2023

Research Center for
Advanced Science and Technology
The University of Tokyo

Message
Science and Technology Enabling
All Citizens of the Earthto Collaborate with One Anotherand Coexist with Nature

Director

Infectious diseases, climate change, and other complex, global-scale
problems that confront us today have called into question theassumption that people can control the natural world throughadvancements in science and technology. We need to establish a new
approach that enables all global citizens to collaborate with one
another and coexist with nature.
The problems facing humanity extend spatially from the level of local
communities to nation-states and ultimately to the entire planet. We
need to start doing whatever we can to resolve these problems rightnow, at the same time as we put into place measures that address theirimpact several decades into the future. To tackle these spatial andtemporal multiscale challenges, we must transcend boundaries, suchas those between the humanities and social sciences and between
science and engineering, so that we can “connect” technologies
across multiple disciplines.
RCAST is a community of exceptional researchers across 44 areasorganized under six research categories: materials, information,environment and energy, social sciences, chemical biomedicine, andbarrier free. These researchers work closely together and cooperate
flexibly to tackle complex problems through creative collaboration withlocal stakeholders. This collaborative work is already yielding a varietyof constructive answers. The RCAST approach is to form
multidisciplinary teams tailored to work on a specific problem, rather
than specializing in one discipline. We are convinced that thisapproach is exactly what is needed to resolve global-scale problems.

RCAST also mobilizes versatile and multilayered connections:researchers take the lead on the issue being addressed and aresupported through connections of trust with their colleagues and with
the RCAST organization as a whole.
I believe that to make these kinds of connections it is important to act
with empathy rather than just logic. Genuine connections are formed
when colleagues working together to solve a problem share a sense ofinspiration. Moreover, to connect all the people of the world with theachievements of science and technology and to put theseachievements to practical use, it is essential for people to empathizewith the idea of building a better society through technology. RCASTstrives to be a community filled with empathy. In ancient Greece,
before society began to grow more fragmented and complex, nodistinction was made between scientists and artists. In the same way,
the RCAST campus brings together not only researchers but also awide range of artists, generating dialogue through reason and emotion
on a daily basis. Moreover, people with disabilities are routinely hired
as researchers and staff. RCAST is a trailblazing experiment toward
the realization of a future in which diverse people gather, empathizewith one another, and connect their individual talents to co-create abetter society.
Through bonds of empathy and trust, RCAST will continue to connect
science and technology with nature and communities, and connect ourplanet with future generations.

About RCAST
Since its establishment in 1987, the Research Center for Advanced Science andTechnology (RCAST)—the newest research center attached to the University ofTokyo—has aimed to contribute to the development of science and technology bytaking on new challenges arising from advances in science and resulting changes
in society, and by exploring new areas of advanced science and technology for thebenefit of society and humankind. In our more than 40 laboratories, we have been
conducting a wide variety of research from basic to applied fields, ranging fromadvanced research in science and technology to the social sciences as well as thebarrier-free social systems of the future. To address multifaceted issues, we makeversatile and multilayered connections and the entire center supports not only
single researchers but all researchers across research fields. RCAST will continue
to take bold steps to realize a better society and co-create the future.

InterdisciplinaryResearch

Solving increasingly complex social issues requires fresh perspectives.
Since RCAST was founded over 35 years ago, science and engineering,which advance science and technology, have co-existed with the humanities
and social sciences, which deal with ethics, thought, and social systems.
We are developing fields where there is no prior research.

Social ScienceMaterial

6 Fields

6 Fields

Strategic Planning
Political Administrative System● Policy Research on
Science and Technology● Religion and Global Security● Rule-making Strategies● Global Consensus Making Policy

Micro Device Engineering
Quantum Information Physics
and Engineering● Theoretical Chemistry● High Performance Materials● Computational Materials Science● Ultraprecision Manufacturing Science●●●●Material

Environmentand Energy

Information

1 Corporate SponsoredResearch Program

Information●11 Fields

Artificial Intelligence
Information Devices● Mathematical Physics ofEmergent Systems● Information Somatics● Networked Biophotonics
and Microfluidics● Machine Intelligence● Advanced Art Design● Photonic Imaging● Aerospace Mobility● Animal Linguistics● Advansed Data Science

Manufacturing Science forAdvanced Optical Components●●SocialScienceEnvironment and Energy

ChemicalBiomedicine

10 Fields

Energy and Environment
New Energy● Climate Science Research● Co-Creative Community Planning,Design, and Management● Energy System● Global Climate Dynamics● Geochemistry and Environmental Chemistry● Hydrogen Energy● Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services● Planning for Disaster Risk Reduction●BarrierFree●

4 Social Cooperation
Research Departments
Insect Controlled Space Design
MobilityZero
Advanced Art Design Laboratory● Laser Photonics Sensing●●●

1 Corporate SponsoredResearch Program●Progressive Logistic ScienceR

Chemical Biomedicine

Barrier Free
4 Fields

7 Fields●●Tojisha-Kenkyu● Inclusive Design Laboratory● Social Inclusion Systems● Interdisciplinary Barrier-Free Study

1 Corporate SponsoredResearch Program●Research on Individually
Optimal Learning

Metabolic Medicine
Chemical Biotechnology
Integrative Nutriomics and Oncology● Synthetic Biology● Structural Biology● Genome Science & Medicine● Intercellular Communication& Medical Science●

2 Social Cooperation
Research Departments

esearch●Renewable Fuel Global Network
The Next Generationof Energy Distribution System● Smart City:Co-Creating with Citizens
●
●

●

●

3 Social Cooperation
Research Departments

1 Corporate SponsoredResearch Program●

Study on Value of Sports (Meiji Yasuda Life)

1 Affiliated facility●Initiatives for Global Security andEnergy Transition

Department of Inflammology
Genome Science & Medicine

The only doctoral course at a UTokyo affiliated institute
The Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary
Studies was established in 1992 as adoctorate only program. Under RCAST’s
characteristic interdisciplinary environment,
we foster individuals with the will to pioneer
unique new fields, without being restricted byconventional frameworks. This program opens
the door not only to corporate researchers andengineers, but also to corporate managers
and government policymakers with knowledgeof advanced science and technology.

This unique approach toorganizational management
enables quick decision-making
to address new challenges

Since its inception, RCAST has maintained a system of organizational
management that separates research from administration.
As the decision-making unit, the Strategic Management Office deliberates
on ways to streamline the internal organization, as well as staffing proposals,
budget allocations, and other important matters, then swiftly moves on
to execution. This system reduces the time researchers spend on
administrative tasks and ensures that their focus is always on researchand educational activities.

Rigorous evaluation of RCAST’s management strategies RCAST Board external evaluation committee
Chieko ASAKAWA IBM Fellow / Chief Executive Director, The National Museum of Emerging Science and Technology
Ikuo KABASHIMA Governor, Kumamoto Prefecture
Hideaki KOIZUMI Emeritus Fellow, Hitachi, Ltd.
Kazuki SAWA Adviser, Tokyo University of the Arts

Sachiko NAKAJIMA CEO, steAm,Inc. / Musician
Michiharu NAKAMURA President Emeritus, Japan Science and Technology Agency
Mariko FUJII Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo
Hiroya MASUDA Director and Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO, Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd.
Yoichiro MATSUMOTO The Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign AffairsToshiro MUTOH Honorary Chairman, Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd.
(Japanese syllabary order)

M

RCAST Facts
Financial Data

Faculty and Staff

External funding covers nearly 80 percent of RCAST's
operating expenses. This reflects the recognition ofRCAST’s farsighted research and the results it has
produced and shows that it has a lineup of researchers
who are capable of securing their own funding.

Total

5,259,247
thousand yen

28
Associate
12
Professors
Lecturers
3
Research Associates,
Research Assistants 14
Project Researchers
47
Professors

University
management expenses

thousand yen

Through external funding, RCAST has created the project
researcher/faculty system enabling unique, high-quality humanresources to be employed by RCAST on a project basis. Thissystem, originated by RCAST, can make a huge difference inresearch capabilities.

Academic Staff

Fiscal Year 2021
1,197,902

anagement

External funding

4,061,345
thousand yen

419Project13
Lecturers
Project Research
Associates
28
Project
Professors

Project Associate
Professors

Visiting Academic Staff
Other Researchers
EndowedResearch Division 1.4 %Othergrants-in-aid 2.3 %Contributions

Funds for commissioned
projects 0.9 %Funds for joint
projects 0.2 %14.5 %

Joint research
funds

19.1%

Students
Graduate Students

7.4 %Grant-in-Aid for
Scientiﬁc Research※ Other Researchers: Visiting Research Fellows,
Co-operative Research Fellows, Joint Research Fellows

External funding(% by type)4,061,345
thousand yen

Contract
research funds

54.2 %※267

Undergraduate
Students

372 Including 106 AIS students
94

Administrative Staff
Grant Administrative Staff
Project Specialists

32
28

Forming organic
connections among
researchers
across disciplines

3１ 222We are building a global organizational network that includes establishingsatellite offices at collaborating institutions.
Domestically—based on the experience of a partnership agreement with Ishikawa
Prefecture that has led to a highly advanced example of joint industry creation by theuniversity and the prefecture—we are pursuing types of co-creation that gobeyond industry-academia-government cooperation together with local governments
and communities participating in the Co-creation Living Lab.

2082119 517 1814131124

12

Scientifique (CNRS) (France)
6 The University of New South Wales(Australia)●
7 Advanced Institutes of Convergence●Technology (AICT),Seoul National University (South Korea)
8 University of Kassel (Germany)●96109 The University of Adelaide(Australia)●
10 Queensland University●

15 University of California, Berkeley (USA)●
16 Center on Disability Studies, University●

11 The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle●

17 The University of Milano-Bicocca (Italy)●
18 Politecnico di Milano (Italy)●
19 The University of Bordeaux (France)●
20 Moscow State Institute of International Relations (Russia)●
21 École Polytechnique (France)●
22 Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP)(Sweden)●
23 Pacific Forum International（USA）●
24 University of Science and Technology of China（CHN）●of Technology (Australia)

Eastern and African Studies (MDC),Tel Aviv University (Israel)
12 Council of Scientific●& Industrial Research (CSIR) (India)

13 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem●(Israel)

14 Centre for Research in Photonics,●

The University of Ottawa (Canada)

Agreements with Local
Governments (Domestic)

Cooperation with Domestic
Educational Institutions

1 Ishikawa Prefecture and Ishikawa●

22 Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education●
23 Minato City Board of Education●
24 Koyasan University●
25 Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra●

Sunrise Industries Creation Organization
2 Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture●
3 Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto University●
4 Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture and Shinshu●University Research Center5 Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture●
6 Kunitachi City, Tokyo●
7 Shiraoi Town, Hokkaido Prefecture●
8 Wakayama Prefecture●
9 Eiheiji Town, Fukui Prefecture●
10 Nanyo City, Yamagata Prefecture●
11 Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture●
12 Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture●
13 Kaminokuni Town, Hokkaido Prefecture●
14 Setagaya City, Tokyo●
15 Koya Town and Koyasan Shingon Sect Main●
Temple Kongobu-ji, Wakayama Prefecture
16 Kobayashi City, Miyazaki Prefecture●
17 Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture●
18 Yamaguchi Prefecture●
19 Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture●
20 Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture●
21 Chino City, Fujimi Town and Hara Village,●Nagano Prefecture

416 23International Collaboration
1 Stockholm University (Sweden)●
2 Clare Hall, University of Cambridge (UK)●
3 University of Glasgow (UK)●
4 Arizona State University, LightWorks (USA)●
5 Centre National de la Recherche●

157of Hawaii at Mānoa (USA)C※Order by agreement execution

ollaborations
Cooperations

713Agreements with Local
Governments (International)
26 State of Queensland, Australia●
27 Government of South Australia, Australia●

17※Order by agreement execution

10918123161119158 241205221 4
6 14 2225 232627

Access
Komaba Research Campus

4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo,
153-8904

Tokyo Metro
Fukutoshin Line

RCAST

Komaba Research Campus

Tokyo Metro
Chiyoda Line

Ikebukuro

NipporiShinjuku

HigashiKitazawa

YoyogiUehara

Shimokitazawa
Keio InokashiraLine

OtemachiOmotesando

Ikenoue KomabaTodaimae

Odakyu Line

JR Yamanote
Line

Tokyu Toyoko Line

Keisei Skyliner
Narita Airport

Kasumigaseki
表参道

ShibuyaTokyo Metro
Hanzomon LineTokyo

JR Narita Express

Shinagawa
Keikyu Airport Line● Yoyogi-Uehara Station (Odakyu Line, Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line) 12 minutes’ walk.
● Higashi-Kitazawa Station (Odakyu Line) 8 minutes’ walk.

● Komaba-Todaimae Station West Exit (Keio Inokashira Line) 10 minutes’ walk.
● Ikenoue Station (Keio Inokashira Line) 10 minutes’ walk.

Haneda Airport

Komaba Research Campus
To Higashi-Kitazawa Sta.

Main Gate

To Yoyogi-Uehara Sta.

To Shibuya

To Ikenoue Sta.

1333-S

14Ground

415

KOL
CCRS

An

shall aim to contribute to the development of scienceand technology by expeditiously taking on new challenges

1West Gate

The Research Center for Advanced Science and Technologyarising from the advancement of science and changes inF

society thereby exploring new areas of advancedEscience and technology for humankind and society.

DArticle 2,CRules for the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology,

B

East Gate

The University of TokyoAs

T
To Komaba-Todaimae Sta.

Research Center for Advanced
Science and Technology

Financial support for research challenges
RCAST is targeting new frontiers in every
research field and taking on the challenge ofhelping to resolve the many problems thatsociety faces today. Your support is needed tofurther advance the research and accelerate
the pace for resolving social issues.

https://www.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp/donation/

https://www.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
Published in April 2023
Published by Research Center for Advanced Scienceand Technology, The University of Tokyo
The information in this brochure is as ofthe date of publication