruptive innovation, the Science Park Project will work steadily
to create a global open innovation ecosystem by using the University’s
superior knowledge as a foundation for bringing creation of social
value.

The NanoTerasu logo was officially unveiled on May 11, 2023. Selected from among
entries submitted by the public, the design is intended to evoke the concepts ofcreation, science and the future. It depicts a beam of synchrotron radiation combinedwith the shape of the NanoTerasu facility.

G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ High-Level Meetingin Sendai “Quantum Innovation for a Better Future” held at NanoTerasu
NanoTerasu served as the venue for the high-level meeting hosted by the University and the Quantum
STrategic industry Alliance for Revolution (Q-STAR). Held to discuss the “Quantum Innovation for a
Better Future”, the gathering was an official side event co-hosted by the Cabinet Office, MEXT and
METI. It was held on the final day of the G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Sendai thatran from May 12 to May 14, 2023. The gathering gave top government officials and industry groups
from around the world the chance to share their views on the work being done to step up the pace ofsocial implementation of quantum technology and the challenges ahead.

Material Innovation Center

Graduate School of Agricultural Science

Center for Innovative Integrated
Electronic Systems

The NanoTerasu Logo

NanoTerasu 3GeV-class high-brilliance synchrotron radiation facility

NanoTerasu 3GeV-class high-brilliance synchrotron radiation facility(scheduled to start operating in FY2024)

NanoTerasu has been created on the new extension of the University’s
Aobayama campus through a regional private-public partnership that is
the first of its kind in Japan. It is scheduled to come online in FY2023
and begin operating in FY2024.
NanoTerasu is essentially a giant microscope that uses light(synchrotron radiation) over a billion times brighter than the sun toobserve the nanoscale world (on a scale of nanometers, billionths of ameter).
It incorporates cutting-edge Japanese accelerator technology andlight source technology, generating data (visual representations) thatmake it possible to see a world that was once invisible.
NanoTerasu should help provide solutions to social issues such as
achieving carbon neutrality and fighting infectious disease. It should
also prove useful for the academic use in material and life sciences, aswell as for bio-related areas, food ingredients, semiconductor materials
and other industrial applications.

University House Aobayama

International Center for Synchrotron
Radiation Innovation Smart(scheduled to start operating in FY2024)

Aobayama Universe (tentative name)(Scheduled to start operating in FY2024)

Science Park Zone: 40,000 m2

Science Park under construction at new extension of the Aobayama campus (some of the facilities shown are computer renderings)

It will be a powerful tool for creating innovations of benefit to theproject members who have come together at the University’s Science
Park, as well as to the Tohoku region and Japan as a whole.
Working as a member of a regional partnership among participantsfrom the public and private sectors, the University will harness its
knowledge to analyze measurement results and data generated by
NanoTerasu to provide high-value services to the industrial sector andother users. An innovation ecosystem designed to solve problems
and bring different disciplines together will be created by using the
University as a focal point and involving a wide range of participantsfrom the industry, academia, government and finance.
This work will see the use of NanoTerasu come to play a pioneeringand leadership role both for scientific applications and for industry
cooperation. It will help fundamentally enhance the level of Japan’s
research.

TOPICS

Tohoku University Co-Creation Initiative, Inc.
First subsidiary created from joint investment
by Japanese national university and private sector
Created by the University in April 2023, the Tohoku University
Co-Creation Initiative, Inc. is the first subsidiary to emerge
from joint investment by a Japanese national university and a
private-sector company (Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank). Working
on new growth schemes for the University in collaboration
with the Science Park, the Initiative will aim for the sort ofsignificant real-world impacts that would be unattainable by
the University alone. Incorporating talented human resources
and business skills of a private company, the Initiative will

Tohoku University

enhance functions designed through the Tohoku University CoCreation Initiative, Inc. to help private companies make useof the University and University research findings for businessapplications. Its aims are to step up the pace of innovation
driven by digital transformation, to work on ongoing project
development through partnerships and joint ventures withproject companies, and to aim for social implementation using
startups and financing.

18

Integrated Report 2023

19

Forward-looking Tohoku University Sustainability Bond issue
enables autonomous university management
while bringing creation of new social value

The Tohoku University Sustainability Bond is the University’s first bond issue, with a maturity periodof 40 years and the issue amount of JPY 10 billion.
It’s a sustainability bond that invests in projects designed to support the creation of new social value as a way
to solve global issues of public concern. It will create a virtuous cycleby expanding the University’s educational and research activities while generating autonomous business growth.

Bond profile

Interest in the Tohoku University Sustainability Bond

NameFirst Bonds of National University Corporation Tohoku University(A sustainability bond known informallyas the Tohoku University Future-Creation Bond)

Maturity period

40 years

Amount of issue

JPY 10 billion

Interest rate

1.879% per year

Date of issue

February 3, 2023 (Fri)

Redemption date

March 17, 2062 (Fri)

Ratings

Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I) rating: AA+
Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. (JCR) rating: AAA

Some of the biggest Japanese national university investors (152 investors representing 86
organizations) have taken part in the University’s Investor Relations (IR) events
Tohoku University has organized strategic IR events to raise awareness of the University’s activities. Along with one-on-one IR meetings and group IR events,
they include the first-ever campus tours given to investors by a Japanese national university. These events have been attended by some of the biggest Japanesenational university investors, demonstrating the high level of interest in the University.

[Campus Tours for Investors]

Overall score: SU1 (F)Sustainability bondframework scores*

For the first time at a Japanese national university, investors havebeen invited to take part in University campus tours, giving them afirst-hand look at the major facilities. To more effectively communicate
the University bond issue’s selling points through discussion withinvestors, University President Hideo Ohno has appeared in person
to describe how the bond is making a difference.

Green and social issues score (use of funds): gs1 (F)Management, administration and transparency score: m1 (F)*There are 5 levels for each score. From highest to lowest, the levels are: SU1 (F) to SU5 (F), gs1 (F) to gs5 (F), and m1 (F) to m5 (F).

FeaturesFirst forJapanesenational
university● Issued as a sustainability bond (SDG bond) that combines social and[Investor Feedback]green characteristics, and helps achieve SDG Goals 4, 7, 9 and 11● Investment in a project designed to function as an ever-developing public roleby helping achieve the green future society, while bringing creationof new social value as a way to solve global issues of public concern.

“Most of the information I get is from online sources.
I don’t get a lot of opportunities for a hands-on lookat the people and things we invest in. So, getting tomeet real people working hard on research topics atreal University facilities was a terrific experience. I wantto keep a close eye on what Tohoku University doesin the future—things like getting more women into
the workplace and building NanoTerasu. I’m looking
forward to seeing more of your proactive information
disclosures.” (Naoko Itaya, Japan Post Insurance Co.,Ltd.)Use of funds
The funds raised from the University’s bond issue will be used for projects providing innovation platforms designed to create a green
future as outlined by Tohoku University Vision 2030 and Tohoku University Connected University Strategy.

Innovation platforms creating a green future

Hub for Talent
Development

Hub for Research
Excellence[Video of President Ohno’s Message]
A video of a message delivered by President Ohno was created and released as a moreinventive way to deliver IR information with visual appeal.
A message to potential investors
from Tohoku University President Hideo Ohno

Providing cutting-edge educational environments
to train global leaders and entrepreneurs

https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/japanese/disclosure/disclosure/11/disclosure1101/

Financial market assessment

Providing world-class research environments, pioneering new areasof science and producing outstanding research findings● The University’s bond issue is unique in having attracted eager participation from regional investors in addition to the life

insurance companies and other central investors who are the principal purchasers of 40-year university bonds.

Hub for Strategic
Growth● University bonds are well known investment products with steady sales. Companies supportive of Tohoku

Providing cutting-edge sites for industry cooperation,
stepping up the pace of collaboration with the community,
and achieving an open innovation ecosystem

University’s work on SDGs have taken part.

The facilities provided will be green buildings designed to achieve carbon neutrality by FY2040 as outlined in the Tohoku University Green Goals Initiative

Demand factor

3.16 (JPY 31.6 billion / JPY 10 billion)

Number of corporate investors

22 (11 central, 11 regional)(Sources: Capital Eye News, Finance Facsimile News)

Tohoku University is a world’s leading university in helping find solutions to the issues of public concern that are facing humanity worldwide

Tohoku University

20

Integrated Report 2023

21

Science, the Center for Innovative Integrated
Electronic Systems, the NanoTerasu 3GeVclass high-brilliance synchrotron radiation
facility, and Aobayama Garage (the Tohoku
University Startup Incubation Center).
Miyata says, “Our campus tours gave
investors the opportunity to view ourfacilities first-hand. The tours were thefirst of their kind for a Japanese national
university. A total of 152 investors from 86
organizations took part in our IR events.
That’s a higher level of engagement thanyou’ll find at other universities. Investors got
the chance to see our world-class cuttingedge research environment and large-scaleequipment for the first time. Our President,
Hideo Ohno also delivered a speech inperson on how the University’s bond issue
is making a difference. These things left amajor impression, giving many investorsa clear sense of the University’s role asa repository of valuable knowledge andtechnology for shaping the future. Twentytwo companies have invested in the bonds.
Demand has risen to JPY 31.6 billion, which
is a lot more than the issue amount. The
bonds have been rated highly by investment
professionals. The response we’ve gotten
will lead to donations, joint research andnew life for startups.”
The bond’s 40-year life span is the longest
maturity period defined in the Enforcement
Order of the National University Corporation
Act. During this period, we are looking todiversify our investor base and hold ongoing
discussions with investors to improve theiru n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d a p p re c i a t i o n o f t h e
University. With half of our investors locatedin the local Sendai area and other outlying
regions, we want to solidify our identity as auniversity engaged with society by enhancing
our engagement with regional communities.
Increasingly diverse methods of fundraisingthrough financial markets will lead to a
growing range of education and research
activities funded partly by the private sector.
Attracting new investment and refining
university management will be other areasof focus. Boosting investment returns byenhancing fund management functions
will augment flexible funding and ensure
governance flexibility while further adding to
the virtuous cycle of funding. It will also help
grow green projects and provide solutions
to global issues such as SDGs and carbon
neutrality through partnerships that bringprivate-public collaboration.

Tohoku University Vision 2030

W ith the modern society undergoing a period of major
upheaval, universities will be playing a key role in dealing
with worsening environmental problems, poverty and otherglobal issues that are difficult to predict. Tohoku University
has responded to this environment by creating a list of futurechallenges that need to be addressed to meet the goals of
the University’s core mission. This list was released in 2018

Creating cutting-edge innovations, taking on the challenges of major reform

Using university bonds to help provide solutions
to global issues and grow green projects
Yasuhiro Miyata (Executive Vice President for Fundraising and Investment Management)
University bonds are bonds that universities
issue to raise funds to acquire land orprovide facilities for cutting-edge education
or research. Augmenting education andresearch environments are essential foruniversities that want to be able to attract themost talented human resources or do highlevel R&D. Being able to raise and manage
funds rapidly has become key for sounduniversity management, and is a trend thathas emerged worldwide. With an amendment
to the Enforcement Order of Japan’s National
University Corporation Act making a greater
range of businesses eligible for university
bond issues, Tohoku University issued a40-year bond named the Tohoku University
Sustainability Bond (First Bonds of National
University Corporation Tohoku University)

Tohoku University

in February 2023. The issue amount is JPY
10 billion. The bonds are also sustainability
bonds that apply the raised funds to projects
providing innovation platforms designed tocreate a green future. These projects aims tobring creation of new social value as a way
to solve global issues of public concern suchas SDGs and carbon neutrality.
The University’s first bond issue was led by
Executive Vice President Yasuhiro Miyata.
Miyata is a strategist with extensive expertisein global economic trends and financial
markets. His career experience includes
Chief General Manager of Investment at DaiIchi Life Insurance, where he also served as
Director of the Equity Investment Department
and Managing Executive Officer. He says,“University bonds are common in the US,

as Tohoku University Vision 2030. In 2020, Tohoku University
Vision 2030 was updated with the creation of the Connected
University Strategy—a blueprint for stepping up the pace of
the University’s transformation adapted to the post-pandemic‘new normal’ era. Guided by this vision, the University’s bondissue is being used as a chance to work on building a new
future as an ever-developing public role.

where JPY 2 to 3 trillion worth is issued
every year. But the cumulative total in Japan
still only amounts to about JPY 130 billion,
issued by Tohoku University and five othernational universities. Tohoku University
is geographically distant from the capital
markets of the Tokyo area, giving us little inperson contact with investors. So, creating
relationships was a major issue for us. Thatmeant holding discussions with investors as
a way to highlight the University’s strengths
and generate interest.”
Campus tours were given to investors in
December 2022 as part of the IR events
held to raise awareness of the University’s
advanced education and research
environment. Investors were shown theInternational Research Institute of Disaster22

1
Education

Creating educational programs that foster student ambition and maximize student creativity as away to train leaders who can guide a radically changing world with confidence and a global outlook

2
Research

Consolidating our position as a general research university deserving of a Top 30 worldwide
university ranking by generating new knowledge through superior scientific research and working
tirelessly to pioneer new areas of science and produce innovations

3
Community co-creation

Embracing our role as a university engaged with society by partnering with a number of different
sectors to bring creation of new social value and pioneer reforms paving the way for the future

4
Governance reforms

Reforming university management to create a virtuous cycle of growth alongside the community,
underpinned by a foundation of superior education and research

Connected
University
Strategy

Adapting to the ‘new normal’ by working tirelessly on education, research, community cocreation, and bringing all work online, while also augmenting University activities and stepping up
the pace of progress on Vision 2030 by using cyberspace together with real-world spaces

Integrated Report 2023

23

Convergence Knowledge: A wealth of world-classknowledge brought together at Tohoku University
Convergence Knowledge is the key to enabling dynamic growth of science and technology. Bringing together awide range of knowledge from specific perspectives creates new value and reinvigorates the knowledge base.
The Sustainability Open Knowledge-Action Platform (SOKAP) is an open platform created by Tohoku University
to assist world-class pioneering research and help achieve sustainability through collaboration with a wide
range of stakeholders.

[Expected Social Effects]
Exploring
the Convergence
Knowledge

01● Promoting interdisciplinary research, creating new value● Training the next generation ofresearchers personifying the Convergence

Knowledge● Applying knowledge to behavior to help bring joy to the world

Motoko Kotani(Executive Vice President for Research)

The global spread of the COVID-19
pandemic underscored the close relationshipthat science and technology have withs o c i e t y. T h e p a n d e m i c c re a t e d a k e e nawareness of just how much science andtechnology can impact people in the modern
world. Populations worldwide were quick to
become vaccinated during the pandemic as
vaccines were released alongside the spreadof the virus. The same was true even forpeople who had never felt personally at risk
from news of the threats to mankind posedby climate change and the energy crisis.
Motoko Kotani underscores the impactof science and technology: “Humans
have expanded their horizons by using
science and technology to make previously
impossible things possible. The challenges
facing the modern society are global issues.
They can’t be solved by just a single country
or research discipline alone. And cuttingedge research is now being tur ned intosocial implementation very quickly. That’s
rapidly bringing the general public closer toscience and technology. I mean, it was only
until recently that quantum computers andartificial intelligence (AI) were considered
cutting-edge research. Now they’ve alreadybegun to change the world.
“The march of science and technology has
human happiness as its end goal. A key
concept here is Convergence Knowledge.

It’s a term that means supplementing theperspective of the natural sciences with theperspectives of the humanities and social
sciences, or vice-versa. The developmentof generative artificial intelligence is one area
where it’s important, since that’s an areathat always involves different elements like
ethical and laws and regulations. It’s this sortof diversity that makes science dynamic. It’s
important to get experts from a broad rangeof disciplines to discuss the impacts andpossible outcomes of social change. Working
with the wider world to shape this discussion
is a role that academia should play.”
But achieving a cross-disciplinary Convergence
Knowledge also involves some challenges.
Kotani says, “Besides mastering their individual
areas of expertise, the next generation ofresearchers is going to have to refine theirability to think flexibly when interacting withthe general public, government officials orother stakeholders. We need to think about
the type of training that will be needed to
produce proficiency across multiple researchareas, countries and cultures. Approaches totalent development are becoming a worldwide
discussion.”
The experience of living through a crisis felt
by researchers around the world during the
pandemic had already been experienced
by Tohoku University researchers in 2011
during the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The disaster gave them a better sense of
their relationship with the community, forcing
them to reconsider what it means to be a
researcher, how to address the challengesof the disaster zone, and how their research
could help rebuild the community.
The University has now created a campus
environment that lets researchers put agreater awareness of global sustainability
into their work. Examples of sustainabilityoriented research include research projects
selected for the Cabinet Office’s Moonshot
Research and Development Program,along with the Frontier Research Institute ofInterdisciplinary Sciences (a unique initiativethat promotes interdisciplinary interaction
among young researchers). The Sustainability
Open Knowledge-Action Platform (SOKAP)
is a venue now under construction forenhancing the Convergence Knowledge.
It will be used to create knowledge thatconnects with the real world in an open
and actionable way that transcends theframework of the University.
T h e re s e a rc h e r s w o r k i n g w i t h S O K A P
a re p ro f i l e d s t a r t i n g o n t h e n e x t p a g e .
Says Kotani, “The SOKAP researchers all
represent Tohoku University. So, I hope theworld will view their research endeavors as
precisely the sorts of things that Tohoku
University wants to make happen to bringabout sustainability.”

S USTAINABILITY O PEN K NOWLEDGE- A CTION P LATFORM（ SOKAP ）Cutting-edge
research
The Sustainability Open Knowledge-Action
Platform (SOKAP) is a sustainability-oriented
platform being created by the University. It has
four functions: Cutting-edge research, talentdevelopment, problem-solving/co-creative joint
research, and connections (outreach).
It will bring together a wide range of researchers
from inside and outside the University who will
work on the common theme of sustainability. It
will be an unprecedented research venue thatprovides a mechanism for taking knowledge
generated from research and connecting it toaction. It will assist in the search for solutions to
global issues by enabling collaboration among a
broad range of stakeholders.

Tohoku University

24

Integrated Report 2023

Talentdevelopment

Interactionamongfour functions

Connection(outreach)

Problem-solving/co-creative
joint research25

Resource Supply Chains as viewed through thelens of Environmental and Resource Economics
and the law of the sea
The radical changes now taking place in the structure of industry has not diminished the utility of mineral resources. In
fact, technological innovations have only increased the demand for some minerals.With countries starting to take aninterest in the world’s unexplored oceans and especially the ocean depths that represent the planet’s last frontier, thissection looks at sustainability through the lens of Environmental and Resource Economics and the law of the sea.

[Expected Social Effects]
Exploring
the Convergence
Knowledge

02● Quantifying resource circulation, creating a radical shift

toward sustainability awareness● Finding solutions for marine ecosystem protection and other global environmental issues● Closing the worldwide gap between rich and poor

Kazuyo Matsubae (Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies / Director, Institute for Resource Initiatives)
Kentaro Nishimoto (Professor, Graduate School of Law / Vice-Director, Center for International Law and Policy)
Nishimoto: I specialize in international law,which gover ns the relationships amongstates. My research focuses on the law of
the sea. Your work in Environmental andResource Economics is an interesting area of
research from a law of the sea perspective.
Matsubae: Yes, after majoring in economics
in undergraduate and graduate school, I
did a master’s degree on labor adjustment
and then a PhD on waste generation andresource recycling. I got the position ofAssistant Professor at the Department ofMaterials Science and Engineering in Tohoku
University’s School of Engineering througha connection. Since starting in this position,

I’ve been researching the supply chains ofmetal resources such as iron, aluminum andcopper. I study the environmental impactsof resource flows. I use a cross-disciplinary
approach that combines economics andengineering to study the environmental
issues and other social issues being causedby resource use. Issues are described interms of lifecycle assessments used toquantitatively assess the environmental
impacts of products and services. My work
has attracted a lot of interest in marine
resources in the broad sense of the term that
includes minerals and marine products.
Nishimoto: That relates to my area ofexpertise, which is the law of the sea. It’san area that primarily deals with how theauthority to use the sea is allocated between
states. It dates back to the so-called “battleof the books” in the early 1600s, when
the right of states to own the seas was
debated. Before joining Tohoku University, I
was part of an interdisciplinary program thatbring together diverse areas ranging fromlaw to shipbuilding technology and marine
biology. That experience made me realize
the importance of interconnections among
different disciplines in research. I’ve also
been involved in the process of making
law, serving as an advisor to the Ministry ofCenter for International Law and Policy
The Center for International Law and Policy (CILP) was createdin April 2023 to strengthen the development of talents and policy
recommendations relating to international law. As one of only a
few institutions that have sent judges to the International Courtof Justice, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, andInternational Criminal Court, Tohoku University aims
to contribute to the development of internationalrules and standards by drawing on a Convergence
Knowledge in the humanities and social sciences.
https://cilp.oii.tohoku.ac.jp/english/

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Historic BBNJ agreement to protect marine biodiversity on the high sea
As a way to help create environmentallyfriendly supply chains of high added
value, Matsubae studies the areas ofenvironmental and public responsibility
involved in the use of resources throughsupply chains. She also serves as
the project leader for an organization
promoting science and technology entitledthe Program on Open Innovation Platforms
for Industry Co-Creation (COI-NEXT).

Foreign Affairs for the negotiations of a treaty
adopted by the UN in June 2023 to protect
biodiversity on the high sea and the deep
seabed.
Matsubae: The deep sea and polar regions
are the frontiers of mineral development.
There are abundant deep sea reserves ofmanganese, for example. But working in the
deep ocean requires collaboration with otherdisciplines. Ownership of seafloor resources
is also a difficult issue to deal with.
Nishimoto: Yes, and some experts say thatthe high pressure of the deep sea makes it
more difficult to reach than even outer space.

Nishimoto was involved in the negotiations for the marine Biological diversity of areas Beyond National Jurisdiction(BBNJ)
agreement by serving as an advisor to the Japanese delegation. The agreement is a new international agreement for theconservation and sustainable use of biodiversity on the high sea worldwide. It was adopted at the UN in June 2023 after about
20 years of discussion. It promises to be a step forward in protecting biodiversity on the high sea, where no comprehensive set ofrules protecting rare species and ecosystems previously existed.

Countries are starting to develop seafloor
minerals, and issues related to sustainability
are being discussed internationally. Thereis an understanding that precautionary
restraints should be placed on development
even when there is scientifically uncertainly
concerning the environmental impacts. At thesame time, there are expectations that deep
seabed mining could provide minerals thatare essential for things like renewable energy
technologies. I feel we need to work on thisissue with an interdisciplinary approach thatbrings a variety of fields together.
Matsubae: Exactly. Right now, I’m leadinga COI-NEXT project called, “Green Job
Market Fostering a Co-Creation Base
Based on Gastronomy Geopolitics.” COINEXT is a program designed to help form
venues for collaboration. My project isjoint research designed to help ensuresustainable food supply chains compatible
with local environments and economies while
adapting to climate change. The project
has made me realize just how difficult it
is to get measurement data to give us anunderstanding of marine ecosystems. I mean,
being able to quantify and visually depict
data is really important for any discipline.

N i s h i m o t o : Ve r y i n t e re s t i n g . I h a d a nopportunity to visit a site that recycles plastic
waste into pallets used by the logistics
industry. It was for a class at the Graduate
School of Public Policy where students work
together to create policy recommendations.
The topic was the problem of marine
p l a s t i c p o l l u t i o n . I t h i n k e n v i ro n m e n t a l
problems need to be seen and experienced
by everyone first-hand to turn them intos o m e t h i n g p e r s o n a l . T h a t ’s a c r u c i a lrequirement for solving them. One job ofacademia should be to show the world how
environmental problems are structured—things like how our lives are connected tomarine environments, for example.
Matsubae: Yes, and did you know that mostof the plastic in the ocean comes from justCollaboration among industry, academia, and government to form local sites
for autonomous and sustainable gastronomy geopolitics
Matsubae heads a project called, “Green Job Market Fostering a Co-Creation Base Based on Gastronomy Geopolitics.” It seeks
to refine the concept of gastronomy while raising awareness and understanding of the natural ecosystems that put food on thetable. The project is working to create ecosystem management and preservation technologies, transform food supply chains into
environmentally aware models, and encourage environmentally aware consumer behavior.

Transforming consumer behavior
Choosing proper food ingredients
Recycling resources
by compostingand other methods

Using natural resources
Knowledge-based agriculture
and forestry
Knowledge-based
recycling

seven of the world’s rivers? That’s anothergood example. Most of these river basins are
in developing countries, so figuring out how
to work with developing countries is the key
to the global plastic waste problem. Mineral
resources from the land also have problemsof their own. Mining not only impacts
natural capital by disturbing ecosystems
and polluting water, it also creates the riskof cultural asset destruction and humanrights violations such as exploitative
wages and child labor. What I want to dois bring transparency to the wide range ofenvironmental and public risks associatedwith resource use, so that proper yardsticks
can be created and used in technology
development. The goal is ultimately to get ridof the distortions you get when resources areallocated through supply chains.
Nishimoto: I see. From my perspective,
there is a legal or institutional aspect toany kind of societal issue, including theprotection of the environment. However,legal experts are not necessarily experts on
the particular issue being dealt with. From alegal standpoint, the question to ask is, whatlaws should be put in place to implement ameasure that is designed to solve a problem
in the real world? To discover a problem,
identify its mechanism, and then createa solution, knowledge from a number ofdifferent disciplines such as economics
and engineering, is reqquired. So, experts
with interdisciplinary expertise and theConvergence Knowledge approach are likely
going to become increasingly important.

Using processing
technology
to reduce waste

Proper use of resources
Using properly
managed resources

Nishimoto specializes in international law,which governs the relationships between
states. Outside of the University, he isworking on a large research project at the
National Institute of Polar Research as thefirst faculty member with a social sciences
background. He has also served as anadvisor in international treaty negotiations.
His expertise and research have been
applied extensively to international issues.

Land andsea recycling

Knowledge-based
fisheries
Using food resources adapted
to climate change

Creating businesses
from nature preservation

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Prospect for the cutting-edge science to support
future lifestyles
The Moonshot Research and Development Program is a project being led by the Cabinet Office as a way tofind solutions to difficult social issues. Two project Managers who are challenging cutting-edge science toenrich the future discuss their vision and the society they envision. The Program is breaking new ground bybringing challenging new ideas together with cross-disciplinary knowledge.

[Expected Social Effects]

Exploring
the Convergence
Knowledge● Social participation of all people supported by AI robots

03● Community-wide assistance for childcare● Realization of an inclusive society

Yasuhisa Hirata (Professor, Graduate School of Engineering)
Chihiro Hosoda (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences)
Hirata: Let me introduce myself andtalk about our research. The title of ourmoonshot project is “Adaptable AI-enabled
Robots to Create a Vibrant Society.” We aremainly working on research and developmento f n u r s i n g c a re ro b o t u n d e r t h e t h e m eof “Robots that accompany and support
people's lives.” Our project is to construct atechnology to coordinate multiple AI robots
with limited functions to assist with various
physical activities such as getting up frombed, walking, going to the bathroom, etc. inan optimal way according to the disability of
the individual, rather than a single humanoid
robot that takes the role of a humancaregiver. Even if they do not look humanoid,

if they have sensors, actuators to operatemechanisms, and controllers to control
them, they are robots. Our goal is to support
people who need care by having multiple
robots with different functions work together
and change the form of support. In addition,
the key point is to provide not only physicalsupport, but also mental support by arousing

Moonshot Research and Development Program
A large R&D program aiming to create Japanese disruptive innovations that will help provide solutions to key issues of the
future. The program has set 9 concrete goals in 3 areas: Society, environment and economy.
Society

Providing groundbreaking innovations to pioneer an era of declining birthrates and aging populations

EconomyExploring new frontiers of science and technology

Environment

Refining urban civilization while healing the global environment
Goal

Society

1 Realization of a society in which human beings can be free from limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050.

★

2 Realization of ultra-early disease prediction and intervention by 2050.

★

3 Realization of AI robots that autonomously learn, adapt to their environment, evolve in intelligence and act alongside human beings, by 2050.

★

Environment Economy★
★

4 Realization of sustainable resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050.

★

5 Creation of the industry that enables sustainable global food supply by exploiting unused biological resources by 2050.

★
★

6 Realization of a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer that will revolutionize economy, industry, and security by 2050.
7 Realization of sustainable care systems to overcome major diseases by 2040, for enjoying one’s life with relief and release from healthconcerns until 100 years old.

★
★

8 Realization of a society safe from the threat of extreme winds and rains by controlling and modifying the weather by 2050.
9 Realization of a mentally healthy and dynamic society by increasing peace of mind and vitality by 2050.

Tohoku University

★

★
★

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Hirata has been researching distributed cooperative control
systems for multiple robots since he was a student. In recent
years, he has been involved in research on welfare robots for use
in nursing care, believing that cooperative control technology
for multiple robots can be used not only in industrial sites andliving spaces but also to assist people with disabilities. He is
leading a project titled “Adaptable AI-enabled Robots to Createa Vibrant Society.” The project is part of the work being done on
the third goal of the Moonshot Program, which is the realizationof AI robots that autonomously learn, adapt to their environment,
evolve in intelligence and act alongside human beings, by 2050.

Child Care Commons is a project proposed by Hosoda to develop a mechanism for diversifying the ways in which society interacts
with child care to enable better child care environments. The aim is to create a future in which child care is a society-wide activity.

Providing community childcare

Support and privacy
protection provided
by modern ICT technology

https://w3.tohoku.ac.jp/moonshot/en/project_e/hirata_e/a sense of motivation and accomplishment,such as "I feel safe, can do activities bymyself, and want to be able to do more,because of the support by robots”. The goal
is to realize a vibrant society where people
and robots coexist in harmony and where
robots encourage everyone to take on new
challenges.
Hosoda: My research is from a neuroscience
perspective, with an emphasis on fostering
motivation as well as individual traits througheducation, upbringing and well-being.
Learning is about taking on new challenges
and acquiring new things throughout life, andmy topic is how to approach people to help
them achieve what they want in order to be
in a state of well-being. For example, we areusing information about the brain structure
to predict their "persistence" and find theright educational method for each individual.
Under the moonshot, the challenge is tobuild a "well community” that allow us tosocialization of parenting. While the problem
of uneven parenting has not changed, theenvironment in which children are raised haschanged dramatically. We are exploring amechanism to clarify the fundamental natureof the problem and to support multi-party
child-rearing based on "worthiness" beyond
blood relatives, i.e., society..
Hirata: In fact, I have a certain concern.
Even if a multifunctional robot is developed,
it may not be accepted by society. For
example, the caregivers may not want tochange the nursing care field, saying thatthe conventional way is better, and the carereceivers may not want to be taken care of
by robots (machines). In order for people toaccept increasingly advanced science andtechnology in the future, it is necessary not
only to build technology but also to foster asociety that accepts and trusts robots.

Hosoda: Exactly. We need to think about the
problems that technological innovations aredesigned to solve, and the kind of future that
their use will create. People who lack thetechnical literacy to understand the natureof these innovations will be increasingly
frustrated and stressed by them, creating adivide between innovation users and nonusers, and between the able and the unable.
H i r a t a : T h a t ’s r i g h t . B y 2 0 5 0 , v a r i o u stechnologies will be developed and people
will become more individualized. At thesame time, there will be a deepening ofinclusiveness, where each individual isrespected and can play an active role insociety. Able-bodied people inviting a person
in a wheelchair to go to a dance eventwith them is a concept of diversity, but an
inclusive society goes beyond that. In otherwords, we envision a society where people
not only participate in dance events but

Vision for 2050 society

Adaptable AI-enabled robots
that accompanies you through life

Infants

Young children

Schoolchildren

Teenagers

AdultsAdultsMiddle-aged people

Providing a wide range of assistancefor any area of application

Providing customized
childcare environments

Providing childcare
environmentswith participationfrom local community members

also dance together using AI robots. We arealso developing dance support robots that
actually allow everyone to enjoy dancing.
H o s o d a : T h a t ’s g r e a t . B u t t h e r e a l i t y
i s t h a t t h i n g s d o n ’t a l w a y s g o w e l l f o rpeople as individuals. It’s not nice to say,but sometimes individuals fail. So, what’s
important is to aim for community well-being
as a collective.
Hirata: To achieve goals, it’s essential tohave a Convergence Knowledge that brings

together the expertise of researchers fromseveral different disciplines who share acommon vision. Research and development of
nursing care robots cannot be accomplishedby us in engineering alone. So, We arec o l l a b o r a t i n g w i t h d o c t o r s , c a re g i v e r s ,physical therapists, occupational therapists,
etc. . We have also begun collaboratingwith psychologists to understand humansubjectivity, mathematicians to quantify it,
and ELSI researchers to ensure that robots

are accepted by society.
Hosoda: Yes, research should never belimited to just one discipline. Take me, forexample. I started out specializing in second
language acquisition, and then moved on to
studying areas like brain science, technology
and psychology. My research still combineseach of these disciplines. So, I’ve no doubtthat the Convergence Knowledge approachis key when you’re researching challenging
new ideas.

H o s o d a s t u d i e s t h e w a y i n w h i c h i n d i v i d u a l d i ff e re n c e s
in cognitive functions, non-cognitive functions (such asperseverance) and well-being relate to individual differences inbrain structure and functional networks. She wants to develop asystem that will enable well-being by using objective quantitative
indicators to shed light on individual characteristics and optimize
the use of each individual characteristic. She is Project Managerof the “Child care commons: Proposing social infrastructure
allowing others to socialize the child care.” It is part of the ninth
Moonshot goal, which is the realization of a mentally healthyand dynamic society by increasing peace of mind and vitality by
2050.

Seniors

Hirata's goal is to build a vibrant society in which each individual can shine and play an active role, and where the presence ofrobots makes each individual an asset to society.

https://w3.tohoku.ac.jp/moonshot/en/project_e/chihiro-hosoda/

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Healthy aging from emerging sulfur life science

A fascination with the ingenious control
mechanisms of gene expression led Hozumi
Motohashi to work in biochemistry andmolecular biology. Focusing on sulfur andaging, her research examines how the cellsof organisms respond to environmental
stress including oxidative stress.
When DNA makes proteins, the necessary
information is transcribed into messenger
R N A ( r i b o n u c l e i c a c i d ) . Tr a n s c r i p t i o nfactors are special proteins that regulatetranscription. Motohashi found that atranscription factor called NRF2 regulates abattery of genes whose products catalyze
biochemical reactions involving sulfur. She
is now interested in how supersulfides
contribute to various biological processes
in vivo. The supersulfides have been foundto mediate multiple bioactivities such as
antioxidant function, anti-inflammatory
function, and regulation of mitochondrialenergy metabolism. It has turned out thatsupersulfides are common biomolecules.
Motohashi says, “NRF2 is a very interestingtranscription activator. Originally it was known
as a factor that protects cells from oxidative
damage by activating many cytoprotectiveg e n e s . N R F 2 a c t i v a t i o n i s e ff e c t i v e f o rdelaying manifestation of age-related
phenotypes. However, too much activationof NRF2 is not beneficial rather detrimental.
NRF2 activity must be well controlled andHow do environmental factors modify aging process? Supersulfides, which are newly identified common
biomolecules, play a key role in responding to oxidative stress and protecting against age-related functional
decline. Sulfur life science is an emerging interdisciplinary field that creates a wide range of application
outcomes, including medical science.

[Expected Social Effects]
Exploring
the Convergence
Knowledge

04● Innovating diagnosis and treatment in clinical medicine,including anticancer drug development● Helping reduce the difference between average and healthy life expectancy● Working on environmental and food issues based on research on super-sulfides

Hozumi Motohashi(Professor, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer)

should be activated only when it is needed.
Cancer cells often utilize NRF2 to become
malignant, acquiring therapeutic resistanceand ability of aggressive tumorigenesis. How
to regulate NRF2 activity is also important forcancer therapy.”
Motohashi is a leader of a large research
project entitled Innovative Sulfur Biology
Emerging from Super-sulfides. Running from2021 through 2025, the project involves 34
researchers from different disciplines who
are working on creating an interdisciplinary
area of science. Development of new
methods for quantification and visualizationof supersulfides, elucidation of biological
functions of supersulfides, and application ofsupersulfides for achievement of sustainable
society are three major goals of the project.
Says Motohashi,“The study of metabolism
has been aided by innovative advances inchemistry and analytical technology. This field
is still largely unexplored territory—more sothan genome analysis or genetic research. I
feel that working with researchers from otherdisciplines such as physical chemistry andbiology will give us a better understandingo f p re v i o u s l y o v e r l o o k e d s u p e r s u l f i d e sproperties and lead to advances in the new
discipline of sulfur life science. It will also
create new approaches to environmental andfood issues.”
Motohashi envisions a world in which thedifference between average and healthy life
expectancy has been eradicated. Life inthis world would be healthy and diseasefree without sacrificing quality of life. But thenatural aging process hardwired into all living
things would still be recognized. Motohashi
explains, “Of course, there are diseases
that can’t be treated without medicine, butthat doesn’t apply to aging. Food forms
the building blocks of the body, and plays
a key role in maintaining a healthy lifespan.
As the saying goes, ‘Medicine and foodcome from the same source,’ it is believedthat diet and medicine are governed by thesame principles. I think there’s something
to that—more weight should be given toscientific studies of nutrition, and morework done together with disciplines such as
biochemistry.”
The Institute of Development, Aging andCancer is working on ‘breath medicine’research designed to enable early disease
detection and diagnosis by identifying healthconditions from measurement of the types
and quantities of molecules contained inexhaled breath. Motohashi is also one of the
instructors at the Tohoku University Smart
Ageing College for business people. The
College is helping make the world a better
place by providing a broad multidisciplinary
perspective that encompasses everythingfrom health management to cancer.

Sulfur life science: A new discipline emerging from supersulfide research

Humans, animals, plants
and other eukaryotes

OxygenActivityenergyCarbohydrates

Mitochondrion
Supersulfides
Discovery of new sulfur metabolites and supersulfides arising from development of newqualitative and quantitative technologies● Innovating basic life sciences, clinical medicine diagnosis and treatment● Wide-reaching repercussions, such as creation of new approaches to environmental and food issues● Helping reduce the difference between average and healthy life expectancy● Helping create a sustainable global environment

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A Platform for Value Creation
Tohoku University continues to evolve as a platform for pioneering research and education in various
fields in an environment that brings together diverse talent and combines innovative ideas withoutstanding knowledge. From here, we will focus on the “talent” who drive innovation in a wide rangeof fields and try to find solutions to global challenges, as well as introduce the “social impact” brought
about by their activities.

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Aiming for Sustainable Geothermal Use and Regional Revitalization in Japan:
Unleashing the World’s Third Largest Potential

Geothermal energy is more than just an underground resource.
By predicting the “flow” from the “shape” of the complex structure,
we aim to create a cycle that utilizes geothermal energy and the attractiveness of hot springs,
which are the pride of Tohoku. The goal is to create a place where people
from all walks of life can enjoy and become aware of the value of local resources and its utilizations.

[Expected Social Effects]● Achieving reuse of hydrothermal water to ensure the sustainable use of geothermal resources● Creating new values and opportunities through regional co-design“I would like to shape a society where
geothermal resources are harnessedsustainably to fuel progress,” says Anna
Suzuki. Japan boasts the world’s thirdlargest geothermal potential, yet it remains
underutilized. Suzuki feels that in addition toscientific and technological challenges, there
are also issues of public awareness.
We harness geothermal resources
for various purposes, including power
generation and hot springs. Nevertheless,it's important to recognize that undergroundhydrothermal resources are finite. “To ensuresustainable utilization, we must establish
artificial water circulation systems allowing
used water to be returned to the ground,
heated by geothermal energy, and reused.
The challenges lie in identifying the flowof water through complex rock fracturesand predicting the effects of injected water
based on the limited data measured from theground.”Suzuki makes full use of the limited data basedon mathematical and information sciencessuch as topology, fractional derivatives, andmachine learning. For example, she has
successfully extracted essential information
by representing flow paths concisely asmathematical holes. This method is expected
to be applied not only to subsurface flows but
also to diverse transport phenomena such as
in solid fuel cells.
On the other hand, she recognized thatscientific development and technologicalinnovation by themselves, cannot fully
address society’s problems. For example, in
hot spring resorts, there has been resistanceto geothermal development aimed atelectricity generation.
“For the local communities, their concern
revolves around the potential impact ofgeothermal development on the tourism
industries. This led me to believe that gaining
a deeper understanding of local cultures
and the values of the people who heldby the people residing there is essential.
Consequently, I emphasize the importance of
creating spaces where diverse stakeholders,i n c l u d i n g l o c a l re s i d e n t s , b u s i n e s s e s ,Tohoku University

A place to feel, not just to reason[Hot Springs] + [OO] = local production and local consumptionof local resources & improvement of overall happiness in JapanThe excitement of curiosity about the unknown creates new connections
and crosses frames composed of values and awareness of issues

Outreach

Dialog with residents

Anna Suzuki (Associate Professor, Institute of Fluid Science)and government officials, can engage indialogues and develop mutual understanding
from their various perspectives.”
This perspective stemmed from her
experience during the Great East Japan
Earthquake. As a student, she started toorganize the Tohoku University student
volunteer group “HARU,” with the goal
supporting the region’s restoration andrevitalization. During that period, she
confronted challenges afflicting theregion, including depopulation, an aging
population, and declining industries.
Additionally, her unforgettable experiencein New Zealand, where she visited for an
academic conference, further influenced her
perspective.
“New Zealand has preserved its abundantnatures and provided unobtrusive ways
to enjoy sightseeing. I could sense theirphilosophy of respecting the values of theland. This experience convinced me that weshould learn from their approach in Japan
as well. At the same time, I became firmly
convinced that Tohoku, with its wealth ofmountains, oceans, and hot springs, holds

great potential, and that we can promote
Tohoku’s nature.”
After retur ning to Japan, she initiated“Waku2 as Life” in 2018 as a researchoutreach initiative, taking advantage of hot
springs that attract individuals of all ages.
The theme is “living, working, becoming
healthy, and having fun in hot spring areas.”
The geothermal tour planned in Yuzawa City,
Akita Prefecture, brought together not only
geothermal engineering researchers, but also
fermentation experts, cultural anthropologists
familiar with the area, and others to see
local resources and hold workshops for highschool students. The served as a platform
where participants could encounter ideasa n d w a s e q u a l l y e ff e c t i v e re s e a rc h e r ’s
perspective in terms of advancing joint
research.
“In this era, even computers can come up
with ideas. However, what we believe, thechoices we make, our thought processes,
and how we shape our society all challenge
the power of the human being.” Regional codesign commences with trust in this inherent
human capacity.

38[Hot Spring] + [Intellectual Curiosity]

Online science event[Hot spring] + [Science]

Integrated Report 2023

[Hot spring] + [Community Building]

Remote workcation project[Hot spring] + [Work] + [Health] + [Childrearing]39

From Environmental DNA Data to a Nature-Positive Future

The Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is an organizationthat works to bring financial flows to biodiversity.
Tohoku University is the first university
in Japan to participate in the TNFD Forum, a support organization for the TNFD.
Based on “Environmental DNA Technology,” a revolutionary biological survey method,
Tohoku University will contribute to the creation of a social structurethat values living organisms and ecosystems.

[Expected Social Effects]● Returning value of biological ecosystems to local communities● Creation of a society that coexists with nature through environmental DNA technology● Contribution to the creation of rules that balance biodiversity and business“Nature positive,” the concept of halting
biodiversity loss and restoring it, is the next
wave of social transformation after carbon
neutrality. The Task Force on Nature-related
Financial Disclosures (TNFD) asks for thedisclosure of information on the impact ofcorporate activities on and dependence onnature as well as the risks and opportunities
from that, and it seeks to use this information
to forge a biodiversity-conscious flow offunds.
In May 2022, Tohoku University became
the first Japanese university to participate
in the TNFD Forum, endorsing the TNFD
philosophy and supporting its activities.
Michio Kondoh of the Graduate School ofLife Sciences and Kaori Fujita of the Green
Goals Initiative are developing proposals
based on “Environmental DNA Technology,”
a new biological survey method that collects

water from rivers and oceans to examine
all kinds of DNA. Kondoh, who specializes
in ecology, says, “What we are aiming foris the overall optimization of both businessand biodiversity. Primary information on
the organisms living there is the basis foreverything. W ith our environmental DNA
technology, we can not only provide primary
information but also clarify the impact ofhumans on the environment by comparing
values from different locations.”
How much risk does a company’s economic
activity pose to nature, and what efforts arebeing made to reduce it? In the past, nature
conservation activities were conducted asa part of social contribution activities forcompanies, but nature-positive management,
in which the impact on nature and risks
are assessed and activities are promoted,
is directly related to the company’s core

Michio Kondoh (Professor, Graduate School of Life Sciences)
Kaori Fujita (Professor, Green Goals Initiative)

Tohoku University

business. Fujita tells of her experience as ajournalist following biodiversity and businessissues. “My role is to contribute help createa platform where companies, investors, andacademia can share information. I hope tocontribute to the creation of communities
that coexist with nature, based on resources
such as the data provided by Kondoh, fromthe perspective of both my experienceof walking through the communities andexperiencing the nature and cultural climate
and my knowledge of the various rules
governing industry.
H o w e v e r, e v e r y o n e h a s a d i f f e r e n t
perspective on nature. Above all, even asingle river involves a wide variety of people.
“In Toyama Prefecture where I come from,t h e K u ro b e D a m a n d o t h e r d a m s w e rebuilt as part of a national policy to advancehydroelectric power after World War II, andthe landscape and ecosystem have been
completely transformed. On the other hand,
the Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine Route, whichruns through the Northern Japanese Alps,
was built and attracts one million tourists
a year. Companies take industrial waterfrom rivers and local fishermen also benefit
from rivers, but I hear that some fishermen
are harmed by the discharge of sedimentfrom dams. It is time to consider the best
conditions for all people in reducing risks tonature and receiving benefits while building
relationships with each other,” says Fujita.
The Task Force on Nature-related Financial
Disclosures (TNFD) is an organization thatworks to bring financial flows to biodiversity.
Tohoku University is the first university inJapan to participate in the TNFD Forum, asupport organization for the TNFD.
Based on “Environmental DNA Technology,”
a revolutionary biological survey method,
Tohoku University will contribute to thecreation of a social structure that values
living organisms and ecosystems.
Tohoku University is collaborating with otherinstitutions to build ANEMONE, a network
system for observing environmental DNA.
Surveys are easy to do by simply collecting
water’ and if local elementary and junior high40

school students participate in the surveys,
they will have the opportunity to becomeaware of the value of the resources in frontof them. According to Kondoh, “Now is agood time for three things to be happening
at the same time. Data acquisition methods
are expanding, data processing technology
is advancing, and there is a trend towards
nature positivity. Our role is to create a social
framework that maximizes the value of livingorganisms and ecosystems through the best
mix of those.”
It is always small changes in local
communities that bring about change in theworld. “The first step is to make people inthe community happy.” That is the major goalthat the two of them have set.

SurveyObservation

Detection of

1,000 sites

5,000 times

900 fish species

as of July 2023

● Established in 2019 at Tohoku University’s initiative in collaboration with universities andnational laboratories across Japan● Routine monitoring of environmental DNA at 77 sites (55 coastal areas, 18 rivers, and 4 lakes)● A wide range of players from industry, academia, government, and citizens participate inobservations

Integrated Report 2023

41

Create a “world where people learn as they play” together
with Tohoku University

baton Co., Inc., organizer of QuizKnock, has signed a collaboration agreementwith Tohoku University on “Building the Future through Education.”
By integrating each other’s accumulated knowledge, ability to communicate,planning ability, and community relations,they will create new social value of learning like playing and playing while learning.

[Expected Social Effects]● Making “learning fun” into a social infrastructure through quizzes● Raising the level of education by bringing out intellectual needs● Improving communities through innovations in the education systembaton is working to create services
that enrich the world by merging “play”
and “learn.” Putting web-based media
QuizKnock, launched in 2016, as the coreof its business, and with “Quiz King” fromt h e U n i v e r s i t y o f To k y o Ta k u s h i I z a w a ,the company has built a business modelc e n t e re d o n q u i z z e s , u t i l i z i n g T V a s amedium as well. The company is also
developing a variety of other businesses,
such as a YouTube channel and creating
game applications that train intellectual
abilities.
Yo s u k e K i n u g a w a s a y s , “ O u r s t a r t i n g
point is questioning of Japanese education
system. I wanted to address a market whereexperience-oriented education is considered
important but has not been resolved for along time. On the other hand, I felt a sense ofcrisis in Shanghai, China, where I was posted
from a previous job, because university
e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n s w e re e x t re m e l yintense and internship systems had been
established for university students to gain
practical experience at companies. The only

way for Japan to compete with the rest of
the world is to create new value in education
itself. I wanted to build a system of ‘learning’that would allow students to deepen theirknowledge while having fun at the sametime, rather than burn themselves out after
passing a university entrance exam.”
The catchphrase is “make learning fun.”Our goal is “a world where people learn as
they play.” While holding a vision of a society
where everyone in the world can continue
to learn with curiosity, he says, “First of all, I
want to create a theme park of knowledge.”
He envisions a “Disneyland of knowledge”
or a “museum with entertainment” where
people can enjoy participating in intellectual
attractions and will want to come back again
and again. One of the steps toward thisgoal is the conclusion of a comprehensivec o l l a b o r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t w i t h To h o k u
University’s “Co-Creation Education Project”
Green Goals Initiative, which was done in
December 2022.
“Tohoku University is the first university inJapan declare an ‘Open Doors’ principle,

and has always emphasized its connection
with society. It is also filled with a frontier
spirit to deepen academic studies, which
was prompted by the Great East JapanE a r t h q u a k e . A b o v e a l l , t h e u n i v e r s i t y ’scommitment to making people aware of the
fun of learning, technological innovation, andnew services is in line with a philosophy ofcreating a system for learning while having
fun. We hope to combine the university’s
vast knowledge with our expertise incommunicating difficult topics in an easyto-understand manner so as to deliver evenmore enjoyable learning in an innovativeway.”
In March 2023, baton and Tohoku University
held the “Science spring social studies tour
to learn about the earth” in collaboration with
Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture.
Junior and senior high school students
from Minamisoma and Sendai cities had
the opportunity to experience quizzes
and deepen exchanges with QuizKnockmembers. The program centered on the
Science Café “Making, Storing, and Using

Hydrogen” by Hitoshi Takamura(Professor,
Graduate School of Engineering).
“QuizKnock members provided explanations
and support for talks, serving as a glue, so
to speak, to make it understandable even forjunior high school students. Spending timewith university students, researchers, andpeople you see on TV is a rare encounterin itself. We are thinking of adding quiz andgame elements to school excursions to makethem more entertaining, and I feel that thisevent was an experiment in that direction.”P l a n s a re t o e x p a n d t h e c u r re n t o n e day event into a week-long camp format,
establish a credits-earning program, andotherwise make diverse developments. It
is the future society itself that will benefit
from this kind of learning by the younger
generation.

Yosuke Kinugawa (CEO, baton inc.)

TOPICSbaton and Tohoku University signed a collaboration agreement
on “Building the Future through Education”
b a t o n a n d To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y s i g n e d acollaboration agreement on December
14, 2022, with the aim of restoring
Fukushima and building the future. Basedon this agreement, they will cooperate incomprehensive educational innovation
planning and its implementation utilizing the
QuizKnock brand and the like, as well as
the introduction of experimental educational
programs. By integrating Tohoku University’sand baton’s knowledge, experience, media
communication ability, and planning anddevelopment abilities, the parties aim tocreate new social value that will contribute toregional development.

Science spring social studies tour to learn about the earth@Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture (March 18, 2023)

Tohoku University

42

Integrated Report 2023

43

From the Front Lines of Generative AI Researchand Natural Language Processing Research

ChatGPT is a generative AI application created in the U.S.,
which has spread around the world at an unprecedented speed.
What is the current state of large-scale language models that enable humans
and artificial intelligence to interact very naturally, and what is the goal aimed for?
Take a look at the research at Tohoku University,
which proceeds with consideration of its societal impact.

[Expected Social Effects]● Improvement in efficiency and cost reduction through automation of routine tasks● Facilitation of creative production such as images and videos● Creating an environment in which people can concentrate on tasks that only they can perform

ChatGPT, released by IT venture Open AI
in November 2022, is one of the large-scalelanguage models that applies generative
AI (artificial intelligence). This interactive
application, which answers questions withnatural expressions, has quickly spreadaround the world, thanks to its user-friendly
interface that supports any language. It has
also been introduced at Tohoku University
for system operation and public relations.
Keisuke Sakaguchi of the Graduate Schoolof Information Sciences, who researches
Natural Language Processing (NLP) using
computers, explains it in this way.
“While previous AI applications have mainly
performed tasks that classify sentences
and images, generative AI generates naturalsentences and images based on context. In
the case of ChatGPT, the AI learns various
patterns in natural language and constructs
sentences based on the vast amount of text
data it receives. My own recent research has
focused on developing technologies thatenable AI to access real-time information andcontext and interact smoothly with humans.”
Although the implementation of ChatGPTin education and research is still in the trialand-error stage, researchers and students
around Sakaguchi are already using it ona daily basis to streamline their work inareas such as writing English e-mails andabstracts for academic papers. In the
future, it is expected that the system will be
implemented for proofreading of papers,
programming education, support for thecreation of teaching materials, and the like.
On the other hand, the issue for ChatGPT
is that it is not up to date with the latest
information and may fluently speak incorrectcontent. In addition, criticisms and confusion
have arisen, such as the impact of the spreadof fake news on people’s opinions andbehavior, automated report generation by
students, and art works created by imagegenerating AI infringing on the copyrights ofreal third parties. So, Sakaguchi’s researchalso covers the evaluation and ethics of suchlarge-scale language models.
“The spread of ChatGPT and the improvement

Tohoku University

in deep learning performance have both beenmuch faster than predicted. Researchers must
be more aware than ever of social impacts
including risks. I personally see the potential
for NLP applications such as ChatGPT to be
useful in more familiar and diverse situations.
Even in worksites where overtime work is being
done due to lack of, if ChatGPT and otherapplications can reduce the workload, that
may allow people to focus on important andemergent tasks.”
In addition to the development of multimodal
models that simultaneously process
multiple types of information such as text,

studied psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics
at the University of Essex (UK) out of
an interest in where people’s ability tomanipulate language comes from, and thenhe studied natural language processing at
the Nara Institute of Science and Technology
and Johns Hopkins University (US). “I wantto unravel the complex mechanisms ofhuman language processing. This is both mystarting point and a dream I am pursuing.”
NLP research is a means to that end, andChatGPT is just a step. An endless passion
for “human beings” and “language” will bringabout changes in our social life.

images, and audio, the laboratory is also
involved in industry collaboration researchand development of large-scale Japanese
language models in collaboration with
CyberAgent, Inc. and other companies.
Japanese language has ambiguous word
order and speech patter ns and greater
variety of characters used, making thehurdles higher than with other languages; but
it thought that implementation to society as
an application will be seen in the next one to
two years.
Sakaguchi’s major during his undergraduate
studies was philosophy of language. He

TOPICSTechnological development of a large-scalelanguage model specialized in the Japanese language
using the supercomputer “Fugaku”
To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y, t o g e t h e r w i t h To k y o I n s t i t u t e o f
Technology, Fujitsu Limited, RIKEN, CyberAgent, Inc. andothers, has started development on technology that willserve as a template for generative AI with high Japanese
language processing capability, utilizing the large-scale
p a r a l l e l e n v i ro n m e n t * o f “ F u g a k u . ” T h e d e v e l o p m e n tof domestically produced AI is expected to lead toi n n o v a t i v e re s e a rc h a n d c re a t i o n o f b u s i n e s s e s n e v e rseen before.

Keisuke Sakaguchi (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences)

What is natural language processing?
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is atechnology that allows computers to understandthe language that people use daily. When we
input text or words to a computer, it can analyze
them, understand the meaning and grammar,
extract information, and generate responses.
ChatGPT is a natural language processing model,
and in May 2023, Tohoku University became oneof the first university in Japan to introduce it in its
administrative operations. The university is also
developing an internal operation and support
system, including guidelines for students andfaculty, regarding the use of ChatGPT and othergenerative AI. We will further promote the useof AI with a view to applying it to education andresearch.

©RIKEN

Teach to AI a large amountof Japanese language datafrom the Internet, books, etc.,
using “Fugaku”

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Integrated Report 2023

*Large-scale parallel environment: A system in which a large number of processors
and computers are connected to perform very complex calculations using large
amounts of data in a fast and efficient manner.

Develop a large-scale language
model specialized forJapanese andbuild a foundation
for domestically
produced generative AI

Lead to accomplishments
such as developmentof a generative AI service
with more advanced
Japanese language processing
capability than ChatGPT45

Strategic Digital Transformation as a University Leading Social Change[Expected Social Effects]● Active incorporation of the latest technologies and dissemination of work methods appropriate tochanges in society both inside and outside the university● Contribution to the fostering of a digital transformation mindset and skills beyond the boundaries of

The project team was formed
through open recruitment within the university, a first for a national university.
The team anticipated the work styles of a new normal era
and achieved streamlining of administrative workthrough Digital Transformation and expanded the possibilities of education and research.
Such skills and know-how are attracting a great deal of attention from other universities as well.

the university● Improvement in engagement through the “Tohoku University App,” which connects with all stakeholders

In June 2020, Tohoku University announced
its “Declaration of Online Administrative
Services.” The university has been working
to improve operational efficiency throughdigital transformation, based on the pillarsof “counter-free,” “hanko (seal)-free,” and“worksite-free.” This is a realization of the
Tohoku University Connected University
S t r a t e g y, w h i c h c a l l s f o r “ a d v a n c e m e n t
o f u n i v e r s i t y m a n a g e m e n t t h ro u g h d a t autilization” and “transformation to a way ofworking appropriate for the new normal era.”Kazuyuki Fujimoto, director of the Digital
Transformation Division of the Information
Department, oversees the Administrative Digital
Transformation Promotion Project Team.
“Needless to say, the trigger that accelerated
digital transformation was the COVID-19
p a n d e m i c . H o w e v e r, l e a r n i n g f r o m t h eexperience of the Great East Japan Earthquake
in 2011, when all operations were suspended,
the university had prepared a remote work
environment, including the introduction of

a cloud infrastructure. Thus, all faculty andstaff were able to smoothly transition totelecommuting in April 2020 when infections
spread rapidly. Digital transformation is not
limited to administrative work; it is also thefoundation that supports an environment inwhich students and faculty can focus more on
studies, education, and research.”
The structure is progressive and strategic.
A Chief Digital Officer (CDO) was createdand Executive Vice President Takafumi Aoki
was appointed to that position. More than
50 project members, whose average age isapproximately 36 years old, were recruitedi n t e r n a l l y f r o m a c r o s s t h e u n i v e r s i t y ’sorganizational boundaries. Both theestablishment of a CDO and the formation of
the team through open recruitment were firsts
by a national university. The team members
have carried out their mission with a strong
will to take one step further, to think about
what kind of environment they would like towork in and what is necessary to achieve it,

and they have achieved remarkable results
in a short span of time. The ChatGPT, a typeof interactive artificial intelligence (AI) system,
has already been introduced in the areas ofsystem operation and public relations. Workis underway to gradually apply it to the fieldsof education and research as well. These
efforts are attracting attention from outside theuniversity as well, and an endless number ofrequests for tours are being received.
“We believe that digital transformation can
do more than just increase the value of theuniversity. By spreading our know-how andskills to other universities, we can improve
the quality of education and research inJapan, and ultimately contribute to the newnormal society.” In addition, a “Tohoku Region
Administration Digital Transformation Team”
has been established to advance based on
digital transformation together with national
universities and other institutions in the Tohoku
region while exchanging personnel. “Digitaltransformation is only possible through a

Tohoku University App connecting with society

s

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Tohoku University

Tohoku University Digital Transformation Navigation
https://www.dx.tohoku.ac.jp/english_home/

TOPICS

Alumni network
Alumni visits
Graduation/Grade certificate acquisition
Reskilling

Digital student ID
Book lending / Attendance management
Inter-university course registration/
Credit transfer
Employment information

Kazuyuki Fujimoto (Director, Digital Transformation Division, Information Department)dInquiry
Consultation
Donations to funds

Bus
ine
ss
e

A variety of services unique to a university are provided to a wide range of people, from pre-entry to post-graduation, and to the public at large.
The aim of the “Tohoku University App” to serve as a bridge between the university and society.

change in the mindset of each and every oneof us. The challenge is to foster the mindset.
We are striving to create an environment thatencourages motivated young people andenables them to demonstrate their capabilities
beyond the barriers of conventional work
methods and organizations.”
The current focus is the development of
the “Tohoku University App.” The target isall stakeholders, from high school students
considering taking entrance exams to current
students, alumni, faculty and staff, as well
as joint research partners and companies
and donors. It is a platform for “enrollment
management” that provides various services
through interactive communication and has
an aim of enhancing university management,
including human resource development, byusing marketing methods to accumulate andanalyze data. It is, so to speak, a gateway toconnect with the world, taking the form of a“university engaged with society.” By 2025, allstudents and faculty/staff are expected to havethe app.
Beyond our sight, a vision of lifting up Japan’ssocial economy expands. “At the core of ourvision is the desire to be university where future
generations want to study and a Japan that isready to compete with the rest of the world.
Digital transformation is one way to achievethis. In the end, it is the ‘people’ who use
digital technology and what lies beyond.”

Hi
Cu

gh

Digital staff ID card
Issuance of official documents
Electronic locks / Access control
Cashless payment

Special award received at “Japan Digital Transformation Awards 2023”
The University’s “Administrative Digital Transformation Promotion Project Team” wasselected as a finalist in the People and Organization (Reskilling) Category at Japan Digital
Transformation Awards 2023, a contest sponsored by the Japan Digital Transformation Awards
Executive Committee. At the final competition held in June 2023, the team gave a lecture titled“From Passive to Active - The Challenge of the Administrative Digital Transformation Promotion
Project Team.” The team was awarded a “Special Award” for its strong advancement of digitaltransformation through its human resources and organizational abilities.

Open campus application
Questionnaires
Admission information
Admission procedures

rr e n t st u d e n ts

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47

Sharing BOSAI(disaster risk reduction) with the world through the “World BOSAI Forum”[Expected Social Effects]● Create new value for BOSAI (disaster risk reduction or DRR) by bringing together stakeholders fromindustry, government, and academia

The World BOSAI Forum, established after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami,
is a forum for creating new value related to disaster risk reductionthat goes beyond the boundaries of industry, government, and academia.
In cooperation with related organizations in Japan and abroad,
it is working to create knowledge in disaster science and convey BOSAI from Sendai to the world.

● Advance the “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” by sharing knowledge on

disasters and DRR with the world● Resolve regional issues and forge a sustainable society by enhancing resilience against disasters

The Inter national Research Institute ofDisaster Science(IRIDeS), Tohoku University,
was launched one year after the 2011 Great
East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. In
IRIDeS, researchers in engineering, science,
humanities and social sciences, medicine,and DRR work across disciplines together
to advance disaster science and practice
DRR. Deputy Director of IRIDeS, Yuichi Ono,
specializes in climatology. He was involved
in DRR policy-making as a UN official att h e Wo r l d M e t e o ro l o g i c a l O r g a n i z a t i o n(WMO) and the UN International Strategy
for Disaster Reduction Secretariat (nowthe United Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction). After joining Tohoku University,
he supported the invitation of the Third
UN World Conference on Disaster Risk
Reduction (2015) to Sendai and contributed
to adopting the Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction(SFDRR) 2015-2030,
a global guideline for DRR.
“As the host country of the UN Conference,
Japan has a mission to promote the

SFDRR in cooperation with the international
community. After the conference, we would
like to have a ‘legacy’ of the conference
here in Sendai to communicate BOSAI/DRR
messages from Tohoku to the world. The
World BOSAI Forum was established withthat in mind. In UN conferences, opinions at
national government levels are exchanged.
Academic conferences are for experts.
But the World BOSAI Forum is different.
The Forum is for diverse stakeholders fromindustry, government, and academia, andalso from citizens. It is a scheme to promote
BOSAI as a universal word and encourage
people towards DRR, to create new value
through free and dynamic discussion of DRR
issues, and to promote implementation of
the SFDRR, sharing lessons from the 2011
disaster with the world.
2023 is a “turnaround point” for the SFDRR.
In March 2023, the World BOSAI Forum
2023 was held in Sendai with over 5,400
participants from 40 countries and regions.
At the Forum, participants held discussions
about the SFDRR Interim Evaluation Meeting
to be held in May 2023. At the closing
ceremony, we handed over the Forum’s
recommendations to the Head of UNDRR,
Ms. Mami Mizutori.
Another “engine” for advancing theimplementation of the SFDRR is the “Global
Centre for Disaster Statistics,” establishedb y t h e I R I D e S , To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y, i ncollaboration with the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP). Ono wasalso involved in the creation of the Centre.
DRR policies need to be based on pastdisaster damage statistics. However, many
countries around the world have inadequate
vital statistics. Therefore, the Global Centre
has started to support the comprehensive
and systematic collection of disaster damage
statistical data that national governments
manage. The collected data will be usefulfor formulating DRR policies in individual
countries. The Global Centre for Disaster
Statistics monitors the progress toward theglobal goals of the SFDRR and paves theway for achieving them. In collaboration with
the World BOSAI Forum, it will contributetowards the reduction of disaster loss anddamage.
Ono and his colleagues are working on
the inclusion of BOSAI within the Post
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as astand-alone goal when the SFDRR and SDGs
expire in 2030. “If this is achieved, BOSAI
will rapidly spread globally, accelerating
investment in DRR, which is essential fordisaster reduction and Building Back Better.
It will advance measures against climatechange as well.” Improving disaster resilience
will lead to the sustainable development oflocal communities and economies. Tohoku
University is deeply involved in t developing
various rules for disaster risk reduction. It is
working to solve issues of the international
community by heightening the social valueof BOSAI to save human lives and support asustainable society.

World BOSAI Forum 2023
https://worldbosaiforum.com/2023/en/

World BOSAI Forum2023 in SENDAIWhat is the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030?

Yuichi Ono (Deputy Director of IRIDeS/Representative Director of the World BOSAI Forum)

Tohoku University

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is a framework for disaster risk
reduction developed by the United Nations. It was adopted at the Third UN World Conference
on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai City in 2015. The aim of the framework is to
reduce disaster risk over a 15-year period until 2030. It defines specific goals and cooperative
arrangements and serves as an important guideline for national and regional policymaking andimplementation.

Excursion in Minamisanriku Town

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Becoming a Value Creation Platform Open to the World
Through the Pursuit of Internationality

What strategies should be used to design a new ecosystem for a research university?
As one such strategy, Tohoku University will create a platform
for a dynamic ecosystem for value creation by pursuing thorough openness
and internationality where diverse and varied talent is welcomed.

[Expected Social Effects]● Fostering talent that will lead the global era● Attraction of diverse talent from around the world to help solve social issues● Contribution to the advancement of Japan and the world through co-creation with diverse stakeholders

Globaltake on the challenge of original researchthat opens up new frontiers, says with atwinkle in her eye that the motivation for her
research is “the beauty of physics concepts.”“In superconductors, electrons with opposite
spin usually pair up and cannot carry themagnetic information of electron spin; but
recent studies have suggested a mechanism
by which electron spin can propagate overlong distances even in superconductors.
Spin control is faster and more efficientthan the charge control utilized in ordinary
electronics. Since electricity flowing througha superconductor does not generate heat, it
is suitable for applications such as new highspeed, low-power-consumption information
communication methods and environmentallyfriendly energy conversion technology. If
the speed of information processing is
d r a m a t i c a l l y i n c re a s e d , t h e p ro c e s s i n g

G a t e wa y

Revolutionizing information and communications technology
by superconducting spintronics research01

Tohoku University is leading the world in spintronics research. Lustikova graduated from the Faculty of Science and
the Graduate School of Science and aims to develop new electronic devices using spin at the Center for Science andInnovation in Spintronics in competition with top-level researchers.

Spintronics research aims for the engineering
application of the charge and spin properties
of electrons. In that, “superconducting
spintronics,” which explores new physicalp ro p e r t i e s b y c o n t ro l l i n g s p i n t h ro u g h
the interaction of superconductors andmagnetic materials, is a field gaining
particular attention. Jana Lustikova of
Tohoku University’s Center for Science andInnovation in Spintronics (CSIS), a worldclass research center, is studying methods tocontrol the spin flow in superconducting thinfilms in search of principles that will lead tonew electronic devices.
Lustikova came to Japan from Slovakia in2009 as a government-sponsored exchange
student. After studying Japanese language
at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies for one
year, she entered the Faculty of Science at
Tohoku University.
“When I was in high school, I was interested
in spintronics, which is concerned with what
happens when you pass electricity througha magnet. I was also interested in Japaneseculture, so I wanted to study in Japan andat Tohoku University, which is a leader inthis field of research. In graduate school, I
was given a high-level topic in the laboratoryof Eiji Saitoh, a world authority in the field,
and it was a big step for me to take on thechallenge of that difficult problem.”
Lustikova, who was granted the title of“Tohoku University Prominent Research
Fellow” in 2022 for young researchers who

Tohoku University

capacity of data centers will improve, andthe development of cloud computing andthe practical application of various wearable
devices will also advance dramatically. We
hope that our fundamental research will be
useful to researchers working on related
topics and contribute to society by creating
a positive chain in research.”
Five out of six members of Lustikova’slaboratory are from countries other thanJapan. Needless to say, Tohoku University
has a large number of international students,
researchers, and faculty members from othercountries.
“Tohoku University helped me get used tolife in Sendai even when I was a student.
Tohoku University is attractive thanks to its
many research fields and laboratories. Thereis a good atmosphere where you can consult
and interact with other researchers, andthere are also a lot of facilities that can beused jointly, creating an environment where
you can devote yourself to research.”
It was an encounter with a teacher in highschool that inspired her to pursue physics
in the first place. She led her into the worldof physics by discussing questions about
everyday things, such as “Why are sunsets
red?” Tohoku University also holds the“Katahira Festival” once every two years todeepen elementary, junior high, and highschool students’ interest in science. Eachresearch institute presents its researchand provides opportunities for them toexperience science through experiments.
“Physics is a field that deepens our scientificunderstanding of everyday phenomena.
I hope that our fundamental research will
become widely known and more people will
become interested in it.”

What is superconducting spintronics?

The “conventional wisdom”
of superconductivity
Superconductor

Superconducting spintronics

Superconductor

Based on a new working
principle, application toChargeSpin

Electron spin

Electron spinin opposite directionin the same direction

Electron= diamagnetism↓↓

Superconductors

Superconductors cannot carrywith the ability

magnetic information

to carry magnetic information● Highly efficient
information transport● High-speed processing● Power saving
and the like are expected*Superconductivity is a phenomenon where electrical resistance becomes zero. When electricity flows through a superconductor, heat is not generated, and electricity thus can be transmitted without
loss of electrical energy.

Jana Lustikova (Assistant Professor, Center for Science and Innovation in Spintronics)

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51

GlobalG a t e wa y02

Strategic Housing Reconstruction and Land Use
to Rebuild the Hearts and Lives of Disaster Victims

A land use system that emphasizes the node link between urban and rural areas is applicable to areas where the environmenthas been drastically altered by disasters and warfare. Furthermore, it paves the way for a resettlement and reconstruction
approach that emphasizes individual relief and growth, such as fostering motivation to truly rebuild lives through the processof rebuilding homes for disaster victims.

Image of the Self-Construction Toolkit being used for permanent housing

Martin, bor n in Peru, came to Tohoku
University in April 2018. His current research
focuses on building strategic schemesfor evacuation and displacement due tonatural disasters and war from an urban
planning perspective. The key point is tofocus on psychological relief for victims
and to encourage resettlement by taking
i n t o a c c o u n t j o b s a n d t h e s u r ro u n d i n genvironment. The starting point for the
research is the problem of poverty in rural
areas of his home country of Peru and thepeople who suffer from droughts and floods.
One of the projects currently working on is
the “Land Use and Transport Microsimulation
Model(OLUTM)” a study of land use in periurban areas.
“OLUTM, for example, envisions acenter with urban functions, agriculturallands, commercial and industrial areas,
and forests that are connected andeconomically developed to the outeredges. Urban residents can enjoy nature,a n d r u r a l re s i d e n t s c a n a c c e s s u r b a n
education, healthcare, and financial
services. Protecting the boundary also
helps to prevent unplanned urban
expansion while preserving agriculturalareas. These agrarian urban boundary
concepts can be applied to areas that haveundergone drastic changes due to climatechange or warfare. We are in the process
o f d e v e l o p i n g u s e r- f r i e n d l y s o f t w a r ethrough simulations.”
Another project is the “One United
Recovery Organization (OUR),” a nonprofit organization for people who havelost their homes in disasters. The goal
is to standardize a system for rebuilding
homes and lives at low cost. OUR
has developed a “Standardized SelfConstruction Toolkit” that allows anyone
to easily assemble a safe, comfortable,and private space. “Building a home with
one’s own hands is a motivation to rebuild
one’s life and a chance to regain one’s

mental health. The product is an easyto-use tool with customized materials
and a construction guide that makes it
easy for even those with no construction
knowledge, to transition from a temporary
housing to a permanent structure. Beyond
helping people through adversity in termsof housing, the project has value from awelfare perspective, providing self-help
tools for learning and achieving a milestone
after catastrophe, thus helping people torestore livelihoods after disaster events.”
The toolkit was funded in 2021 throughthe Tohoku University Student Challenge
Crowdfunding “TomoPro” to refine it inpreparation for its operational launch. In
fact, Martin’s interest in disaster-related
issues began when he participated int h e “ M u l t i - H a z a rd P ro g r a m ” o r g a n i z e dby the Inter national Research Instituteof Disaster Science at Tohoku University
as the hub of the Association of Pacific
Rim Universities (APRU), an international

university consortium of which Tohoku
U n i v e r s i t y i s a m e m b e r. H e a l s odiscoverd the potential of OUR as ab u s i n e s s t h ro u g h To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y ’s
e n t re p re n e u r s h i p e d u c a t i o n a l p ro g r a mthrough the Exploration and Developmentof Global Entrepreneurship for NEXT
generation (EDGE-NEXT) project.
“Tohoku University has a great research
environment and the City of Sendai isvery attractive. Although it is a mediumsized city, large forests surround the city
inspiring scientific pursuit. The city also
experienced a large-scale earthquake andtsunami, so it renders an ideal setting for
OLUTM model simulations.”
His dream is to establish the OUR initiative
as a non-profit organization and automate
the OLUTM model to derive proprietary
software for sustainable urban developmentin the United States, Japan, and Peru.
Thus, seeds born at Tohoku University will
spread throughout the world.

Garcia-Fry, Martin (3rd-year doctoral student, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University)

Global education and research environment

Reconstruction with a standardized self-construction toolkit

Excellent help provided by the International Support Center
When international researchers and students start their lives
in Japan, they are often burdened with a variety of procedures
due to differences in systems and customs as well as language
barriers.
T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l S u p p o r t C e n t e r, e s t a b l i s h e d i n A p r i l
2022, provides integrated and comprehensive support forinternational researchers and students from their arrival in
Japan to departure. This includes administrative procedures,
opening bank accounts, and finding rental housing, enablingthem to focus on their research andeducational activities at Tohoku University
with peace of mind.

Anyone can easily rebuild a homewith a kit
Damage to your home due
to disasters, etc.

Tohoku University

International Support Center ▶ https://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/en/

Pre-Arrival

After Arrival

University Life

Leaving Tohoku University

COE/Residence Status

Life in Sendai

Increase motivation
by rebuilding your own life

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GlobalG a t e wa yOverseas Experience Leads to NPO Research Based on Design Thinking

03

Haruka Minemura makes full use of Tohoku University’s overseas training system and educational programs.
In addition to acquiring problem-solving skills through the Bedside Solution Program, Minemura also studies NPO
management from an international perspective, including hands-on experience at a medical NPO in Cambodia.

Haruka Minemura, who studies nonprofit
organizations (NPOs), has had her sights
on the international stage and beenproactive since immediately after entering
Tohoku University. She has studied abroad
for short terms in the U.S., Vietnam, andother countries through the university
system, and she has also worked as atutor for international students and as an
assistant for international co-education
classes. In 2022, she also took on thechallenge of an internship at an NPO.
“The catalyst to jump in this research
field was in high school. My best friend tosuffer mentally due to her personal issues,
but I was not able to do anything at all. I
realized how powerless I was to protect
the people I cared about, and this drive
me to learn more about the wider world
to help solve social problems.”
It was with this in mind that she launched
Project San-Eleven, a student organization
to share the story of experiences in the
G re a t E a s t J a p a n E a r t h q u a k e . W h i l eworking with various organizations,she became interested in non-profit
economic model of NPOs, especially theirorganizational management. In her senioryear of university, she participated in the
University Innovation Fellows program(UIF) offered by Hasso Plattner Institute of
Design at Stanford University, where she
acquired problem-solving skills throughdesign thinking that uncovers issues andneeds and promote university reforms.
Along with this, she participated in the“Bedside Solution Program” at Tohoku
University Hospital, where companies
explore the needs of medical sites andaim to develop new businesses. She
j o i n e d t h e p ro j e c t t o s o l v e i s s u e s o f
reducing overtime hours at medical sites.
However, although she believed in thep o t e n t i a l o f N P O s , t h e re w a s a t i m ewhen she almost lost confidence in them
due to factors such as the outbreak of
COVID-19. “It was then that I met Dr.
H i det o Yo s h io ka, a pe d i a t ri c surge on
and chief advisor to the certified NPO
Japan Heart, through the Bedside

Tohoku University

Solution Program. When I told him aboutm y re s e a rc h o n N P O s , h e s a i d , ‘ Yo u
orient the future.’ Encouraged by thiscomment, I jumped into the medical
assistance in Cambodia that Japan Heartwas running.”
Based on her experience at UIF and
To h o k u U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l , s h e h a s

been able to improve operations at thehospital from an outside perspective andaccompany medical staff on rounds tounderpopulated areas to provide medicalcare. By standing in the field, she wasable to see firsthand the excellent andunderdeveloped aspects of NPOs, whichstrengthened her desire to become aresearcher who can contribute to theiractivities.
“I was impressed to see the ways of lifeof the people in the diverse professions
at Japan Heart. I wanted to support theirambition and disseminate their activities
to the word broadly. At the same time,
my perspective of working overseas
itself changed. I met people from various
backgrounds and ways of thought, and I
feel that the understanding of myself has
deepened.”
While abroad, she continued to take
“Global Program in Economics andManagement (GPEM)” course, a university
program in which she studied businessadministration and economics entirely
in English, online. She worked hardwith other students who aim to become
international professionals.
In addition to making full use of theuniversity system, Minemura also
experienced an internship on her own.
Currently, she is engaged in activities on
earthquake disaster restoration support
NPO that operates mainly in Ishinomaki
City, Miyagi Prefecture while focusing her
research. Her stance in that is both global
and local.
“I want to make the most of my horizontal
and vertical connections and always beaware of what drives me as I work tosolve social issues. As a researcher, I am
searching for ways to solve social issues,
and as an educator, I am nurturing players
who will work to solve social issues. I
hope to contribute to society throughboth of these efforts.”

Internship at NPO Japan Heart (Cambodia)

Global education and research environment

Diverse study abroad programs

Global Learning Center ▶
https://www.insc.tohoku.ac.jp/english/

Tohoku University offers a variety of overseas training and study abroad programs.
The following are some examples.
● Exchange Programs: This system allows students to study abroad for a semester
or a year at an overseas university that has an academic exchange agreement with
Tohoku University. Students spend a part of their student life at an overseas university,
taking courses and conducting research together with local students.
● SAP/Study Abroad Program: This is a short-term study program during thesummer and spring breaks. Students work on thematic studies, improve practicallanguage and communication skills, and deepen their understanding of their theme.
● High School Bridging Program: This first-of-its-kind program at a national
university in Japan is a short-term training program for high school students who havealready been admitted to the university through recommendation-based Admission
Office Entrance Examination, etc. Through classes, field trips, and the like at partner
schools, students will develop a global mindset.

Haruka Minemura (2nd-year master’s student, Tohoku University Graduate School of Economics and Management)

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GlobalG a t e wa y

Connecting Local Regions with Overseas Countries
and Taking on the Challenge of Local Development in a Global Era

04

Drawing on experience at Tohoku University, Takako Honda aims to contribute to regional development by directly
connecting local regions with overseas countries. She does this at JETRO, which utilizes a network of 49 domestic
and 76 overseas offices to support the overseas expansion of Japanese companies and the export of agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, and food products.

Takako Honda joined the Japan External
Tr a d e O r g a n i z a t i o n ( J E T R O ) a f t e r
graduating from Tohoku University’s Facultyof Education in 2016, and she currently
works in the Digital Marketing Department’s
P l a t f o r m B u s i n e s s S e c t i o n , w h e re s h e
assists Japanese companies in promoting
their products on overseas e-commercesites.
Honda had originally hoped to work in
education and regional revitalization asa public servant. However, after entering
Tohoku University, she came to view not
only Japan but also to the greater world.
“Upon entering Tohoku University, I moved
into the University House. It is a crosscultural student dormitory run by theuniversity, where Japanese students andinternational students live together under
one roof. As I came into contact with theinternational students there, I developed aninterest in cross-cultural and international
exchange and a desire to actually deepen
my studies abroad.”
She put that idea into action right away.
In her second year of university, she took
advantage of Tohoku University’s shortterm overseas training, the Study Abroad
Program (SAP), and studied abroad forabout five weeks at the University ofSydney in Australia. In her third year of
university, she spent 10 days in Cambodia
a s p a r t o f t h e C a b i n e t O ff i c e ’s K i z u n a
Project, and then studied for about a year
at Uppsala University in Sweden throughTohoku University’s exchange programs.

“In Australia, I had a hard timecommunicating in English. After returning
to Japan, I worked hard to further improve
my English skills by attending lectures withinter national students and participating
as a supporter for accepting international
students, and my language skills had
improved by the time I studied abroad in
Sweden.”During her year in Sweden, where she
studied topics such as lifelong lear ningsustainability, Honda gained many thingsin addition to academic achievements.
“I worked on projects with people fromdiverse backgrounds and nationalities.
And I survived in a different culture thatwas completely new to me, building
relationships with people, expanding myactivities, and having fun. Such experiencei s i r re p l a c e a b l e , a n d I f e e l t h a t i t h a s
certainly served me well in various aspectsof my activities at JETRO over the pastseven years or so.”In addition to working at JETRO’s TokyoH e a d O ff i c e , H o n d a h a s b e e n p o s t e dto the Rabat Office in Morocco and the
Ehime Office in Japan, where she has beenpromoting activities that contribute to theeconomic development of both Japaneseregions and overseas locations. Those
include promoting the overseas expansionof Japanese companies and exports oflocal products while interacting directlywith local people as well as supporting theutilization of highly skilled foreign humanresources.
“I entered Tohoku University in 2011, theyear of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
In my involvement in volunteer activities
after the disaster, I was reminded of theimportance of having a livelihood andsustainable economic development. Without
economic development, the lifestyle andculture there will eventually be lost. Thisapplies for the whole world, not just Japan.
In order to also protect and further develop
the unique culture of each region, I would
like to link Japan’s regions with the rest of
the world to invigorate industry and develop
the economy.”

Takako Honda (Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)/ Graduated from Tohoku University’s Faculty of Education)

Global education and research environment

Cross-cultural student dormitory “University House”
The University House (UH) is a cross-cultural student dormitory based on the concept of “developing an international outlook” and“cultivating cooperation and sociability.” It is the largest of its kind in Japan. At UH, Japanese and international students develop
an international outlook and through daily interactions, deepening cross-cultural understanding. In addition, senior
students are assigned as advisors to help new residents (new students) lead a smooth life at UH, and exchange
events and the like are planned and implemented.
University House at Tohoku University ▶ https://sup.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/en/pre-arrival-e/find-a-place-e/uh-e/(Left) JETRO Japan Pavilion in Bangkok, Thailand in 2017 / (Right) JETRO Rabat Office in Morocco during her assignment there

Tohoku University

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57

Creating Startups
That Drive Social Change
Tohoku University strongly supports entrepreneurs who take on the challenge of overcoming difficulties
and delivering value to society, based on their own intellectual curiosity.

Tohoku University

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59

Startup
Entrepreneur01

In 2005, Kitakawa discovered that ion
exchange resins, which are commonlyused as separators in water treatment,
have high catalytic activity in oil. She
achieved the world's first production of
biodiesel fuel (fatty acid esters) using an
ion exchange resin as a solid catalyst,
which attracted much attention. While
working on practical implementation of thistechnology, including the development of amass production system, she encountereda new topic of a highly efficient recovery ofvitamin E from unused oil.
“The rice bran oil production process
generates a large amount of unusedoil. This oil contains useful components
such as tocotrienols, but there is no way
to efficiently and economically recoverthem, so most of it has been discarded.
Tocotrienol, called super vitamin E, has 50
times the antioxidant power of tocopherol(vitamin E). We found that tocotrienol isabsorbed into the resin when the unused
oil is passed through the ion exchange
resin column. Based on this phenomenon,
we developed an efficient recovery methodof tocotrienol with a low amount of
impurities,” says Kitakawa.
This green innovation technology, which
achieves economic and resource recycling,
won the GSC(Green Sustainable Chemistry)
A w a r d . T h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r, K i t a k a w afounded Phytochem Products Inc., a startup company from Tohoku University.
She chose Makiko Kato, a former studento f h e r s a n d a p l a n t e n g i n e e r, a s h e rbusiness partner. She had been involved
in designing equipment for a food factory
at a private company, but after returning
to Miyagi Prefecture, she had no place touse her skills, and her life was focused on
raising her children. Kitakawa recruited
her as a researcher, saying, “It would be
a waste not to use your skills; you know

Toward the Realization of a Circular Economy
That Utilizes Unused Biomass Resources

Phytochem Products Inc. extracts plant-based functional ingredients such as super vitamin E, available as reagents for researchand dietary supplements, from unused oil generated in the rice bran manufacturing process. Its basic technology is the ion
exchange resin method.Phytochem Products is working to create a virtuous cycle of resources and economy as well as a healthy
life for people by integrating operations from research and development to manufacturing and sales.

[Expected Social Effects]● Implementation of recycling by extracting functional ingredients from unused biomass resources● Contribution to a healthy life through super vitamin E products derived from rice bran
● Sharing of technology developed by Tohoku University

with the world to become a key player in Open Innovation

Makiko Kato, Professional Engineer (Chemistry), CEO, Phytochem Products Inc.

Naomi Shibasaki-Kitakawa, Professor, Graduate School of Engineering / CTO, Phytochem Products Inc.

how to convert and scale up the discovery
and technology from the laboratory to theindustrial level.” Kato says, “At that time,
Kitakawa was building larger and larger
equipment in her laboratory. I was happy tocontribute in any way I could.”
The main business of Phytochem
Products' business is the sale of super
vitamin E reagents. Target customers areuniversity laboratories, and laboratories
of food and cosmetic companies. The ion
exchange resin method enables to reduce
production cost at less than one-twentietho f c o n v e n t i o n a l o n e s . O u r p ro d u c t i sderived from non-GMO domestic rice bran,
which is also a breakthrough. Now they
are planning to build a plant with 50 times
the current production capacity to meetthe large volume of orders for food andcosmetic raw materials.
Another product for the general public

Existing industry: Rice bran oil manufacturing

Rice bran

Rice salad oil

Unused oil

Super vitamin E from rice
(food & cosmetics)

Vitamin E derived from rice bran
Ion exchange resin method(food & cosmetics)

Paraffin from rice bran(cosmetics)

Jun. 2018
Nov. 2020
Jan. 2021
Jun. 2021
Dec. 2022
Jan. 2023
Around 2025

is “Okome no kimochi,”a super vitamin E
supplement derived from rice bran. Super
vitamin E is reported to improved skincondition and hair elasticity.
In addition, this technology can be applied
to any waste oil from sources other thanrice bran, according to Kitakawa. “Japan
imports 2.5 million tons of edible oilannually, but only about 400,000 tonsof used waste oil is recovered, of which
120,000 tons is exported and converted
into jet fuel, which is then reimported. We
want to break this cycle of contradiction
and waste. We would like to propose theuse our technology to create a resource
recycling system; we can fully utilize thefunctional components in domestic waste
oil and the remaining oil is also available
for power generation and fuel. In the
future, we plan to expand the technology
to the palm industry overseas as anenvironmental measure to increase theamount of resources without expanding
agricultural land by recycling waste oil.”
Kitakawa’s goal is to complete the processfrom research to mass production within
the university and make it widely available
to companies. “If we can share ourtechnology with the world, it will bring great
benefits to the university and stimulate
future research.”

Fatty acid ester

Established Phytochem Products Inc.
Selected for J-startup TOHOKU
Started sales of reagents from FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation
Launched “Okome no kimochi,” a super vitamin E supplement
CAS was registered for plant-based paraffin and started sales in Japan and overseasAwarded the Excellence Prize at the Ninth Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award
A mass production plant to be commissioned

Tohoku University(fuel for power generation)

Phytochem Products Inc.

Phytosterol derived from rice bran(food & cosmetics)
https://phytochem-products.co.jp/en/

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Startup
Entrepreneur

02

Creation of a new Spine Health-Tech Market

The acquisition of time-series data, which
could previously only be measured at agiven instant in time by X-ray equipmenta t h o s p i t a l s , i s g ro u n d b re a k i n g . T h e
inspiration for Takahashi’s research camef ro m t h e u s u a l s c e n e o f s c i e n c e a n dtechnology courses. “I was concer ned
about the very poor posture of children
using computers and smartphones.
W ith the recent increase in the use of
information devices for remote work andthe like, an increasing number of people
are suffering from military neck. So, we
wanted to link the results of our research
to larger social activities.”
His direct impetus for starting a company
was winning first place in the Campus
Venture Grand Prix in February 2020.
He learned from the orthopedic surgery
at Tohoku University Hospital that thecausal relationship between postureand physical condition had not yet beenverified. Takahashi then filed a patentapplication for innovative technology injoint research with the School of Medicine,and upgraded the device with researchfunding from MEXT's Center of Innovation
Science and Technology based Radical
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program(COI STREAM). Currently, he is verifying
the medical evidence and developing a
prototype as an R&D version of the Spine
Meter package, which he is distributing tosome academic and private organizations
for a fee. Takahashi plans further research
and fundraising during FY2023 to develop
a product for the general public.
“The health market exists because
everyone wants to be healthy and improvetheir quality of life. We want to develop aspine health market. By popularizing spine
health-oriented products, we hope to ride
the next big wave that will come in healthtech after metabolic syndrome solutions
and brain training,” he says.
Takahashi also has another dream – toelicit children's intellectual curiosity andscientific thinking, and nurture their ability
for manufacturing. Through his personal
experience, he believes that the future ofscience and technology lies in presenting
the concepts generated from oursurroundings at contests, and pursuing thepotential for application and development
in research fields and industry.

Yusei Takahashi, President, weCAN. inc.

The main feature is a small device called the “Spine Meter,” which allows the shape of the spine to become “visible.”This comes with an IoT app that encourages the wearer to maintain good posture when using it.
From an idea conceived as a student, this is opening up a new category in the health market by utilizing sensing technology.

[Expected Social Effects]● Resolution of the “military neck problem” through daily posture monitoring● Contribution to the maintenance and improvement of spine health based on medical evidence● Utilization of sensing technology to visualize and improve various disease risks

Be driven by curiosity, and enjoy theprocess that leads to the results. Yusei
Takahashi joined “natural science,” an NPO
that operates based on this philosophy, in
his first year at Tohoku University’s Schoolof Engineering, where he was involvedin science and technology courses forelementary, junior high, and high school
students. He also conducted activities togive shape to his own ideas.
Takahashi was a member of the teamthat won the Japan preliminary of the 6thInternational Contest of Applications in
Nano-Micro Technologies (iCAN‘15), a
competition in which students compete
in monozukuri (manufacturing) basedon sensing technology, with Anywhere
SADO, a tea ceremony utensil that enables
optimal preparation. Furthermore, as asenior undergraduate student in 2017,he successfully won the iCAN’17 contest
with his military neck problem solving
application, Self Neck Corrector. In October
2020, Takahashi developed this technology
through industry-academia cooperation
with the School of Engineering and Schoolof Medicine, and established weCAN inc.,a startup that creates new business, with
the Spine Meter as its core technology.
“Military neck is a posture in which theneck extends forward, and is believed
to potentially cause a variety of physicalailments,” says Takahashi. “The device
measures viewing distance and head tilt
angle, and estimates each angle of thespine, thereby monitoring seated postureand encouraging the user to maintain goodform. The greatest technical feature is thealgorithm that estimates the shape of thespine in real time.”

Tohoku University[Supervised by Tohoku University School of Medicine]

Spine Meter, a glasses attachment that measures the shape of the spine

weCAN. inc.

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Oct. 2020

Launched weCAN. inc.

Jun. 2021

Developed Spine Meter prototype

Late 2023

Development of software version

Within 2024

Start of sales of the Spine Meter application for companies

2024 onwards

Research and development of a second product to create a spine health market

63Startup
Entrepreneur

03

Social Implementationof Reference-Based AI Technology.
A Role Model for Student Entrepreneurship

Adansons is a startup utilizing a unique “reference-based AI” that removes and detects specific signals and conducts analysis
in real time. The company handles complex data such as vibration and sound, magnetic fields, tactile sensation, smell, and vitaldata, and provides data analysis services in the medical, manufacturing sites, and automotive fields.

[Expected Social Effects]● Contribution to productivity by identifying human and mechanical issues in factories● Monitoring and improvement of car’s autonomous driving AI● Improvement of medical imaging and hygiene data analysis

Haruki Ishii, CEO, Adansons Inc. / 2nd-year master’s student, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University

Haruki Ishii chose the School ofEngineering at Tohoku University in ordert o b e c o m e a re s e a rc h e r i n m a t e r i a l s
engineering. He learned that the resultso f e x c e l l e n t re s e a rc h t e c h n i q u e s c a nremain buried without sufficient funding
and the right business channels. “If theresults are not utilized in society, there
is no motivation to research. W ith thisin mind, I became interested in practicalimplementations of research results
and the securing of research funding byentrepreneurs. Research seeds alone do
not form a business. They are merely thecore of product value, one of the multiple
components that make up a business.
I felt strongly that we should delve into
technology while emphasizing verificationof business hypotheses and products,”
says Ishii.
In his third year of as an undergraduate,
he launched TUP Inc. to speedilycommercialize university intellectualp r o p e r t y. I s h i i p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e
Biodesign Program at Tohoku University
Hospital, which fosters talent capableof leading technological innovation in
medical devices. Here, he came in touchwith reference-based AI, a technology
developed by Yoshitaka Kimura, Professor
Emeritus of the Graduate School of
Medicine, and launched the startup
Adansons in the belief that it could
help communities. Reference-based
AI is a new machine learning algorithm
that can learn by incorporating humanintent and correlated data. It is used in
mission-critical areas such as medicine

Enrolled in the School ofEngineering, Tohoku University
Jun. 2019 Launched Adansons Inc.
Apr. 2022
Released AI development
platform for sensor data usingreference-based AI
Apr. 2023
Released performance monitoringand debugging software forautonomous driving AI
Around 2027 Aiming to be the world's mosttrusted AI-human interface

and manufacturing because it is noiseresistant, error-resistant, and interpretable.
For example, Reference-based AI canmeasure in real time the heartbeat of a
fetus in isolation from among the various
noises obtained by applying ultrasoundwaves to the mother's abdomen. Yushi
Nakaya, an AI researcher in the School ofEngineering, has been appointed as CTO,
and Professor Kimura has been designatedas director and technical advisor.
While everyone recognizes the added
value of AI technology in the context ofsolving factory manpower shortages andimproving efficiency, the current situationis that the process by which it makes
decisions suffers from the “black box
problem,” leading to anxiety on the part of
the users. In addition, processing image
and audio data for training AI requires a lotof human work, which is extremely costly.
Reference-based AI has greatly reduced
the time and effort required for this.
Adansons has developed a technology
to detect human and mechanicalfailures by applying reference-based AI
to analyze human biometric data andmachine sound/vibration data. The realtime and high-quality data analysis
technology has attracted attention,and the company is already providing
licenses and implementation support invarious industries, such as monitoring thehealth of factory workers and detecting
abnormalities in operating machinery.
“Our current focus is on the automotive
field, where we are monitoring andimproving the performance of AI in

Adansons Inc.

https://adansons.co.jp/en/index.html

autonomous driving. In other words, our AI
evaluates and improves AI performance.
O t h e r c o m p a n i e s a re m a k i n g s i m i l a r
initiatives, but our strength is real-time
analysis and correction. This will prevent
accidents caused by AI recognition errors
and contribute to the realization of socalled Level 4 autonomous driving, with theaim of reducing fatal accidents. In addition
to autonomous driving, similar demand
e xi st s i n me d i c a l d i a g n o s t i c i ma g i n g ,analysis of hygiene data, etc. We would
like to contribute to creating business
impact, such as though AI applications
functioning appropriately to save lives,”
says Ishii.
“In starting the business, we received
various kinds of support in the form ofknow-how from the university. The sharedo ff i c e f o r s t a r t u p s o n t h e A o b a y a m acampus is a valuable place for informationexchange and acquiring the right mindset.
In the future, we would like to build aninterface between humans and AI. We
hope to be a role model for students tocommercialize the advanced technologies
of professors, and for startups to takeadvantage of the university's resources.”

Apr. 2016

Reference-based AI
A new machine learning algorithm that enables the world's first concept of a “reference-based AI,” which can
incorporate human intent and correlated data in learning● AI with significant reduction in preprocessing costs, training time of about 1/10th of conventional tools● High-precision feature extraction from real data, especially noisy time-series data, and real-time analysis● International patent pending

Application examples

Performance monitoring and debugging software forautonomous driving AI from Adansons

Fetal health diagnosis

Tohoku University

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Prediction of disease progression
from eye-fundus images

Electricity demand forecasting

Employee near-miss detection
and prediction

65Summary of Financial Report
In this section we illustrate Tohoku University’s financial report. The financial statements for a national
university corporation in Japan are different than the financial statements and framework used for aregular, for-profit company. To facilitate the understanding of our stakeholders, we have provisionallycalculated, and made available, financial statements conforming to corporate accounting, in addition tofinancial statements that comply with accounting standards for national university corporations.

Tohoku University

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FY2022 Balance SheetFY2022 Income Statement (P&L)

Illustrating the Financial Position of Tohoku University

Increase in the size of the business resulting from progressin diversification of funding sources

Balance sheet
Item(Unit: Millions of yen)

FY2022

FY2021

Change from

As of March 31, 2023

As of March 31, 2022

previous year

Land
Buildings

335,529
122,125
136,286

338,787
122,125
142,604(3,258)026,291

27,024(733)

Books/Work of art

26,79927,273(474)

Investment securities

12,03812,384(346)

associates
Reserved assets(Reserved assets
for depreciation(Reserved assets for

FY2021

Change from

As of March 31, 2022

previous year

(Non-current liabilities)

104,397(47,613)

054,101(54,101) *3

Long-term deferred grants

14,21015,764(1,554)Long-term borrowings

22,20923,654(1,445)

Deferred inflow of assets

6,544

4,697

1,847

700

0

700

450

0

450)

University bonds

10,0000

Other10,364

10,877(513)

55,57953,993

1,586(Current liabilities)
Deferred inflow of grants for

0

3,381 *4

Deferred inflow of donations

17,781

17,062719 *4

Accounts payable

18,062

20,816

Other250) *1

10,000 *1

3,381

operations

Total (Liabilities)(2,754)

16,354

16,113

241

112,363

158,390(46,027)

192,192

192,192

0

250

0

4,743

2,677

2,066

71,82362,813

9,010

Capital surplus

12,178

13,963(1,785)

Cash and deposits

56,96147,745

9,216 *1

(Capital surplus

143,507

139,556

3,950)

Accounts receivable

13,412

13,936(524)(Accumulated depreciation
expenses included in capital(128,537)(122,680)(5,856)) *5

redemption of university bonds

Item(Unit: Millions of yen)

FY2022

FY2021

From April 1, 2022,
to March 31, 2023

From April 1, 2021,
to March 31, 2022

Change fromprevious year

Item

FY2022

FY2021

From April 1, 2022,
to March 31, 2023

From April 1, 2021, to
March 31, 2022

Change fromprevious year

Ordinary revenue

Ordinary expenses
56,784(6,318)

Machinery and equipment

Shares of subsidiaries and

FY2022As of March 31, 2023

Liabilities

Assets(Non-current assets)

Item

Income Statement

Education

7,350

6,105

1,245

Grants for operations

45,31344,684629

Research

20,477

23,114(2,637)

Student fees

10,695

10,65936

Medical service

31,61328,4083,205

44,78943,612

1,177

3,014

2,456

558

Support for education
and research
Sponsored research

19,936

19,92412

Personnel expenses

60,40060,534(134)

General administration

4,296

3,987

309

713

805

(92)

147,803145,336

2,467

Finance costs
Ordinary expenses total
Extraordinary loss

1,630

1,116

514

Gross profit

57,4159,866

47,549

Revenue from University
HospitalSponsored research

26,11925,298

Donations

5,527

2,635

2,892

Other grants

12,255

14,151(1,896)0

6,559(6,559) *3

6,489

5,642

847

Ordinary revenue total

151,189

153,243

Extraordinary profit

54,1662,499

51,667 *3

Reversal of reserve
for specific purposes

1,493

575

918

Decreases in deferred inflow
of assets
Other

821 *2(2,054)

Net assets
Other(Current assets)

Securities(Redeemable within one year)
Other

524
925

171
960

Capital353

surplus(35)(Accumulated profit andloss from securities included

Total (Assets)

407,352

401,601

5,751

Change in ordinary expenses

FY2004FY2022(date of incorporation)
Finance costs 0% Education 5%
Finance costs 1%
Education 3%(2,791)(2,912)120) *5in capital surplus)

General administration 3%

General administration 5%

Earned surplus

90,59837,05453,544(Gross profit

57,4159,866

47,549)

19

0

19

Other

[Change in Size of Business]

Total (Net assets)

294,988

243,210

51,778

Total (Liabilities, Net assets)

407,352

401,601

5,751

Research
14%

Research
16%
Personnel
expenses51%

Ordinary
expenses(JPY 101 billion)

Medicalservice15%

Personnel
expenses
41%

Approximately 1.5 times

Ordinary
expenses

Medicalservice(JPY 147.8 billion)

21%
Support for education and research 2%
Sponsored research 7%

Sponsored research 14%

Support for education
and research 2%*Amounts are rounded down to the nearest million, so the total amounts may not necessarily match. (The same applies hereinafter throughout the summary of financial report.)

The balance sheet presents information about Tohoku University's
financial position on the reporting date (March 31) by presenting
assets, liabilities, and net assets.
The key issue for the balance sheet in FY2022 was that in February
2023, Tohoku University raised funds by issuing its first university bond(named “Tohoku University Future-Creation Bond”) in the form of a 10
billion yen Sustainability Bond with a maturity of 40 years. To provide
against the future redemption of university bonds, we have recorded
a new “Reserved assets for redemption of university bonds” item, andwill systematically put aside funds for redemption. (*1)
The income statement presents information about the University's
financial performance during the reporting period by stating all of its
revenues and expenses.
The key issue for the income statement in FY2022 was that revenue
from sponsored research, etc., increased due to new initiatives forindustry cooperation, such as the establishing of co-creation research
centers and the receipt of academic contribution fees, which resulted

Tohoku University

in a significant expansion of joint research with the private sector. (*2)
In addition, revisions to the accounting standards for national
university corporations led to the revoking of “Deferred inflow ofassets,” which is an accounting treatment peculiar to national university
corporations that was intended to equalize the impact of non-current
assets on profits and losses. Accordingly, the entire balance for that
item of 54.1 billion yen was recorded in extraordinary profit, which led
to a substantial increase in extraordinary profit for FY2022. (*3)
National university corporations are public institutions that conduct
education and research activities funded in part by the taxes paid bycitizens, and unlike commercial companies, they do not aim to raise
profit. For this reason, unique accounting treatments are appliedthat are different than those for general corporate accounting. These
include temporarily recording part of revenue as liabilities before
recognizing it as revenue (*4) in accordance with the prescribed rules,and deducting part of depreciation directly from net assets without
recording it as an expense, etc. (*5)

68

Change in ordinary revenue

FY2004FY2022(date of incorporation)
Decreases in deferred inflow of assets 6%
Donations 3%

Other grants 8%

Donations 4%Sponsored
research 8%

Revenue from
University Hospital 21%

Other 4%

Other 2%Grants for
operations

Ordinary
revenue

Grants for
operations(JPY 103.1 billion)
50%

Approximately 1.5 times

Sponsored
research
17%

Ordinary
revenue30%(JPY 151.1 billion)

Revenue from
University Hospital 30%

Student fees 7%

Student fees 10%

As a result of actively promoting the diversification of our funding sources, external funding such as sponsored research,and revenue from the University Hospital have increased significantly since incorporation in 2004, and there has been a growth in the size of business of approximately 1.5 times as a whole.

Integrated Report 2023

69

Financial statements conforming to corporate accounting

Using Provisional Calculations to Visualize Tohoku University's Summaryof Financial Report
In this section we review and discuss the issues facing Tohoku University, using provisional calculations of financial statements
conforming to corporate accounting.

Balance sheet before restatement

Balance sheet after restatement

Balance sheet (FY2022)

Provisionally calculated financial statements conforming to corporate accounting (FY2022)(Unit: Millions of yen)

Assets(Non-current assets)[Supplementary Information on Provisional Calculation of Financial Statements Conforming to Corporate Accounting]● Expenses not recognized in profits or losses (such as depreciation expenses included in capital surplus) were recorded as expenses in the fiscal year under review.
● Expenses not provided for (such as provision for retirement benefits not provided for) were recorded as expenses in the fiscal year under review.
● Grants for operations and donations, etc., are not used as a balancing item to expenses executed, in order to equalize profits and losses, and as a rule,

the amount of grants or the amount received for the current period is recorded as revenue.
● The reversal of reserve for specific purposes recorded as a balancing item for expenses executed in relation to the reserve for specific purposes to equalize profits and losses is reversed.
● The extraordinary profit that was recorded as a result of the abolition of deferred inflow of assets has been reversed.

P&L before restatement

P&L after restatement

Income Statement (FY2022)

Provisionally calculated income statement conforming to corporate accounting (FY2022)(Unit: Millions of yen)
Item

Whole University(Unit: Millions of yen)

335,529

EducationLand

122,125

Buildings

136,286

and researchbusiness

Machinery and equipment

26,291

AssetsBooks/Work of art

26,799(Non-current assets)

Other

24,026Externally fundedbusiness

Education

7,350

Research

20,477

Medical service

31,613

264,272

34,145

37,111

Land

122,125

114,629-

7,496

Support for education and

71,823

Buildings

136,286

100,749

12,98522,551

research

Cash and deposits

56,961

Machinery and equipment

26,291

11,529

7,835

6,925

Accounts receivable

13,412

Books/Work of art

26,79926,243

543

11

Other

1,449

Other

24,026

11,12012,780126

Total (Assets)

407,352

Liabilities(Non-current liabilities)

56,784Long-term deferred grants

14,210Long-term borrowings

22,209(Current assets)

71,82340,793

14,23016,798Cash and deposits

56,961

39,124

10,0107,826

Accounts receivable

13,412

1,202

3,623

8,586

Other

1,449

467

596

385

Total (Assets)

407,352

305,066

48,37553,91071,61740,925

1,187

29,503Long-term borrowings

22,209--22,2093,381

Provisions

30,00423,785-

6,218

Deferred inflow of donations

17,781

Other

19,402

17,139

1,187

1,075

Deferred inflow of sponsoredresearch

5,230

37,571

17,088

11,253

9,230

Long-term borrowings

3,406

Accounts payable

18,062

Provisions
Other

Provisions
Other(Current liabilities)
Deferred inflow of grants for
operations

Total (Liabilities)

956
19,40855,579(Current liabilities)
Deferred inflow of grants for
operations

3,326

3,326

-

-

1,034

Advances received for sponsoredresearch

5,150

-

5,150

-

6,682

Current portion of long-term

3,406

-

-

3,406

112,363

Sponsored research

60,400General administration

4,296

Finance costs

2

Ordinary expenses total

147,803borrowings

Ordinary revenue

31,737-2,253

29,484

Support for education andresearch

3,479

3,371

108

-

(8,618)

2,369

(782)

Other grants

12,255Grants for facilities

1,427

Financial revenue

39

118,136-

16,125(79,775)

35,934

15,530(4,048)(7,808)

4,924(1,164))

19

19

-

-

70

Medical service(7,032)(28,310)

Tohoku University

268

Business profit or loss

134,262

using national university corporation accounting, the provisional
calculations conforming to corporate accounting resulted in a 4.0
billion yen gross loss (a decline of 61.4 billion yen when compared to
the figures before restatement). This was due mainly to extraordinary
profit of 54.1 billion yen (refer to pp.68-69) arising from the revoked“Deferred inflow of assets,” which was included in gross profit
before restatement. An additional factor was that 5.7 billion yen in
depreciation for buildings was not recognized in profits or losses undernational university corporation accounting, but was recognized as an
expense on the P&L after restatement in accordance with corporate
accounting.

23

7,603

5,527

Earned surplus

The accounting system used by national university corporations ischaracterized by accounting treatments peculiar to such organizations
and different than corporate accounting, which has led to stakeholders
expressing the view that the financial statements are difficult tounderstand. In response to this, the University began to provisionallycalculate financial statements conforming to corporate accounting
to enable the substance of its summary of financial report to beunderstood more easily. We began provisionally calculating financial
statements in FY2019 and have implemented improvements every year.
This fiscal year marks the fourth time we have undertaken this initiative.
In FY2022, despite recording 57.4 billion yen in gross profit when

3,394

16,436

Donations

Capital surplus

407,352

4,835

24,30949,864(16,479)

Total (Liabilities, Net assets)

8,253

Research

40,617-53,910

Education

62,387

208,672

15,17549,081

152,869

192,192

48,37542,986

Total expenses

Capital35,93453,76926,119Ordinary revenue total

305,066-

145,837

44,78938,734

247,052

10,771

Sponsored research

12,441

407,352-

Revenue from University Hospital

58,013

298,163

10,771

289

109,188

Total (Liabilities, Net assets)-

Other grants

1,393

Miscellaneous profit

Total (Net assets)

-

6,095

3,082

340

19

26,119

-

4,765

712

294,988-

6,095

General administration

3,375

Other

26,119Donations

10,695

4,429

Total (Net assets)

Sponsored researchStudent fees

Other

Other

44,789-12,178(Gross profit/loss-

19,798

Capital surplus

90,598

-

5,926

885

Earned surplus

44,78919,936

4,597(2,791))-

Revenue from University Hospital

Total revenue

4,292

-

-

(Accumulated profit and loss fromsecurities included in capital surplus-

34,661

5,389

Net assets-

10,69560,386

2,310(128,537))

43,073

10,695

19,936

8,074

Total (Liabilities)

47,365Student fees

Personnel expenses

3,196

143,507)

Grants for operations

Sponsored research

18,062(Capital surplus

Hospital andmedical service
business

45,313

Provisions(Accumulated depreciation
expenses included in capital surplus

Externally fundedbusinessand researchbusiness

Grants for operations

Accounts payable

57,415)711

Miscellaneous losses

192,192(Gross profit

19,936

Personnel expenses

Capital

Net assets

3,014

Liabilities(Non-current liabilities)

Whole University
Education

Hospital andmedical service
business

335,529(Current assets)(Unit: Millions of yen)
Item

Ordinary expenses

5,022

Financial revenue

506

357

149

-

Miscellaneous profit

5,022

2,356

2,423

242

914

292

6

615

2

2

-

-

(2,419)(6,200)4,935(1,155)

Finance costs
Miscellaneous losses

151,189

Extraordinary loss

1,630

Extraordinary profit

54,166Extraordinary profit

64

43

-

20

Reversal of reserve for specificpurposes

1,493

Extraordinary loss

1,693

1,652

10

30

Gross profit

57,415Gross profit/loss(4,048)(7,808)

4,924(1,164)

Ordinary profit or loss

Through provisional calculations made in conformance with corporate
accounting, the size of the impact of depreciation for facilities, etc., on
the management of the University becomes clearly visible. Depreciation
reduces the value of assets such as facilities every year, and grants
for facilities provided by the state, which are the source of fundingfor upgrades, continue to be insufficient. Installing and upgrading
facilities while actively diversifying funding sources to avoid being solely
dependent on government funding is one of the issues faced by the
University going forward.
Looking at gross profit by business, the education and researchbusiness recorded high depreciation for buildings, and because sourcesof funding from the state in the form of grants for operations and grants

Integrated Report 2023

for facilities were insufficient to cover this, a gross loss of 7.8 billion yen
was posted. On the other hand, the externally funded business, whichis the result of the University's autonomous activities, posted a profit of
4.9 billion yen due to active efforts made to acquire external funding.
By showing how insufficient funding for the education and researchbusiness is supplemented by the externally funded business, it makes
the reality of the university management easier to understand.
Through a process of trial and error, we will continue to provisionallycalculate financial statements conforming to corporate accounting,aiming to actively disclose information that makes our summary offinancial reports easier to grasp, and hoping to gain the continued
understanding and support of all our stakeholders.

71Tohoku University's revenue structure

Receipts of research funding from the private sector increased due tofurther progress in joint research
External funds acquired from the private sector exceeded 10 billion yen.

3. Research funding from the private sector

1. Total income(Millions of yen)

The income of Tohoku University can bedivided into income from the state, selfgenerated income, and income derived fromindustry cooperation. It consists of a diverse
range of income sources, including grants
for operations, subsidy income, income
from student fees, revenue from University
Hospital, income from sponsored researchand joint research, and donations.
Total income in FY2022 was 181.7 billion yen,with the combination of self-generated income
a n d i n c o m e f ro m i n d u s t r y c o o p e r a t i o n ,which represent the University's autonomous
activities, reaching 98.6 billion yen, or 54.3%of the total income.

External funding acquired from the private sector has increased every
year, exceeding 10 billion yen in FY2022. The rate of year-on-year
growth was 17%, which exceeded the average for the seven major
national universities. The expansion in joint research was particularly
noticeable, and was driven by new initiatives for industry cooperation,such as the establishing of co-creation research centers and thereceipt of academic contribution fees.

(Millions of yen)Funds procured
from university
bond 10,000
Grants-in-Aid for
Scientific Research
11,619Donations 3,771
Commissioned
projects 2,284

Joint research
8,154

Incomefromindustry-academia
cooperation
41,799Sponsored
research
15,971

Other
9,128

Grants for
operations
48,695

Other
19,128FY2022
Total

Incomefromthe state
63,979

5,542

Self-generated income
56,862

Miscellaneous
income 2,638

6,096

Grants for facility
improvement
expenses, etc.
4,403

Student fees
9,408

(Average for seven universities)

7,543

6,275

FY2019
970
4,796
509
6,275

FY2020
1,298
5,739
506
7,543

FY2021
1,087
6,812
690
8,589

FY2022
1,445
7,903
728
10,076

-

110%

103%

120%

114%

117%

-

106%

113%

106%

106%

113%

10,076

8,589

120%

113%

110%

12,000
Other grants
10,881(Tohoku University)Year-on-year growth rate

FY2018
1,065
4,520
511
6,096

Trend in acquisition of external funding from private sector(Millions of yen)

JPY 181,768
millionSponsored research
Joint researchCommissioned projects
Total
Year-on-year growth rate

FY2017
1,087
4,037
418
5,542

117%

114%

113%

120.0%

106%
10,000

106%

728

106%

103%

690

8,000

100.0%

80.0%

506
6,000
418

Revenue from University Hospital
44,816

511

509

4,520

4,796

60.0%
7,903

4,000

5,739
4,037

6,812

40.0%

20.0%

2,000

0

2. Amount of External Funding and Grants for Operations Received

1,087

1,065

970

1,298

FY2017FY2018FY2019FY2020

1,087

1,445

FY2021

FY20220.0%*Aggregate figure for amounts received from private sector in the areas of sponsored research, joint research, and commissioned projects*Seven major national universities: Hokkaido University, Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, Nagoya University, Kyoto University, Osaka University, Kyushu University

Total external funding acquired in FY2022
came to 52.6 billion yen. This was around
15% higher than grants for operations
received of 46.0 billion yen. In addition,
looking at the breakdown of sources offunding, although there were declines inother grants compared to the previous year,
which consists mostly of research funding
from the state, etc., and sponsored research,
there was a significant increase in joint
research, which mainly comprises research(Millions of yen)
60,00042,474

43,12440,59258,506Sponsored research

52,683

Joint researchCommissioned projects

Total

Year-on-year (Tohoku University)Year-on-year (average for seven major national universities)

16,33350,00046,08344,79846,04244,80945,8997,357

10,702

1,345
20,000

4,273

Credit ratings from rating agencies
The University obtains credit ratings throughobjective assessments by external rating
agencies with the aim of increasing its
creditworthiness and the transparency ofmanagement, and of diversifying methods forraising funds.

9,199
7,674

30,00046,035

10,881

15,78440,000funding from the private sector.
*These figures are the amounts received in the fiscal year
under review as stated in the supplementary schedules to thefinancial statements.
Grants for operations does not include amounts related torecovery and restoration projects (2.1 billion yen in FY2021,
2.66 billion yen in FY2022).

51,98910,822
10,544

4,719

11,619

2,414

2,284

10,518
1,287

1,297

11,752

1,326

6,998

Rating agency

Ratings

Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I)

AA+

Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. (JCR)

AAA

Rating acquisition dateNovember 4, 2022
(First update)[Key Credit Rating Issues]

8,154● As a designated national university corporation, our role is to drive tertiary education and research in Japan. In rankings of highly cited research papers, the University occupies a

6,001

favorable position among universities, and has extraordinary capabilities in education and research.

5,003● Based on the principles of “Research First,” “Open Doors,” and “Practice-oriented Research and Education,” we have achieved a virtuous cycle of education, research, andcommunity collaboration.
● We have a strong international presence centered on the fields of materials science, spintronics, next-generation medicine, and disaster science.

Other grants
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

10,00015,371

14,004

12,725

14,643

17,207

15,971● We have become one of the leading players in Japan in terms of acquiring external funding. We have built close relationships with industry, and in 2021 we established the co-creation research center system.

Commissioned projects● We are working on strategic allocation of resources by securing a President's Budget, which is the largest-scale budget possible for a national university corporation.

Joint research● In addition to contributing to community health care, the University Hospital plays an important role as an organization for the training of physicians. Our strengths of cutting-edge

Sponsored researchDonations
Grants for operations

Tohoku University

3,422

3,359

3,343

3,450

3,799

3,771

FY2017FY2018FY2019FY2020

FY2021

FY2022

facilities and highly ranked medical services have enabled us to achieve stable income and expenditures.

072

Integrated Report 2023

73

Various financial data topics

Substantial Investments in Education and Research Activities
We invest approximately 2.5 times the fee received per student

3. Amount Recorded for Buildings

1. Educational Expenses per Student (in a Broad Sense)
This is an indicator that shows the amountof investment in educational activities perstudent. The higher the value, the greater
the investment in educational activities perstudent. Tohoku University invests more than
20 billion yen annually in education-related
expenses. In FY2022, this represents aninvestment of 1.36 million yen per student,
which is approximately 2.5 times the student
fees (535,800 yen per year).
[Educational Expenses per Student (in a Broad Sense)](Expenses for education + commissioned project expenses+ expenses related to supporting for education andresearch & general administration + personnel expenses +depreciation not recognized in profits or losses) ÷ numberof students
It represents educational costs incurred per student. These are

Educational expenses in a broad sense (millions of yen)

25,00020,782

21,598

Educational expenses per student in a broad sense (millions of yen/person)

22,08921,191

21,38423,8581.36

20,000

1.21

1.19

1.16
6,068
5,525

15,000

1.24

167
1,156

183
1,450

5,429

1,647

7,350

166
1,324

6,106

1,877

1.00

10,0000.60
12,713

13,19013,08013,110100,000

106,907

90,0110.40

60,00040,00020,0000

Educational expenses per student in a broad sense

1,493

1,184

1,187

1,192

1,249

1,152

FY2017FY2018FY2019FY2020

FY2021

FY2022

0.00

Research expenses in a broad sense (millions of yen)
100,000

91,831

86,63080,85731.27

89,06485,295

29.36
28.06

30.00

27.08
24,83923,114

22,336
19,49860,000

35.00

30.69
29.34

80,0005,112

16,365

14,596

5,203

5,321

FY2013

FY2022

18,70920,47815,453

18,69018,888

4,516

4,846

28,69628,394(thousands of people)

Number of patients

60,000

1,121

25.00

1,060

1,077

1,089

1,042

1,200
1,068
1,100

997
44,81620.00

42,171
38,4431,000
900

34,877

5,145

15.00

27,18010.00

800

30,71030,00028,636FY2020

it is able to secure large numbers of outstanding talent and installcutting-edge medical facilities has become an urgent matter, and weare taking various steps to reduce expenses while making efforts toincrease revenue.

40,00028,419FY2017

Trend in hospital revenue / number of patients(Millions of yen)
Revenue

40,00029,344FY2010The University Hospital is a place for developing and practicing
cutting-edge medicine, whose mission is to apply this knowledge so
as to generate returns for the general public. To enable the fulfillmentof this mission, strengthening the Hospital's financial base so that

50,00016,770FY2007

4. University Hospital

Research expenses per faculty member (in a broad sense) (millions of yen/person)
81,8780
FY2004

2. Research Expenses per Faculty Member (in a Broad Sense)

Tohoku University

120,000

0.20

Personnel expenses

ResearchSponsored research expenses & joint research expenses& commissioned project expenses
Support for education and research & general administration
Personnel expenses
Direct scientific research expenses
Depreciation not recognized in profits or losses
Research expenses per faculty member (in a broad sense)

136,286
129,156

5,000

Support for education and research & general administration[Research Expenses per Faculty Member (in a Broad Sense)](Expenses for research + sponsored researchexpenses & joint research expenses & commissioned
project expenses + expenses related to supportingfor education and research & general administration
expenses + personnel expenses + direct scientificresearch expenses + depreciation not recognized in
profits or losses) ÷ full-time faculty members
It represents research costs incurred per faculty member. These
are calculated through the pro-rated addition of personnel
expenses for faculty/staff, administration and operational costs,
and other costs to the "Research" item of the income statement.

151,169

80,00012,497

Commissioned projects

This is an indicator that shows the investment
in research activities per faculty member. The
higher the value, the greater the investment
for research activities per faculty member. On
a per-faculty member basis, Tohoku University
invests an average of around 30 million yen peryear in research activities.

160,000
140,000

costs to the "Education" item of the income statement.

Depreciation not recognized in profits or losses

180,000

101,930

12,441

Increasing amount recorded for buildings as a resultof the new extension of the Aobayama campus relocation project
and the new extension of Advanced Medical Care Center at the University Hospital

165,590

369
243
1,289

Increasing amount recorded for buildings as a resultof recovery-related budgeting
to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake(Millions of yen)

0.80

calculated through the pro-rated addition of personnel expenses
for faculty/staff, administration and operational costs, and other

Education

1.40

1.20

5,855
210

1.21

1.60

yen → 165.5 billion yen), but in recent years, new facility improvement
projects have been on a downward trend, which has resulted indepreciation exceeding the amount spent on acquiring new assets,
and turn to a reduction in the amount recorded for buildings.

After the incorporation of national universities in 2004, the value of
assets such as buildings rose steadily, due to factors that include
earthquake recovery-related budgeting, and the campus relocation
project. This peaked in FY2017 at approximately 1.8 times (90 billion

26,368700

21,701
20,000600

20,000
500

5.00

8,299

8,221

7,467

6,086

5,650

5,065

4,823

4,511

FY2017FY2018FY2019FY2020

FY2021

FY2022

0

8,177

8,418

9,197

10,000
400

9,093

0.00

74

0

300
FY2004Integrated Report 2023

FY2007FY2010FY2013

FY2016FY2019FY202275

TOPIC

Forging the Path to a Better Future, Hand in Hand with Society

Taking Challenges Together: Support for Startups
Through the excellence and diversity of our research, we create research findings
and future-changing social value that contribute to solving global issues and achieving a resilient society.

Working hand in hand with society is essential to the University's identity.
We are committed to advancing various activities with everyone’s support.
The fund is a reflection of the great hopes and support of the University.
By working hand in hand with everyone, Tohoku University will continue forging the path to a more prosperous future.

Startup Incubation Support

FY2022
Donations to the Tohoku University Fund

Amount donated (cumulative)(Millions of yen)

(Donors)

Tohoku University Fund Donations Track Record

8,000

There is a growing need to create startups and creating startups thatdrive social change. Toward that end, Tohoku University establishedthe “Startup Incubation Support Fund.” Donations received by thisfund will be utilized for the GAP fund that supports entrepreneurshipdevelopment and business feasibility studies. With everyone’s support,
we will reinforce the innovation cycle of new business creation andregional revitalization.

Number of donors (cumulative)

44,000Total JPY 6,877,056,701 / 40,577 donors

40,0007,000

36,000Total amount donated: JPY 876,074,051
Number of donors: 10,628

6,000(Breakdown) Individuals: 10,406, Corporations and organizations: 222

4,000

32,00028,0005,000

24,00020,0003,000

16,0002,000

12,000
8,000

1,000

21

20
22

20

19

20
20

20

17

18

20

20

5

16
20

14

20
1

13

20

20

11

20
12

8

10

20

20

20

09

0
20
0

https://www.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/kikin/english/

Working Hand in Hand Together: International Support

4,000

0

In terms of international support, we provide support to war-torn Ukraine as well as to Turkey and Syria,
where a major earthquake struck.

Support for Ukraine

Giving Support Together: Providing Support to Students and Academics for International ExchangeWith the help of our supporters, we are able to provide a wide range of assistance to help students develop a global perspective,
including support to study abroad and other financial aid.

We continue to provide wide-ranging assistance to Ukrainian students,
researchers, etc., who have struggled to continue their studies andresearch due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
[Support Provided]

Tohoku University Fund Global Hagi Scholarship to Study Abroad

Tohoku University Global Hagi Scholarship for Doctoral Students

Providing support to outstanding students for international studies, thisscholarship is aimed at students who plan to study abroad for a periodof no less than three months and no longer than one year.

Aimed at doctoral students, this scholarship program provides support
to highly motivated and talented students to enable them to devotetheir time exclusively to research.

[Support Provided][Support Provided]• Support for overseas travel, living expenses, etc., associated withstudying abroad
FY2022 support track record: 21 students• Grant-type scholarship disbursement
FY2022 support track record: 176 students (including 71 students
supported by the Tohoku University Fund)• Creation of “Ukraine Humanitarian Support Fund”
FY2022 support track record; Number of donors: 250 Total amountdonated: JPY 3,970,834• Taking in Ukrainian students and researchers, as well as the family
members of researchers at the University, and offering support for
travel expenses, providing free housing, etc.
• Incorporating other means of assistance besides donations (e.g.,matching donors)

Supporting Research into the Turkey-Syria Earthquake

On February 6, 2023, a major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurredin southeastern Turkey, causing extensive damage across a wide
area. The Tohoku University Inter national Research Institute ofDisaster Science began investigating the earthquake immediately
after it occurred and has been sharing the results of its analyses
and investigations widely on its website and other media to support
affected communities.
[Support Provided]• Investigating and analyzing the Turkey-Syria earthquake, as well as sharing the results

Tohoku University

76

Integrated Report 2023

77

TOPIC

Growing Together: Supporting Student Activities
Tohoku University encourages extracurricular activities as a way to cultivate sociality, independence,cooperation, and leadership, as well as to promote and improve physical and mental health.
With the help of our supporters,, we successfully enhance
and advance student organizations to provide a platform for various student activities.

Support Your Favourite Sports Club through the Tohoku University Giving Campaign!
The Tohoku University Giving Campaign is an online
charity event to support Tohoku University student
organizations in a variety of ways. In addition to voting
for your favorite organization, you can also show
your support of our dedicated students by sending amessage to cheer them on or by making a donation
to their organization. From June 19-25, 2023, theTohoku University Giving Campaign 2023 Springgarnered support and donations from 26,670 people.
(Total amount donated: approximately 15 million yen.)

Extracurricular Activities Support

The Tohoku University Club Association (“Gakuyu-kai”) is a universitywide organization for cultural, athletic, and other voluntary activities
that will celebrate its 102nd anniversary in 2023. A total of 8,000
students participate in 187 organizations (as of February 2022),
through which they achieve success in various fields, athleticcompetitions, etc. Tohoku University has established the Tohoku
University Club Association (“Gakuyu-kai”) Support Fund withmain purpose of improving the facilities for students to engage inextracurricular activities.

Stellar Student Achievements

Record-breaking fourth consecutive championshipat the 61st National Seven Universities Athletic Meet (Nanadaisen)
The National Seven Universities Athletic Meet, also known as
the Nanadaisen, brings together seven universities—Hokkaido
University, Tohoku University, The University of Tokyo, Nagoya
University, Kyoto University, Osaka University, and Kyushu
University—to compete in more than 40 events and score points

Tohoku University’s Windnauts take first prize at the 44th Japan International Birdman Rally

to win the overall championship. At the 61st meet in 2022,
held for the first time in three years, Tohoku University won an
unprecedented fourth consecutive championship.

Champion

FY201756th

Tohoku University

FY201857th

Tohoku University

FY201958th

Tohoku University

FY2020 and FY2021

59th/60th

Cancelled due to COVID-19

FY202261st

Tohoku University

consecutive championships!

Event No.

First time in history to win four

Event YearAt the 44th Japan International Birdman Rally on July 24, 2022,
held at the Matsubara Swimming Area in Hikone City, Shiga
Prefecture, Tohoku University Windnauts (officially, the Tohoku
University Club Association (“Gakuyu-kai”), Human-Powered
Aircraft (Birdman)) broke the team record (36,000 meters) and took
first prize in the Human-Powered Aircraft (HPA) distance category
with a distance of 36,868.8 meters and a time of over 1.5 hours.
Windnauts celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2023. The teamname is a coined expression combining the words “wind” and“nauts” (sailors) to convey the desire to “cross the windy sea.” The
group works hard everyday to participate and win in the Birdman
Rally.
In 2022, the Tohoku University Windnauts Support Fund waslaunched. With everyone’s support, they will have funds to help
pay for the production of their aircraft, which costs some three tofour million yen each year.

Tohoku University’s WHO Street Dance Circle takes first place at Japan Dancers’ Championship 2023
The WHO Street Dance Circle from Tohoku University took first placeat the Japan Dancers’ Championship 2023, held on February 20,
2023, at Zepp DiverCity (Tokyo), deciding the best university danceteam in Japan. The group is affiliated with the sports clubs of the
Tohoku University Club Association (“Gakuyu-kai”).
Due to COVID-19, this was the first time in three years that thecompetition was held. By practicing hard as a single unit, the 53
members of the circle became the first regional team ever to win thechampionship, despite few members with competition experience andmany strong private universities that competed from across Japan.
As defending champions, the group is already looking ahead to the2023 competition and practicing harder than ever to win a second
consecutive championship.

Tohoku University

78

Integrated Report 2023

79

Tohoku University Data
Ascertaining the actual scale and research strength, etc., of a university is complicated.
Here we present some figures that provide an idea of the University's current position.
We hope the information is useful.

Moonshot Researchand Development Program

Selected for the Project to Establish
University Fellowships of the Creation of
Science and Technology Innovation

Number of PM selected(Project term: FY2020-2027)

THE Japan University Rankings
2023

Four
consecutive years

1st

THE World University
Rankings 2023

3 rd in Japanfor threeconsecutive
years

Universities Where Students Grow
the Most After Admission

Asahi Shimbun Publications “University Rankings 2024” Rankings by High Schools
Universities Where Students Grow the Most After Admission: 1st
Reproduction without permission from Asahi Shimbun Publications is prohibited (authorization number 23-2307)

Admitted through comprehensive selection(e.g., recommendation-based Admission Office Entrance Examination)
Asahi Shimbun Publications "University Rankings 2024"
Comprehensive Selection Rankings (Admitted) 13th
Reproduction without permission from Asahi Shimbun Publications is prohibited (authorization number 23-2307)

17,685
Number of international students

3,115
FY2022 (full year)

Tohoku University

1

FY2022 JSPS Prizest

5th in Japan(201-250 globally)

1

2(79 globally)1st(2,472 awards)

Reproduction without permission from Asahi Shimbun

Associated ResearchInstitutes

Professional
Graduate Schools

10

15

6

3

JPY

10.076 billion

MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses)

Largest in
Japan

FORBES 30 UNDER 30 ASIA 2023

14

courses offered(cumulative)

Open Badges issued
Over

2,700

Requests for lectures and media
coverage of Tohoku University
digital transformation actions

hours

nd in Japan (78 people)

Publications is prohibited (authorization number 23-2307)

Graduate
Schools

100,000

2

FY2022 Amounts received
for joint research, etc.,from private company

10.3 billion

Featured President Reputation: 3rdFacultiesOvernd in Japan (3 people)

JPY

Evaluation Rankingsfrom University Presidents

Estimated annual hours ofadministrative work reduction
through digital transformation(Number of awards from FY2016-2023)

FY2022 Grants-in-Aid
for Scientific Research

Asahi Shimbun Publications"University Rankings 2024"

among national
universities

The Commendation for Science and Technology
by the MEXT, The Young Scientists’ Awards

JPY 876,074,051 (10,628 donors)

among national universities

1s t

nd in Japan (9)FY2022
Tohoku University Fund Donations Track Record

Featured President
Reputationst2

st in Japan (120 people/academic year)

QS World University
Rankings 2023

1st

Total number of students

176

3 university

graduates selectedTohoku University Start-ups
National Seven Universities Athletic Meet (Nanadaisen)

4th consecutive championships(as of September 2023)

80

Integrated Report 2023

179

companies(as of June 2023)

81

TOHOKU UNIVERSITY INTEGRATED REPORT[Tohoku University Strategic Planning Office]togo@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan

https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/

directors & editors: Tohoku University Integrated Report 2023 Editorial Team
Satoshi Kato, Yasuo Yoshida, Masaru Takahashi, Takashi Sato, Keisuke Shoji, Ryosuke Kuroda, Kaori Fukui, Yusuke Suzuki,
Keiichi Shibata, Keigo Matsumoto, Jun Yoshida, Kazutoshi Ono, Emi Odaka, Masayuki Okada, Marehito Shimizu, Yu Murayama
interviewer & writer: U-media Co., Ltd.
designers: Masami Furuta, Yuka Uchida (opportune design Inc.)