Regional Development ThroughIndustry-Academia-Government
Partnerships－Utilizing Resources to Create the Future
February 7, 2023

Advanced Academic Agency
The Graduate School of Project
DesignRisa Tanaka, President
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2022 Sendai JR Sendai East Gate Building

2012 Tokyo / Minami-Aoyama

2018 Fukuoka

2019 Nagoya

JR Gate Tower

JRJP Hakata Building

2018 Osaka Grand Front Osaka

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Graduate school to foster members ofsociety that will conceptualize new
businesses that look to the future.
Tokyo / Sendai / Nagoya / Osaka / Fukuoka

Master’s: 2 years
Degree: Master of Project Design(Professional)
Eligibility
・Those in charge of new businesses
・Those who have inherited/will inherit a business・Those who are aiming to start a company
・Those in charge of regional revitalization

https://www.mpd.ac.jp/

T3

No. 1 Media for “Regional
Development x Innovation"

First issue
Published
Price
Copies issued
DigitalSales methods

Distribution

Other

September 1, 2012
1st of every month
1,300 yen (including tax)
50,000 per month
Approx. 700,000 page views(actual page views in November
2015)
Sale in book stores throughout
Japan, regular subscriptions,direct online sales
All governors, mayors ofmunicipalities (84% reading rate),
divisions related to features on themunicipality
Likes from over 80,000 people on
Facebook

4

Contribution to the Achievement of SDGs
Co-creating with society, and fostering personnel that will build the future
The Advanced Academic Agency works towards achieving the SDGs, mainly through the provision of quality
education as an educational/research institution, and the implementation of partnerships such as public-private andindustry-government-academia partnerships. We consider the implementation of innovation, the establishment ofindustrial infrastructure, and the development of sustainable community development as key SDG areas, and is
working to achieve these through practical research on knowledge.

Implementation of partnerships/public-private partnerships

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1: Project research for new SDG businesses
ーOsaka campus (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th terms)
ーTokyo campus (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th terms)
ーNagoya campus (1st term)
ー1am company typeーRegionPractical research and publications for achieving the SDGs

２: SDG media
ーFundamentals of SDGs
ーImplementation of SDGs
ーImplementation of ESG Management
ー“SDGs Management”
ー“Environment and Humanity Conference”

We implement quality practical education towards achieving a sustainable society, through our Master’s
program, our research on new SDG business projects, and SDG-related publications/seminars. We alsooffer courses such as a teaching practitioner training course, in order to foster educators who are able
to provide quality education, and provide education on SDG awareness, the sustainability of cities andthe planet, etc., for elementary and junior high school students who will become members of society in
2030.

We contribute to the creation of job opportunities, diverse work styles, etc., by vitalizing theregion and developing new businesses, which leads to the creation of many meaningful jobs.
We have worked to develop sustainable businesses and create new jobs in regions
experiencing population decline/depopulation, for instance through rural region
revitalization projects such as ”Runners Village.”

Promotion of innovation

4

We work to promote innovation, diversify industries, generate added value for products, andmore, through our research and education at the Graduate School of Project Design. The
school has had 264 graduates, with 110 researchers involved in research for new SDG
business projects. The school has already generated many instances of innovation.

Realization of a sustainable regional society

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Concrete examples of
initiatives to achieve SDGs

We work to establish multi-stakeholder partnerships, such as public-private partnerships and industrygovernment-academia partnerships, in order to develop new businesses and come up with project plans
for regional vitalization. In addition to promoting the networks and partnerships of our graduate we havealso established partnership agreements with municipalities such as Yokohama City, inter-university
comprehensive partnership agreements with Okayama University and Shinshu University, in order tohelp create new value.

Creation of jobs in the region through new businesses

3

Participated in UN Academic
Impact as the Graduate School of
Project Design

We have established campuses for the Graduate School of Project Design in Nagoya, Osaka, andFukuoka, in order to realize a sustainable regional society and help vitalize these regionsindividually as well. We also offer programs to foster project designers in regions such as Tochigi
Prefecture and Iida City. Going forward, our goal is to establish campuses in all 47 prefectures ofJapan, in order to realize regional sustainability.

3: Regional revitalization / Local SDGs
ーCircular and ecological economy
ーRunners Village (Revitalization of rural regions)
4: Collaborations/partnerships
ーInter-university comprehensive partnershipagreement with Okayama UniversityーInter-university comprehensive partnershipagreement with Shinshu UniversityーPartnership agreement with Yokohama City
ーProject design research group with Toyama City
ーComprehensive partnership agreement with Komoro
City/Kakuichi－Project research for new Noto SDG business projectsーPartnership agreement with Yamagata City, etc.

Towards the Osaka/Kansai Expo 2025
“TEAM EXPO 2025 Co-Creation Partner” at Osaka/Kansai Expo
The Osaka/Kansai Expo is also referred to as the “SDGs Expo.” In November 2020, we registered as a ”TEAM EXPO 2025 Co-Creation Partner” forthe Expo Osaka, Kansai. MESAP (MPD Team EXPO / SDGs Acceleration Program) will serve an active leadership role in building a sustainable futuresociety by combining members of our internal and external student networks, with various different resources, skills, and experiences, in an organic
manner, so that they can come up with and implement new projects that will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.
*MESAP: Collective term for program to promote Team EXPO and the SDGs within the school

Graduate students and alumniGraduate students and alumni make new initiatives torealize project designs
Discuss project designs towards 2025 in graduate
student/alumni research meetings

Project researchInitiatives within project research for new SDG businesses
Initiatives within project research at the Osaka campus (hub)New initiatives


Osaka/Kansai Expo - Overview○ Duration: April 13 (Sun.) – October 13 (Mon.), 2025; 184 days
○ Location: Yumeshima, Osaka○ Floor space: Approx. 155 ha○ Number of visitors expected: Approx. 28 million○ Economic ripple effect (estimated): Approx. 2 trillion yen○ Main theme:“Designing Future Society for Our Lives”○ Sub-themes:”Saving Lives”“Empowering Lives”“Connecting Lives”

Develop new businesses based on co-creation at the
Osaka/Kansai Expo

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Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Envisioning and Realizing an Ideal Future• Creating new value (society, personnel) =Value-design society• Businesses that garner support from theworld/are sustainable

Sustainable
creativity

Working towards a value-design society

Realizing Society 5.0

Combinationof diverse
personalities/
imaginations

Cultivationof support＋

Digitalinnovation=

Create value / Discover and solve social issues
7Master of Project Design (Professional): 466 alumni
Producing businesses and creating the future. Alumni are realizing
projects throughout the country.

8Based inregional resources
and personnel◎ Discover and identify businessresources◎ Notice, discover, and refine one’s
environment, strengths, etc.

Innovation that utilizes businessresources
Think of the ideal project design, andresearch plans to realize this design

Creativity + MBA
Evolving and developing sustainablebusinesses
Turning ideas into reality◎ Diverse, varied, andheterogeneous networks of people◎ From tacit knowledge to formal
knowledge. Turning corporate
expertise and experiences into
reproducible models

Draw out the personalities and abilitiesof personnel through a curriculum thatstandardizes uniqueness
Motivation to drive peers and incitechange in the organization
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Example Utilization and promotion of regional
resources (Kujukushima University)

Personnel
training

Tourism

Foreigntourists“Kujukushima University,” a Regional Revitalization Projectwith Sasebo City

Received

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Example Runners Village (Seven regions in Japan)

Personnel
training

Tourism

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Example Establishment and development of the regional
Establishment
ecosystem (partnership agreement withof ecosystem
Yokohama City)
Working with Yokohama City, regional
companies/organizations, etc., towards a business that would
utilize Yokohama’s waterfront to generate new appeal

Vision(illustrative)

An expansive waterfront area that expresses diverse
characteristics/particularities, attracting and driving interaction amongst
local residents and non-local tourists, so that locals are able to feel proudof their own city and be creative.

Sponsors:UshioLighting,Inc.、SanipakCompanyofJapan,Ltd.、YokohamaToyopetCo.,Ltd.、
KaseKogyoCo.,Ltd.、KeiKankyoCo.、FujitsuElectronicsInc.、KeikyuCorporation
Support：Kogane-x、KoganechoAreaManagementCenter, YokohamaSUPClub,
HatsuhikoMerchant’sAssociation,Chojamachi7-8-9ChomeShoeikai,YokohamaUniversityofArt&Design,Kawa-no-Eki
Operation Association,HinodechoNeighborhoodAssociation, YADOKARICo.,,Ltd.,Sueyoshi1-2ChomeNeighborhoodAssociation,
OokaRiverRightBankVitalizationAssociation,MellowIn.c,YoshidaKosanInc.
Production::SPOONCo.,Ltd.
(2019）

Worked with local art event “Koganecho Bazaar,” the food event ”bread & coffee
marche,” “SUP club,” etc., to host a cleaning event of the river used in these events.
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Example Project design researchmeetings in Toyama City

In these research meetings, students and alumni of the Graduate
School of Project Design and Toyama City administrative
staff/private businesses worked together to reevaluate policies,
businesses, etc., mostly pertaining to the development of the“compact city” as promoted by Toyama City, and come up withconcrete projects to boost the city’s presence as a “desirable city.”

Urban
reformPersonnel
training

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Initiatives to Utilize People (Create Opportunities for Learning)
Will have held training programs forregional project design personnel in

Niigata City, Niigata
Prefecture

19 regions by the end of this year
*Excluding the five regions with campuses

Yamagata City, Yamagata
Prefecture

Suzu City, Ishikawa
Prefecture
Minamisoma City,
Fukushima Prefecture

Toyama City,
Toyama Prefecture

Iida City, Nagano
Prefecture

Toyooka City,
Hyogo Prefecture

Utsunomiya City,
Tochigi Prefecture

Yonago City, Tottori
Prefecture

Tsukuba City, Ibaraki
Prefecture

Shimonoseki City,
Yamaguchi Prefecture

Nagasaki City,
Nagasaki Prefecture
Oita City, Oita
Prefecture

Okazaki City, Aichi
Prefecture
Okumikawa region,
Aichi Prefecture
Chino City, Nagano
Prefecture

Yokohama City,
Kanagawa Prefecture
Odawara City,
Kanagawa Prefecture
Komoro City, Nagano
Prefecture

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Examples of Co-Creation
Okayama University Comprehensive partnership agreement for

Yamagata City Agreement for comprehensive partnershipeducational/research exchange and collaboration

related to the promotion of regional development

Niigata City Partnership agreement for

Komoro City Comprehensive partnership“Niigata 2km”

agreement for community development

Chino City Comprehensive partnership agreement
towards becoming a “city desirable to young people”

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Examples of Media Coverage
April 19, 2022 “Super J Niigata,” Affiliated with TV Asahi Network

March 19, 2022, Nihon Keizai Shimbun

March 29, 2022, Mainichi Shimbun (Yamagata)

March 25, 2022, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun

April 19, 2022, Nihon Keizai Shimbun
April 7, 2022,Fukushima Minpo
April 20, 2022, Nihon Keizai Shimbun

April 20, 2022, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun

March 19, 2022,Kahoku Shimpo

March 19, 2022, Yamagata Shimbun

April 20, 2022, Niigata Nippo

March 28, 2022, Kensetsutsushin Shimbun
April 20, 2022,

Nikkan Kensetsu
Kogyo Shinbun

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Graduate School of Project Design – Project Research
新事業構想に特化した新事業開発に特化した唯一の大学院

事業構想
大学院大学

企業
研究員として
月２回参加

プロジェクト研究（１年間）

Utilize the expertise and network of the graduate school
to come up with and establish new businesses in a liberal
setting.

新事業構想と構想計画構築事業推進する
中核人材育成17

Example | Development of new projects that utilize regional
business resources <Project research>
Tochigi regional
development
project research

Oita newbusiness project
research

Co-hosts: NEZAS Holdings Ltd.、Shimotsuke
ShimbunCo-host: Oita Godo News

Established to train personnel who can grapple with social issues byformulating project designs to solve social issues in Tochigi Prefecture.
Industry-academia-government partnerships with the Graduate School of
Project Design, NEZAS Holdings, and Shimotsuke Shinbun that was held
over two terms.

Oita, Kyushu – Japan’s top hot springs prefecture, slated to become the site of Asia’s firstspaceport. In April 2021, we established research meetings to research new businessdevelopment, with co-host Oita Godo News, in order to promote the training of personnel who
will build the future of the region.

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Example | Development of new projects that utilize regional
business resources <Project research>
Project researchto create newvalue in
NagasakiWill begin in April 2023

Nagasaki is seeing opportunities for regional revitalization and shifts in industrial structure, what with the opening of the
Nishikyushu Shinkansen in September, the promotion of the “Kyushu/Nagasaki IR Basic Concept,” which is slated to beestablished across Kyushu by 2027, and more.
In order to engage in sustainable management in the midst of these dramatic changes in corporate environment,
industrial structure, etc., it is essential for businesses to enter new areas that transcend the boundaries of existing
businesses, and create innovation.
As such, we will begin project research to concrete new value in Nagasaki, with co-host Nagasaki Broadcasting, as an
initiative to train personnel capable of building the future of the region.

Courtesy visits by President Tanaka

Co-host: Nagasaki Broadcasting

We have received many comments from theheads of the prefecture’s major corporations, aswell as the mayor of Nagasaki City, expressing
anticipation for our initiatives

Tomihisa Taue, Mayor, Nagasaki City

Takujiro Mori (Chairman, JuhachiShinwa Bank)
Chairman, Nagasaki Doyukai

Powerful PR initiatives

Seiji Akaki
Representative
Director & President
JR19
Nagasaki City

Example | Development of new projects that utilize regional businessresources <Project research>
Minamisoma
City project
researchPartnership agreement: Minamisoma City,
Fukushima Prefecture

・ On March 8, Minamisoma City and the Graduate School of Project
Design signed the “Partnership Agreement to Promote Regional
Development and Personnel Training.” In May, the Minamisoma
City project research began.
・The theme for the first year was to come up with project designs
that utilize the potential of the Minamisoma-Kashima Service Area
and its wide variety of local resources. We expect this to lead to thecreation of new businesses that will bring more visitors/customers
to the Joban Expressway/Minamisoma-Kashima Service Area.
・Researchers were comprised of city office staff, and employeesof companies from within and outside of the city, branch offices ofmajor Japanese companies, etc., from multiple industries, including
infrastructure, construction, tourism, and media.
・On December 15, it was announced that the research team would be
conducting a market sounding survey for the development of the areaaround the Minamisoma-Kashima Service Area.
The mayor of Minamisoma City also attended the project
research opening ceremony.

Media
coverage
May 19, 2022, Yomiuri Shimbun

May 19, 2022, Fukushima Minpo
May 19, 2022, TV-U Fukushima

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Example | Taking on “SDGs x New Business x Regional
Development” at the very edge of the Noto Peninsula
Project research
for new Noto
SDG businesses

ASTENA Holdings Co., Ltd.

Development of new food business / Branding ofmushrooms, herbs, etc.
・In 2021, ASTENA Holdings moved partof its headquarter operations to Suzu City,
Ishikawa Prefecture. They work toestablish regional development businesses
in three areas: education, SDGs investment,
and regional support.
・ One example of this is their promotion of regional
branding and sixth sector industrialization of raw materials for health goods, such as mushrooms and herbs, in agriculture.

・ The company is also working with banks, etc., to establish
SDG funds, rebuild hotels, and more, to generate financial
resources that can be reinvested in the region.

The project research for new Noto SDG businesses isoperated through funds accrued through corporate
hometown tax payment charitable contributions(ASTENA Holdings and other participating companies),
etc.

・ The research team under the partnership with the Graduate
School of Project Design has begun project research for new Noto
SDG businesses. The team is working to research and develop
new SDG businesses within the framework of industry-academia21
government partnership.

Example | Initiatives to utilize personnel through industry-academiagovernment partnerships (Creating opportunities for learning)
Shimonoseki businessdesign project research

Shimonoseki City / NS Solutions / Graduate School of Project Design
Comprehensive partnership agreement for community development, the solving of local issues,and personnel training in Shimonoseki CityThe Shimonoseki business design project research began withfunding by corporate hometown tax payments from NS Solutions
Comprised of 10 researchers, mainly Shimonoseki City
residents, including a regional revitalization specialist known
as a “community revitalization evangelist.”
Examples ofresearcher
industries

Manufacturing

Transport

University

Insurance

Post office+ NS Solutions employees

Consulting

Duration: July 2022 – March 2023 (20 instances)
Faculty in charge: Masami Kawamura, Professor, Graduate
School of Project Design
July 4, 2022: Partnership agreement signing ceremony at Shimonoseki City Hall; from left to right:
Risa Tanaka (President, Graduate School of Project Design), Hiroyuki Morita (Representative
Director & President, NS Solutions), Shintaro Maeda (Mayor, Shimonoseki City)

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Mid-term presentation meetingExample | Initiatives to utilize personnel through industry-academiagovernment partnerships (Creating opportunities for learning)
Project research to
become a “city desirable
to young people”

Chino City / KITZ / Graduate School of Project Design
Comprehensive partnership agreement towards realizing a “city desirable to young people”

The project research to become a “city desirable to young people beganwith funding by corporate hometown tax payments from KITZ
In this research, people involved in regional initiatives from all generations andindustries discuss ways to make the city more desirable to young people, andenvision a possible future. The goal is to build a future for Chino City that will makeit more comfortable for young people.
Duration: September 2022 – March 2023 (20 instances)
Faculty in charge: Takuya Shimodaira, Professor, Graduate School of Project Design
Researchers: 10 researchers selected through open recruitment
July 28, 2022: Partnership agreement signing ceremony at Chino City Hall;
from left to right: Atsushi Imai (Mayor, Chino City), Makoto Kono
(Representative Director & President, KITZ), Risa Tanaka (President,
Graduate School of Project Design)

Research meetings were conducted in the KITZ Group
Innovation Center, Work Lab Yatsugatake, etc.

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Attention on Projects by
Alumni“Haneda Doyokai,” BS TV East24

Example of Project Design/Implementation by Alumni｜“Gyokatsu Box,” a live-fish transportation system that preserves the freshness of fish
Tadakatsu Sekiyama, President & CEO, Nikken Lease Kogyo Co., Ltd.
New business in a construction materials company: Increases fishermen income andcontributes to regional development
A new business established by Nikken Lease Kogyo, whose primary business is inconstruction materials. The company took on the challenge of opening a live-fish centerin an effort to contribute significantly to the growth of the fisheries industry.

The president of the company, Sekiyama, is an alumni of the Graduate School of Project
Design.
Using knowledge gained from their work in another new business, drinking waterproduction, the company succeeded in maintaining fish in a sleeping state under carbon
dioxide anesthesia, then resuscitating them. This discovery led to the creation of the“Gyokatsu Box” live-fish transportation system. Within this system, “katsugyo,” or live
fish, are transported in a sleeping state to food establishments within metropolitan areas.
It is garnering attention as an innovative new technology that will revolutionize themarine product transportation industry.

Was also introduced on the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries website (Source: Ministryof Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website)

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Gyokatsu boxes

Co-creation by diverse entities and growth throughshared knowledge
Creation of new value in regional society
Production
PeopleCoordination

Industry

Cultivation of value

Languagethrough shared

Government

understanding

Money

Academia✓✓✓

Creativity

Utilization of each other’s specializations andstrengths
Expanding already broad perspectives
Effective utilization and governance of resources

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From Traditional Marketing to Co-Creation
Way of thinking in companies without
customer-centric philosophy

Customers = Targets

Way of thinking in companies withcustomer-centric philosophy

Customers = Partners

Customers
経営者
社員
株主 / 投資家

From

From

MARKETING

Co-CREATION

Sell company products to an external“market”

Create products with partners(customers)
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Turning Communication Into Vitality
Industry, government, academia + Money, language, and people
Propose an ideal (shared goal) and establish its position within society and themarketShare an ideal vision. Visualize philosophies and meanings.
• Learn about the targets. Think about things from their perspective. → What formsof media do they come in contact with?
The value and meaning that will be provided to the targets• Invite them to participate in processes to realize this ideal.
Increase the number of advocates, supporters, and associates Work to maintainand improve motivation• Constantly verify that the message is getting through to the targets, and think
about things from their perspective.
• Propose ideas that are seen to offer real value to targets

Purpose and design → Promotes innovation on-site28