FY 2023 Follow-up of WPI Program
By Program Committee
March 2024
(This document reports on progress made under the WPI Program in FY 2022.)

A.

Highlights in FY 2023 ................................................................................................ 2
A-1. Launching a new center ........................................................................................ 2
A-2. Meetings in person after 3 years of Pandemic ......................................................... 2

B.

WPI Outline ............................................................................................................. 3C.

WPI Centers ............................................................................................................. 4

D.

Follow-up framework ................................................................................................ 5

E.

Future plan of the WPI Program ................................................................................ 7

F.

Follow up on the 2 Centers launched in 2017 ............................................................. 8
F-1. IRCN .................................................................................................................... 8
F-2. NanoLSI ............................................................................................................. 13

G.

Follow up on the 2 Centers launched in 2018 ........................................................... 16
G-1. ICReDD .............................................................................................................. 16
G-2. ASHBi ................................................................................................................ 19

H.

Follow up on the Centers launched in 2021 .............................................................. 22
H-1. QUP ................................................................................................................... 22

I.

Follow up on the Centers launched in 2022 .............................................................. 27
I-1. PRIMe ................................................................................................................. 27
I-2. SKCM2 ................................................................................................................. 31
I-3. Bio2Q .................................................................................................................. 35

J.

A new WPI center launched in 2023 ........................................................................ 40K.

WPI Academy ......................................................................................................... 40
K-1. Aims and members.............................................................................................. 40
K-2. Change of the Director in I2CNER, iCeMS, and Kavli IPMU ...................................... 40
K-3. Follow-up of the Academy centers ........................................................................ 41

L.

Branding and outreach ............................................................................................ 451

In 2007, the Japanese government launched an ambitious initiative to create globally visible
and internationally opened research centers. This program, World Premier International
Research Center Initiative (abbreviated WPI), has, pursuant to the program’s mission statedin 2007, successfully launched 13 centers over the 14-year period from 2007 to 2020. In
2020, a new mission was initiated that advances further the principles of the original WPI
mission. The Launching of centers under the New Mission began in 2021, and 4 more centers
have been launched by 2022. This 2023 follow-up report describes notable areas of progress
in FY 2022 and new developments in FY 2023.

A. Highlights in FY 2023
A-1. Launching a new center
In 2023, MEXT made an open call for WPI center proposals under a new center scheme; a
WPI CORE center which develops to a full-sized center through a stage gate process, and a
WPI Multiple HOST center which is jointly proposed by multiple host institutions. After avigorous selection process that ran from February to September of 2023, the Program
Committee selected a new center in the Multiple HOST center category “Advanced Institutefor Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)” established jointly by Tohoku University and Japan
Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

A-2. Meetings in person after 3 years of Pandemic
After three years since the winter of 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic has eased in 2023, taking
advantage of which the site visits to WPI centers in the summer were conducted on site, and
the Program Committee meeting in the fall were held in person in Tokyo.

PRIMe’s site visit in August 2023

2

B. WPI Outline
In 2007, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) launched
the WPI Program aimed at establishing internationally open and globally visible “World
Premium Institutes” in Japan. The background was:-Increasing worldwide competition in generating new research outcomes and in
recruiting talented scientists.

-

Strong need felt for more efficient forms of funding to advance fundamental andinnovative sciences, which are essential to building knowledge-based societies.

-

The advent of research excellence initiatives designed to encourage outstanding
research by providing large-scale and long-term funding.

To sharply focus the aim of the Program, the following Mission was given to the WPI centers.
-

Advancing to the highest pinnacle of globally leading-edge research-

Creating interdisciplinary domains-

Establishing international research environments-

Reforming research organizations

MEXT supports the WPI centers within the following context.
-

Up to ¥700 million a year per center in principle(Up to about ¥1.3 billion a year for centers launched in and before 2010)-

Research money is not included.

-

Support for 10 years (5-year extension is applicable for centers launched in or before
2012)

In 2020, the New Mission, advancing on the principles of the original mission above, wasformulated, namely,World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition-

The Highest Level of Research Impact-

Expanding Knowledge Frontiers through Interdisciplinarity and Diversity

Global Research Environment and System Reform-

Harnessing Talent and Potential through Global Brain Circulation-

Interdisciplinary and Inter-Organizational Capacity Building-

Effective, Proactive and Agile Management

Values for the Future-

Societal Value of Basic Research-

Human Resource Building: Higher Education and Career Development-

Self-Sufficient and Sustainable Center Development

The launching of centers under the New Mission started from 2021. MEXT supports these3

WPI centers within the following context.
-

Up to ¥700 million a year per center in principle-

Research money is not included.

-

Support for 10 years

In 2023, MEXT introduced a new scheme of WPI center development while maintaining the
new mission; a WPI CORE center which develops to a full-sized center through a stage gate
process, and a WPI Multiple HOST center which is jointly proposed by multiple hostinstitutions.
-

For a WPI CORE center, up to ¥500 million a year per center in principle before thestage gate and thereafter up to ¥700 million a year per center in principle-

For a Multiple HOST center, up to ¥1,000 million a year per center in principle

C. WPI Centers
Nine WPI centers were launched during the first 10 years of the WPI Program.
The first five WPI centers launched in 2007 are now all members of the WPI Academy.
-

AIMR on materials and mathematics, Tohoku University.

-

Kavli IPMU on the origin of Universe, The University of Tokyo.

-

iCeMS on cell biology and materials, Kyoto University-

IFReC on immunology, Osaka University-

MANA on nanoarchitetonics, National Institute for Materials Science

The sixth WPI center was launched under the “green innovation program” in 2010, and it is
the 6th member of the WPI Academy.
-

I2CNER on energy, Kyushu University

Three WPI centers were launched in 2012, and they are now all in the WPI Academy.
-

IIIS on sleep, University of Tsukuba-

ELSI on the origins of Earth and life, Tokyo Institute of Technology-

ITbM on plant/animal biology and chemistry, Nagoya University

In 2017, the 11th year of the WPI Program, two WPI centers were added:-

IRCN on origin of intelligence, The University of Tokyo-

NanoLSI on nano life science, Kanazawa University

In 2018, two more centers were launched:-

ICReDD on chemistry and information, Hokkaido University-

ASHBi on human biology, Kyoto University

In 2021, one new center was launched under the New Mission:
4

-

QUP on measurement science High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)In 2022, three new centers were launched under the New Mission:-

PRIMe on human metaverse medicine, Osaka University-

SKCM2 on knotted chiral metamatter, Hiroshima University-

Bio2Q on microbiome and quantum computing, Keio University

In 2023, the 17th year of the WPI Program, one new Multiple HOST center was launchedunder the New Mission:-

AIMEC on ocean physics and marine ecology, Tohoku University and Japan Agency
for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

As shown above, the sciences explored by the 18 WPI centers extend from Origins of the
Universe, Earth-Life, and Intelligence, Life, Materials/ Energy, and Measurement/Information/ Mathematics.

D. Follow-up framework
The WPI Program carries out a robust follow-up system comprising the international Program
Committee, program director (PD), deputy program director (DPD), program officers (POs),
5

and working groups (WGs). Since 2017, an academy director (AD), academy officers (AOs),
and Academy working groups (AWGs) have been put in place to oversee the follow-up
activities of the WPI centers that are members of the WPI Academy.
Program Committee
WPI Program committee continued its operation under Dr. HAMAGUCHI; four members left
the committee at the end of March 2023, and five members joined in April and June of 2023.
The Committee members and their affiliations are listed in the following website:
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel/07_committee.html
In FY 2023, the Program Committee held meetings on 15, 19-20 September and on 24-25
October. The September meeting was held on-line, whereas the October meeting was inperson in Tokyo.

The main items of business on Committee’s agenda in its September

meeting were (1) the selection of new WPI centers. In its October meeting, they were (2)reports by the new center directors on their vision (iCeMS, I2CNER, Kavli IPMU), (3) followup reviews of eight centers (IRCN, NanoLSI, ICReDD, QUP, PRIMe, SKCM2, Bio2Q), (4) reporton WPI Academy centers, and (5) future plan of WPI.

Program committee in October 2023 in TokyoPD, DPD, POs and WGs
PD: Dr. UKAWA Akira has been serving as Program Director since April 2017.
DPD: Dr. KAIBUCHI Kozo has been serving as Deputy Program Director Since April 2022.
POs: Being experts in the research areas of each center, they chair site visits and prepare
site-visit reports by compiling the comments of the site-visit team members.
WGs: Assembled for each WPI center, these groups principally consist of 3 domestic and 3international experts in areas that cover the center’s activities.
PD, DPD, POs and WG members and their affiliations are listed in the following website:
http://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel/08_followup.html
AD, AOs and AWGs
6

AD: Dr. UKAWA Akira, Program Director, has been in this position since April 2021.
AOs: Being experts in the research areas of the member centers, they chair site visits andprepare site-visit reports for the Program Committee.
AWGs: Assembled for each WPI center, these groups principally consist of 2 domestic and 1
international expert in areas that cover the center’s activities.
AD and AOs and their affiliations are listed in the following website:
https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/e-toplevel/18_academy.html
Site Visits
Site visits to the WPI centers receiving ongoing funding were conducted during the period of
July-September 2023. Taking advantage of the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic after 3
years, all the site visits were carried out on-site. They had full agendas over 2 days including
presentations by the center directors and the heads of the host institutions, presentations by
the PIs, and poster sessions by researchers. The reports on the site visits were submitted to
the Program Committee and disclosed to the respective centers.
WPI Academy Site Visits
For the nine Academy-member centers (AIMR, iCeMS, IFReC, MANA, I2CNER, Kavli IPMU,
IIIS, ELSI, and ITbM), site visits were held from November 2022 to March 2023. Attended
by AD, AO with PD and DPD, these site visits were carried out online with a duration of about
2 hours. Reports on the site visits were made to the Program Committee in its Octobermeeting by AD.

E. Future plan of the WPI Program
In this year’s October meeting of the Program Committee, Mr. NISHIYAMA Takashi, Directorof Basic and Generic Research Division of Research Promotion Bureau of MEXT, presented
MEXT’s plan of further sustainable support for the development of WPI centers.

7

F. Follow up on the 2 Centers launched in 2017
F-1. IRCN
Center director: Takao HENSCH
Program officer: MISHINA Masayoshi, Ritsumeikan University
1. Advancing research of the highest global level
IRCN is tackling the challenging question of how human intelligence (HI) arises by
establishing principles of brain development, unraveling the etiology and treatment of
mental disorders, and innovating neuro-inspired artificial intelligence (AI).
Using a bottom-up team science strategy, IRCN researchers have intensively interacted
and produced high-quality publications. Among IRCN’s impressive achievements, itsfindings on a modular strategy for developing hierarchical visual networks is particularly
outstanding. Its achievements in elucidating the initial synaptic events underlying critical
period plasticity, inflexible brain dynamics in autism, and the pharmacologicalmanipulation of visual neuroplasticity are also commendable. Its integration ofneurodevelopment findings into computation models is emerging as exemplified byreservoir computing.

Recent Highlight Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show cognitive rigidity and tend to
persist in specific thoughts and behaviors, whereas those with ADHD exhibit unstable cognition and havedifficulty in concentrating. Despite such contrasts, clinically, the two prevalent neurodevelopmental
disorders are often reported to co-exist in the same individual and sometimes treated as an overlap of
the two conditions. Applying novel energy landscape analysis published in eNeuro on July 6, 2023,
Principal Investigator (Associate Professor) Takamitsu Watanabe and Mr Daichi Watanabe, anundergraduate internship student from UC Berkeley, found that such an ASD+ADHD condition is not a
simple merging of pure ASD and pure ADHD; rather, the condition is a biological subtype of ASD, and its
cognitive instability is underpinned by unique brain dynamics that are not seen in pure ADHD. Thesefindings indicate that the comorbidity of ASD and ADHD would need a bespoke diagnosis and treatment82. Implementation as a WPI center
Generating fused disciplines:
The center’s approach of flexibly organizing teams based on shared topics is proving tobe quite successful. This dynamic team science strategy strongly facilitatesinterdisciplinary collaboration among the developmental neuroscience, human/clinical,
and computation groups.
We saw a number of publications that emerged from these collaborations, including on
improvement of reservoir computing by adjusting the excitatory-inhibitory balance basedon their findings regarding critical period development and on exploration of brain statesof psychosis using dynamical network biomarkers.
Realizing an international research environment:
The ratio of overseas PIs now stands at 19% (3/16). The ratio for all overseas
researchers is 34% (46/137). These numbers satisfy the requirement of the WPI Program,though the ratio of PIs can be improved by adding one or two more foreign PIs.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCN made effort to maintain its internationalpresence through its International Science Salons and by sustaining MOUs with 16
foreign brain research organizations. Reflecting this effort, IRCN hosted 6 researchers
who were on sabbatical leave. An office suite was prepared to welcome these foreign
professors during their sabbatical stays.
Making organizational reforms:
The Director's Office was established to provide more agile oversight of day-to-day issues.
The center’s Steering Committee was expanded to include all PIs. Its five core facilities
continued to provide research services and technologies. IRCN has re-started its
internship programs that host foreign students.
IRCN is in a “quasi” under-one-roof environment and maintains extensive research
networks by enlisting 54 Affiliated Faculty members and 21 Affiliated Research Fellows.
Few junior PIs participated in the university’s graduate training programs. Disconnection
between young PIs and graduate students is a problem that must be officially addressed
as soon as possible.
The flexible, collaborative organization enabled by “team science” appears to be well inmotion and producing active collaborations across PIs. The university’s proposal to place
IRCN within the Graduate School of Medicine is incompatible to advancing reform as it
requires abolishing the open, flat and interdisciplinary structure of IRCN and putting its
9

faculty into a traditional hierarchical structure. This will severely downgrade IRCN’s
attraction as an international hub for brain research.
Effort to secure the center’s future development over the mid- to long-term:
UTokyo has secured a permanent budget for retaining 10 full-professor equivalents for
IRCN.
The plan for a new Life Innovation Building to house IRCN was presented based on the“Basic Concept for Revitalizing UTokyo Hongo Area,” but the building schedule to becompleted by 2029 is very slow.
UTokyo has proposed placing IRCN within the Graduate School of Medicine as the future
plan for the center. That transition would take 4 years up to 2027 to complete, requiring
IRCN’s team structure to adapt to the department style of the School of Medicine. This
proposal is completely counter to the requirement of WPI Program for UTokyo, the hostinstitution, to establish IRCN as an independent and autonomous institute within its
organization. IRCN’s open and interdisciplinary structure, which embodies the system
reform intended by WPI, will be forced to bend back to a traditional hierarchical structure.
If this happens, IRCN will lose its essential character as a WPI center. UTokyo should
seriously reconsider its future plans for IRCN.
To foster junior PIs, it will be essential to allow them access to graduate students assoon as possible.
IRCN needs a strategy to develop diversity, especially regarding the participation of
female scientists.
Center’s response to the follow-up results of last year:
Strengthening the Computation GroupThe presented list of researchers intended to enhance the center’s computational aspects
seems somewhat inflated and lacks a clear focus.
Milestones
What IRCN’s milestones will be in coming years is not sufficiently articulated. It will needto provide more specific goals for treating mental disorders and innovating neuroinspired AI.
Future plan for IRCN
UTokyo’s proposal to place IRCN within the Graduate School of Medicine as the future
plan for IRCN is very unsatisfactory.
10

Graduate education
UTokyo and IRCN should take stronger initiatives for obtaining cross-appointments ofjunior PIs in appropriate departments so as to allow their engagement in graduate
education.
3. Actions required and recommendations
1) Placing IRCN within the Graduate School of Medicine runs completely counter to the
WPI Program’s requirement that UTokyo should establish IRCN as an independentand autonomous institute within its organization. The open and interdisciplinary
structure of IRCN’s faculty, which embodies the system reform intended by the WPI
program, will be forced to bend back to a traditional hierarchical structure. UTokyo
should seriously reconsider its future plans for IRCN. If nothing else, it should keep
IRCN within the University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS) andsecure the positions, budget and building sufficient for its sustainable operation, as
in the case of Kavli IPMU.
It is agreeable that UTokyo has reconsidered a future plan for keeping IRCN within
UTIAS. UTokyo should clarify its fundamental policy as to how it intends WPI centers
to transform the university.
2) Strategies must be implemented that will enable young PIs to accept graduate
students. IRCN and UTokyo should take stronger initiatives for obtaining crossappointments of junior PIs in appropriate departments so as to allow them toeffectively supervise graduate students and deliver lectures in interdisciplinary fields.
It will also be valuable for IRCN to develop more aggressive promotion strategies foryounger and female scientists.
3) IRCN should clearly describe its progress and overall strategy toward understanding
the origin of human intelligence. IRCN’s milestones for coming years are notsufficiently articulated. It will need to provide more specific goals for treating mental
disorders and innovating neuro-inspired AI.
4) The presented list of researchers intended to enhance the center’s computational
aspects seems somewhat inflated and lacks clear focus. Given the rapid
advancements in AI technologies such as generative AI, a vision for neuroscience
research that aligns with these advancements is desired. Understanding the brain
through the lens of modern AI technologies can provide profound insights and novel
directions in the field.
115) Considering explosive development of AI and its impacts on society, economy andscience, IRCN should clarify its vision on neuro-inspired AI including ethical and social
issues. Within the context of a need for milestones and alignment of neuroscience
research with recent advances in AI, IRCN may consider writing a forward-looking
position paper which presents, from its perspective, views on important
progress/discoveries and next steps for neuroscience and AI.

12F-2. NanoLSI
Center director: FUKUMA Takeshi
Program officer: NAKANO Akihiko, RIKEN
1. Advancing research of the highest global level
NanoLSI is continuing its excellent activities in science. In the Center’s PI list, Prof. Andoand Prof. Mikhailov retired and were succeeded by Prof. Kodera and Prof. Beta,
respectively. Dr. Sato has joined as an Associate PI. Six Jr. PIs who have joined NanoLSI
since 2019 are now well integrated into the research environment and are producing
good outputs. In FY 2022, PIs of NanoLSI published 106 original articles, of which 45
came from international collaborations, and 26 are top 10%.
Solid progress has achieved marked results in several areas. The high-speed AFM has
become even faster due to efforts to reduce the response times of cantilevers, and the
10-fold improvement of temporal resolution now allows observing the dynamics of actin
filaments and microtubules at 70-100 frames/s. Analyses by AFM and SICM on the
stiffness of the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope have revealed intriguingchanges during cancer metastatic transition, raising many mechanistic questions that

Recent Highlight Mapping Nanomechanical Properties of Basal Surfaces in Metastatic Intestinal 3D Living
Organoids with High‐Speed Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy (HS-SICM) (a) HS-SICM setup for 3D cellmeasurement. (b) Snapshots of time-lapse images of height, elastic modulus and local correlation factor of ingenotype-defined (A, AK, AKF, AKP, AKT, AKTP, and AKTPF) 3D organoids of metastasis cancer cells and normal
Crypt cells. (c) Elastic moduli and (d) local correlation factors in genotype-defined 3D organoids.
Wang et al., Sm all (2023), vol.19 (9), DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206213

13

await fruitful collaborations with cell biologists. Supramolecular chemistry has succeeded
in developing a new sensor system that enables nanomolar detection of 1-MNA as acancer marker.
2. Implementation as a WPI center
Generating fused disciplines:
To encourage interdisciplinary research, the Transdisciplinary Research Promotion Grant(TDRP-G) is now accepting both top-down (since FY 2021) and bottom-up (since FY2018) proposals in good balance. T-meetings are operating very well, now often held
voluntarily. Matching up young researchers of two different groups, they lead tocollaborations.
Realizing an international research environment:
Due to COVID-19, there was a serious physical disruption of communication andexchange between researchers at NanoLSI and those overseas. Now that the pandemic
is over, this situation improves and active international interactions have resumed.
Applications to the Bio-SPM Summer School and for Bio-SPM Collaborative Research havebounced back to the pre-COVID level.
Making organizational reforms:
NanoLSI and Kanazawa University have already implemented a set of significant reforms
during the first half of the WPI funding period. These reforms are to be continued. As of
April 2023, 24 master’s course students (13 domestic and 11 overseas from 7 countries)and 32 doctorate course students (10 domestic and 22 overseas from 8 countries) areenrolled. These numbers will further expand in FY 2024.
The laboratory tours taken on day 2 of the visit gave us a good and impressive
opportunity to see how the NanoLSI building (completed in 2020 during COVID) is
organized and how people are working there together.
Effort to secure the center’s future development over the mid- to long-term:
President Wada of Kanazawa University expressed a clear and concrete commitment tosupport NanoLSI even after WPI funding ends, including in terms of personnel andinfrastructure maintenance and development. A mechanism for retaining foreign PIs
should be considered, perhaps by cross appointments, after WPI funding ends.
The total amount of external funds in FY 2022 granted to NanoLSI was 1.36 billion JPY.
The increase in funding continuing from FY 2018 indicates the high evaluation of
NanoLSI’s research, which will be of strong support in securing the Center’s future.
14

Kanazawa University has a plan to build a new building, “Experimental Research Center
for Envisioning the Future,” for industry-academia collaboration and verification of basic
research results. Part of its space will be used for expanding NanoLSI’s activities.
Center’s response to the follow up results of last year
As always, NanoLSI has responded to the WG’s follow-up recommendations of theprevious year very sincerely. Balancing top-down and bottom-up projects has beeneffectively adjusted, for example, by monitoring the outputs of TDRP-G. To involve more
early-stage students, NanoLSI PIs and Jr. PIs are now actively giving lectures and courses
to undergraduate students. Female ratio of researchers has increased from ~10% to~20% in the past 3 years. Among the foreign students at NanoLSI, 58% are now female.
The joining of Dr. Hanae Sato from USA as an Associate PI is also good news. Industry
collaborations and non-biological applications are also being pursued.
3. Actions required and recommendations
NanoLSI is achieving good progress in developing high-end SPM technologies at a top
world level.
It is now time to apply these technologies to answering still-unanswered questions in life
sciences, not just to cancer research. Stiffness and elasticity of membranes are one ofthe promising targets, and collaborations with experts in cell biology will be key togaining mechanistic insights.
To realize true nanoendoscopy, continued efforts will be needed in developing sensor
systems that can be of practical use in measuring metabolites and other parameters inand around living cells.
The Center should continue its efforts in basic research to integrate nano-scaleobservation and measurement techniques into a new research field and, at the sametime, begin to consider broader applications of its technologies to non-expert scientists
and the non-academic community by seeking further collaborations with industry in the
future.
Improvement of gender balance should also be continued with a strategy. A program to
invite senior female and international scientists on a short-term basis to participate inseminars and give presentations may also help in improving this balance.
To expand NanoLSI’s international networking, it may also be a good idea for the Center
to seek more connections to other overseas research institutions.
15

G. Follow up on the 2 Centers launched in 2018
G-1. ICReDD
Center director: MAEDA Satoshi
Program officer: TATSUMI Kazuyuki, Nagoya University
1. Advancing research of the highest global level
At the interim evaluation of ICReDD last year, significant progress was recognized inadvancing research on chemical reactions. Toward the second half of its funding period,
theoretical chemists, synthetic chemists, and information scientists will continue tocollaborate for the creation of a new paradigm for reaction discovery and for expansion of
the scope of designing chemical reactions. The seven Flagship Projects had been used as
key drivers for the research focus in the first five years, and they have now been reorganizedto six projects. The road map of new six projects is explicitly described, and they arecomplementary to the existing/new bottom-up projects, which are proposed and organizedby young members. Particularly noteworthy are 1) application of AFIR to a full theoreticaldesign of chemical syntheses of useful fluorinated compounds etc., 2) use of AFIR fortransition-metal

catalysis,

enatioselective

catalysis,

andorganocatalysis,

3)mechanochemical synthesis, and 4) functionalization of gels and their clinical application.

Recent Highlight [Left] Predicting Highly Enantioselective Catalysts Using Tunable Fragment Descriptors (Angew.

Chem. Int. Ed. 2023. DOI: 10.10028/anie.202218659)[Right] In Situ and Real-Time Visualization of Mechanochemical Damage in Double-Network Hydrogels by Prefluorescent
Probe via Oxygen-Relayed Radical Trapping (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023. DOI:10.1021/jacs.2c13764)

2. Implementation as a WPI center
Generating fused disciplines:
From the very beginning of ICReDD, the research has been conducted based on the strong
collaboration of theoretical chemists, synthetic chemists, and information scientists. In
particular, collaborative efforts of theoretical chemists and synthetic chemists have been very
successful on creating a new paradigm for reaction discovery. More recently, information
scientists have accelerated their contribution to ICReDD, strengthening the collaborative16

capacity of the institute. The fusion of computational and information science has resulted
in the AFIR Database designated as SCAN, which is now a powerful tool to design newreactions. Furthermore, in an attempt to apply new chemical materials to cancer diagnosis,
close collaboration of chemists, biochemists, and medical staffs has been sought for, and the
new consortium (Clinical Platform) is organized for chemists in ICReDD and for clinicians inFaculty of Medicine and Medical School of Hokkaido University.
Realizing an international research environment:
At the end of FY2022, 45% of researchers are foreign nationals, which is satisfactory.

Inauguration of “List DX Catalyst Collaboration Research Platform” in the structure of
ICReDD is certainly an advantage not only for the Center’s research activity but also for its
international reputation as an institute. “Fusion Research Office” in the new building also
facilitates international research environment.
Making organizational reforms:
1) The Administrative Director has provided significant management help for Center
Director Maeda, allowing him to concentrate himself more on the research leadership.
The President of Hokkaido University has been very enthusiastic in promoting the activityof ICReDD.
2) “List DX Catalyst Collaboration Research Platform” has been inaugurated within theorganizational structure of ICReDD, and the research laboratory is set in the new
ICReDD building. This is significant for ICReDD, as it will be a welcome boost to thevisibility of the institute within the world. In fact, Prof. Benjamin List, Nobel Laureateof chemistry in 2021, understands very well the mission and objectives of the instituteas a PI and as the head of the new platform, and he has been well aligned with Center
Director Maeda on the vision of ICReDD.
3) ICReDD is regarded as a core in Hokkaido University in promoting “Grand Challenge
Research Strategy”, a newly established top-down organizational reform, where thecollaborative research platforms create a flexible and dynamic research organization
to conduct cutting-edge fusion research.
Effort to secure the center’s future development over the mid- to long-term:
Hokkaido University has presented a strong and concrete support plan for the future of
ICReDD.
1) The new 4-story 5,500 m2 ICReDD building opened, where the two-story “Fusion
Research Office” brings together researchers from different disciplines.
2) In order to maximize the impact of ICReDD in terms of contribution to industry and17commercialization opportunities, “The Mitsui Chemicals - ICReDD Innovative Chemical
Reaction Design Laboratory” has been established in the new building.
3) Positions of 10 Senior PIs and 6 Young PIs are, and will be, allocated to ICReDD by
Hokkaido University in order to maintain ICReDD as a permanent institute. It is notvery clear at this stage, however, whether the 10 PI positions will belong solely to
ICReDD or to elsewhere in Hokkaido University.
Center’s response to the follow-up results of last year
The center has adequately and positively responded to the follow-up results of last year.
In particular, the following Items are seen as very positive outcomes; 1) to set explicitly its
goals and roadmaps for the Flagship Projects and the bottom-up projects, 2) to elucidate thenature of the cancer stem cells that ICReDD has derived from their interactions withhydrogels, closer collaborations with experts in fundamental cancer biology and pathology
are needed, and 5) to make every effort of investigation on the scientific misconduct that
occurred at ICReDD and on the reforms that the university will undertake to prevent
reoccurrences.
3. Actions required and recommendations
1)

Continue the efforts to achieve the top-level science through fusion research oftheoretical/ informational/experimental sciences. The flagship projects as well as thebottom-up projects have been a very effective promoters for this purpose.

2)

Continue the efforts to fulfill the gender balance at every level in line with the policyof Hokkaido University.

3)

Continue the efforts to establish the staffing plan to guarantee that ICReDD will
maintain 10 PI positions of its own.

4)

It is recommended that ICReDD and Hokkaido University aid “List DX Catalyst
Collaboration Research Platform” to promote additional funds from funding agencies
both in Japan and in Germany, e.g., JSPS and DFG.

5)

ICReDD is recommended to bring in more researchers and students from established
top-institutes abroad, e.g., those in Europe and in the USA.

6)

One mission of MANABIYA for spreading the methods of “computation-aided chemical
reaction design” is fine, but the planning and setting-up for MANABIYA-based new
graduate school needs to be much accelerated.

7)

Hokkaido University is asked to conduct reforms in order to prevent reoccurrences ofthe scientific misconduct that occurred at ICReDD, and the members at the center are
asked to share deep understanding on research ethics and proper scientific conduct.
18

G-2. ASHBi
Center director: SAITOU Mitinori
Program officer: OKANO Hideyuki, Keio University
1. Advancing research of the highest global level
ASHBi aims to understand biological traits that define humanity, using this knowledge fordisease treatment. Focusing on genome regulation and disease modeling, they havepublished more than 200 influential WPI papers in five years. Recently, we observed
enhanced coherence in ASHBi's research. Their five flagship projects, particularly one on
early primate development, show promise in understanding the human essence. We
emphasize the significance of ASHBi's nonhuman primate research for global biomedical
advances and recommend focused discussions to maximize its medical impact, especially inkidney and psychiatric disorders.

Recent HighlightLighting the Circuits to Risky Decision-Making (Isa G, Science, 2024)

2. Implementation as a WPI center
Generating fused disciplines:
Fusion of biology and mathematics: ASHBi's efforts to merge mathematics withbiology have seen substantial progress. They've set up a specialized mathematics teamcomprising data science and mathematical modeling experts, not limited to Kyoto
University. This team has pioneered advanced algorithms like RECODE for minimizing noisein scRNA-seq analysis and tools vital for biological data examination, like scEGOT and the19topological embedding method for scMC-3C.
Fusion of bioethics and life science: ASHBi's Bioethics Group is making international
waves, partnering with organizations such as ISSCR. They have led discussions on sensitive
topics, including human fetal and postmortem tissue research, stem cell-based embryostudies, synthetic embryos, and the controversial 14-day rule for human embryo research.
Realizing an international research environment:
ASHBi's internationalization and diversity have grown significantly, recruiting two
foreign/female Principal Investigators (PIs) and promoting foreign/female postdocs via
their Employment Support Program. Continuing these efforts is crucial for international
collaborations and enhancing ASHBi's global prominence.
Making organizational reforms:
Kyoto University (KU) is supporting ASHBi's organizational reforms, including a top-down
decision-making system. To sustain the Institute beyond the WPI program. A) Personnel
Support: KU will give five tenured professorship positions to ASHBi. By the end of 2021,
two were filled, and three more are expected by April 2024; B) Financial Support: KU
will redirect indirect funding from its two WPI centers to a special budget for the centers.
Effort to secure the center’s future development over the mid- to long-term:
Kyoto University (KU) has prioritized ASHBi's long-term growth with several initiatives:A) After WPI funding concludes, KU will allocate a special budget to maintain ASHBi's
Administrative Office and Research Acceleration Unit; B) ASHBi's successful practices,core facilities like SignAC, will be incorporated into broader KU system reforms, signalinga major overhaul of the university's research administration and support structure.
Center’s response to the follow-up results of last year
ASHBi is dedicated to understanding the fundamental essence of what makes us human.
They have actively promoted the integration of various disciplines and launched 5
Flagship Projects, while conducting regular progress checks and in-depth evaluations at
the Principal Investigator (PI) level. With an ambition to become a global nexus forhuman biology, ASHBi is pushing to diversify its team by increasing the number of foreignand female PIs, junior researchers, and postdocs.
3. Actions required and recommendations1) (Monkey Project): There is opportunity for the Center’s non-human primate research
to be very impactful in tackling human diseases. To address the issue of insufficient
supply and high cost of macaque monkeys, ASHBi is considering having its satellite at20

Shiga University of Medical Science breed the macaque monkeys. The size of thesatellite’s facility and its current monkey count will need to be assessed toward obtaining
a consistent research supply. On the other hand, sufficient ethical reflection should beshown in their work on genetically modified non-human primates.
2) (Mathematics): ASHBi has created advanced analysis systems like RECODE and VMapper. The goal should now be to set these systems as global benchmarks in biological
data analysis.
3) (Ethics): ASHBi appears able to become a leader in creating ethical guidelines forresearch, particular in the domain of stem and germ cells. Eventually, it should share thisknowledge internationally.
4) (Clinical Science): ASHBi should develop "Better Cures for Disease". It is expected that
ASHBi will advance research plans aimed at developing new therapies for diseases basedon human biology. They should not be satisfied with just developing genetically modified
monkey models of human diseases but should proactively investigate ways to develop
innovative therapeutic strategies using the monkey models they develop.
5) (Diversity):

The Center’s female and non-Japanese ratios are reasonably good.

However, considering the fields related to the Center’s research, ASHBi could aim at ahigher percentage of female researchers. While ASHBi stated that they are going torecruit more females, they did not tell us much about their plan to increase female
researchers in the Center. ASHBi needs to take an even more concerted and strategic
approach to encouraging gender diversity, especially at the PI level.
6) (Support from Kyoto University): Kyoto University considers ASHBi and SignAC as
exemplary models of research organizations and plans to expand them to university-widesystem reforms and promises continuing financial support for that.

21

H. Follow up on the Centers launched in 2021
H-1. QUP
Center director: HAZUMI Masashi
Program officer: TSUNETA Saku, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
1. Implementation as a WPI center(1) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
Advancing research of the highest global level:
Development of novel measurement principles for particle physics and cosmology withbroader societal applications in the longer term is the scientific vision of QUP. It is clarified
that the QUP’s SpaceTES for the LiteBIRD Project is responsible for the design, fabrication,
test and delivery of the TES detector system to JAXA’s LiteBIRD flight mission. There are
a number of serious concerns with this project. The higher-level JAXA-led project has not
yet been well defined and therefore all the external interfaces are poorly defined including
the overall schedule and the budget acquisition prospect. Within QUP, experience ofdeveloping space hardware is limited to very few people. The QUP-Kamioka-DM (Dark
Matter) project, a new flagship project candidate, has been proposed, having two phases(exploratory and more sophisticated experiment phases). This second-stage project,however, is still in a preliminary stage. The Casimir force project is very interesting but
needs clearer objective and stronger plan. The PI-led rad-hard project and collider projectneed more coherence and synergy with the objective of QUP.
Overall, there does not seem to be a systematic approach to developing novel quantum
field measurement systems, resulting in slowness in developing flagship projects and alack of cohesiveness in the research agenda presented.

Recent highlight

QUP cryo-facility: Four dilution refrigerators were installed for the QUP detector

22Generating fused disciplines:
It turns out that systemology was a system-engineering methodology, and a solid systemengineering support group is being put in its place, which will be essential for implementing
the SpaceTES Project. The director proposed that systemology also be applied to more
infant and ambiguous research activities. The concept of systemology does not appear to
be coming together.
QUP has initiated the QUPosium/Workshops, QUP week, and QUP Synergy Summit. It is
too early to know whether these new activities will lead to important progress in technology
and discoveries. Overall, the fusion with other disciplines is still relatively moderate.
(2) Global Research Environment and System Reform
Realizing an international research environment:
With PIs from abroad spending only a week/year at the center in FY2022, and the total
number of researchers still being at the low number of 30 by the end of FY2022, which iswell below the planned number, international PIs and researchers do not appear to be wellintegrated into the QUP project. Serious effort is needed to recruit foreign researchers bothat the PI level, which was in last year’s recommendations, and at a junior level. Without
this effort, it will be difficult for QUP to attain international standing and attractiveness foryoung researchers from overseas.
Making organizational reforms:
It is not clear whether QUP has implemented any system improvements to enhance its
transparency. Questions include: What is the decision-making system? What is the relation
between the QUP Director and KEK Director-General? How is QUP’s administration
organized, and what role is the administrative director playing?
KEK Director-General did mention that KEK would support QUP without commenting on its
own organization reform plan stimulated by QUP. It is important for KEK to find sufficientincentive to support QUP. To make its support for QUP sustainable, KEK will need to identify
the actual merit of accommodating QUP within its organization.
(3) Values for the future
Societal Value of Basic Research:
Outreach activities to society should be more emphasized. An outreach expert to promote
public awareness on the societal value of QUP is needed.
The idea to directly include the industry sector in the project is new and could lead to23

inventions developed interactively with society. Incorporating more diverse groups
including non-Japanese industries will increase the effectiveness of this approach.
Human resource building: higher education and career development:
QUP has started an internship program for graduate students and postdocs called QUPIP.
However, we do not see clear presence of PhD students, and with QUPIP, people do notstay at QUP for more than three months. More effort is needed to set up an education
system that is attractive to students and young researchers, and that triggers a systemchange in the graduate education of KEK. A numerical target should be established.
QUP’s initial proposal stated dispatch of young researchers to the Berkeley Satellite for an
extended period to foster researchers with an international perspective. We need to seethat this happens.
Self-sufficient and sustainable center development:
Director-General Yamauchi explained KEK's support plan for QUP’s sustainability. There
are a number of issues regarding the self-sufficient and sustainable development of thecenter. The role that KEK wishes QUP to play in its reform is not clearly explained. The
number of positions is insufficient for QUP to become self-sustained; more positions will
be needed. It is not clear whether the renovated building has sufficient space to house
all PIs, including those from abroad, “under-one-roof”.
2. Center’s response to the follow up results of the last year
QUP management took last year's recommendations very seriously and made a significant
effort to implement them, including structural changes to the organization, and deemphasis of some activities. While this has resulted in improvements, the state ofprogress is not satisfactory. Regarding the LiteBIRD project, a new set of technical andprogrammatic concerns has emerged including the funding issue to be resolved withwider stakeholders of KEK, JAXA and MEXT. Regarding project-Q, the QUP-Kamioka DM
project is proposed as a candidate. It appears that the project is still in the defining phase.
A clear path for the technology, methods, and goals needs to be worked out to see if the
project will be competitive and worthwhile as a second flagship project.
3. Actions required and recommendations
The WPI Program Committee is seriously concerned with the state of progress at QUP.
The activities reported do not show convincing quality, breadth and strength required toachieve the WPI mission. The identity and role of QUP, justifying a new center within thehost institution KEK, is not becoming any clearer. WPI Program Committee advises QUP
24

and KEK, as the host organization, to seriously consider the following points. The Program
Committee expects to receive clear and concrete responses on these points from QUP
and KEK at next year’s Program Committee meeting.
1) There is very urgent need to establish a clear and credible research agenda that iscoherent and systematic for achieving QUP’s scientific vision, namely, to develop novel
measurement principles for particle physics and cosmology with longer term societal
impacts.
The SpaceTES for the LiteBIRD Project is more into the engineering phase than thebasic research phase suited to WPI. To the extent that this project is to be pursued
by QUP, it requires a clear internal and external interface definition, definitive plan for
AIV (Assembly, Integration, Verification) with quality assurance and systemengineering, and the necessary team staffing to deliver the flight TES system to JAXA.
The funding to build the TES flight system must be clarified with KEK, JAXA and MEXT.
The QUP-Kamioka-DM Project should develop a concrete plan for building the
proposed facility at Kamioka and establish a strategy with a realistic plan and timeline
for actual payloads (especially phase 2 and “plan B” for phase 2) to detect light dark
matter. The novelty and superiority of this project among the multitude of DM projects
has to be established.
In addition to SpaceTES and QUP-Kamioka-DM, serious consideration has to be given
to the PI-led projects including the Casimir force, rad-hard and collider physics
projects to ensure their strength and coherency with QUP’s objectives.
2) The concept of systemology is not coming together. QUP should design much more
concretely the application and extension of system engineering (aka systemology) to
its research projects with fusion among disciplines in mind. QUP should also establish
success criteria for the systemology section to gauge its effectiveness.
3) Very strong efforts should be made by QUP’s leadership to recruit foreign researchers
and integrate them into QUP’s activity. This includes additional foreign PIs residing onsite and junior researchers including postdocs and graduate students. QUP should aim
at levels higher than the WPI numerical target. Assuring the quality of personnel andpromoting their long-term residence at QUP in Japan is also essential. To achieve this,QUP should examine what attractive features it can provide to foreign researchers.
4) QUP Internship Program (QUPIP) requires much more ideas and effort for it to exerta change in KEK’s education system. The program should be made more attractive
25

and better known to young researchers worldwide, along with having a relevant
financial support scheme. QUP should dispatch young (Japanese) researchers to its
Berkeley Satellite for extended periods to foster researchers with international
perspectives, as stated in its proposal.
5) QUP should make stronger, more persistent outreach efforts to promote publicawareness of its societal value. Collaboration with diverse companies will be effectivein disseminating the value of basic research to society.
6) KEK Director-General should make KEK’s support plan into an official statement so as
to guarantee its execution of QUP’s operation after WPI funding ends.
7) The new building to be built by 2025 should have enough space to truly house all PIs
and researchers under-one-roof. It should have an attractive design, one that realizes
the kind of open and international environment envisioned by WPI.
8) As a WPI center, QUP is expected to develop a clear and unique identity, which is not
an extension of KEK, in both its science, as a research organization, and its education.
QUP and KEK should make clear and concrete statements on their views regarding
this matter.

26

I. Follow up on the Centers launched in 2022
I-1. PRIMe
Center director: NISHIDA Kohji
Program officer: KURODA Shinya, The University of Tokyo
1. Efforts to improve points indicated as requiring improvement in application
review and results of such efforts(1) PRIMe has attempted to coordinate research on digitizing life and medical
phenomena. However, a shared vision of a concept of biological twins and a common
research direction/roadmap for biodigital twins are still lacking. (2) A strategy related tocross-talk in inter-organ networks was presented, but verification is still pending. (3)While the idea of setting up a cloud-based data infrastructure is appreciated, there is asignificant concern about the lack of coordination between experimental researchers,mathematical/ information scientists and advanced technology teams. (4) The role ofpartner institutions was not explained clearly during the site visit.

XOXX

X Duplication
XYXX

Y LossXO +16X Duplication

XX

Chr.16 Loss
X Duplication
Conversion of sex chromosome and/or
autosome in stem cells

Ovary organoid (top) and mature oocytes(bottom) from male iPS cells

Recent Highlight PRIMe PI Katsuhiko Hayashi and colleagues achieved successful mouse oogenesis
reconstitution, converting both autosomes and sex chromosomes. This technology enables the production offunctional oocytes from male cells. It will serve as the foundation for creating a human ovarian organoid systemfrom iPS cells of patients with sex chromosome abnormalities or aneuploidy.
N ature (2023) DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05834-x

27

2. Implementation as a WPI center(1) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
Advancing research of the highest global level:
PRIMe has assembled researchers of high quality in a multi-disciplinary area that spansbiomedical research, clinical medicine, mathematical sciences, and advanced
technologies. At the same time, there is a significant lack of a shared, concrete vision
for the center project's main aim: creating biodigital twins. To remedy this situation,
there is a strong need to form a “steering committee” that defines the concept of
biodigital twins, and generate a roadmap for integrating each team into a cohesivewhole for researching biodigital twins. The steering committee would include thedirector and deputy directors, and perhaps some young PIs and an ELSI expert to spur
their early participation in leadership.
A very important element for establishing biodigital twins is the managing and sharingof data. A unified plan for data generation, verification and sharing is urgently needed.
Generating fused disciplines:
Regular and deep discussions among PRIMe members are crucially needed so as tofuse organoid research with computational modeling. The “steering committee”
described above would be a good arena for conducting such discussions. Deputy
director Okada, who is familiar with both wet and dry research, should be put in aposition where she can take more leadership in facilitating discussions and can guidethe process of interdisciplinary fusion more actively. Recruiting an additional PI who
makes 100% effort to developing biodigital twins should be considered. The new
PRIMe building, to be completed by 2026, will provide a co-location for 'wet' and 'dry'
researchers, greatly facilitating their integration under one-roof.
(2) Global Research Environment and System Reform
Realizing an international research environment:
The center currently falls short of meeting WPI requirements for international
representation and diversity among its PIs and researchers. The center should
recognize the importance and benefits that well-diversified research leadership anda diverse group of researchers can bring, and make a concerted effort to increase
the number of foreign PIs and female PIs at the center.
Many of the foreign and cross-appointed PIs are not spending adequate time at
PRIMe, which is an issue given their importance to the center.
Making organizational reforms:
28

PRIMe has instituted a top-down decision-making process, led by the director, which
includes budgetary and personnel decisions. It has also set up an administration
system with 5 URAs for research support.
(3) Values for the future
Societal Value of Basic Research:
PRIMe's outreach includes Nature Index announcements, a dedicated website,
symposia, and high-school programs. There is a need, however, for a well-formulated
strategy to disseminate the value of "Human Metaverse Medicine", and PRIMe should
establish strong interaction with patient groups and the public.
Human resource building: higher education and career development:
Graduate program for human Metaverse and a Ph.D. program will start by 2027. An
inspiring environment for Junior PIs exists. Further planning and concrete measures
are required, however, including a concrete support plan for graduate students,
greater attention to attracting foreign students, and clearer program definitions,especially in interdisciplinary education like bioinformatics.
Self-sufficient and sustainable center development:
Osaka University supports PRIMe with a new building, faculty positions, and JPY
700M in management costs. Concerns exist about the permanency of theadministrative staff position after WPI funding ends.
3. Actions required and recommendations(1) There is a strong need for PRIMe to clearly articulate and share a common
vision/concept on biodigital twins among all its PIs. This requires intense discussions
led by a “Steering committee”, including the director and deputy directors, someyoung scientists and a medical ethics expert. The role of the steering committee would
be to design a vision/concept of biodigital twins, formulate a strategic roadmap andflagship projects for the mid (within 5 years) and long terms (10 years or more).
(2) Deputy director Okada, who is familiar with both wet and dry research, should be put
in a position where she can take more leadership in facilitating discussions and canguide the process of interdisciplinary fusion more actively. Hiring an additional PI who
has the expertise and background that would help to develop biodigital twins is as an
option for enhancing the center’s vision and possibly attracting more international
collaborations.
(3) There is urgent need for a dialog between PIs doing experiments, including organoid29

and clinical studies, conducting mathematical analyses, and developing advanced
technologies to see how their sciences can be integrated. In particular, integration of
the surrogate model (data-driven model) for clinical data, and of the causal model(hypothesis-driven model) for human organoids should be designed and implemented.
(4) Standardized protocols for experimental and mathematical analyses should be set forcohesive integration into biodigital twins. Hiring a specialist researcher who can leadthis effort and manage the resulting data should be considered.
(5) PRIMe is strongly recommended to systematically accelerate the recruitment offoreign and female researchers beyond the WPI requirements.
(6) Research space allocation should mix "wet" researchers (experimentalists) and "dry"researchers (theorists) on the same floor for better vision sharing and activity fusion.
This should be taken into account in the design of the new building.
(7) The host university should clarify how it will make administrative staff positions
permanent after WPI funding ends.

30

I-2. SKCM2
Center director: Ivan SMALYUKHProgram officer: YASHIMA Eiji, Nagoya University
1. Efforts to improve points indicated as requiring improvement in application
review and results of such efforts
1)

The director stayed in Hiroshima fulltime for the first year of the SKCM2 center,
committing an admirable effort to achieving a successful start of the SKCM2 project.
He should, however, make it clear how much time he will stay in Hiroshima over the
next couple of years.

2)

The foreign PIs' effort numbers have improved. To accommodate long-term stays offoreign PIs and the center director at SKCM2, a new building dedicated to SKCM2 forproviding them space and providing the availability of a suitable international schoolfor their children are urgently needed.

3)

The center director has done an excellent job of launching SKCM2. He has
established an initial set of operating rules and a top-down decision structure topromote internationalization and system reform.

Recent highlight[Top] A polarizing optical micrograph of a defect configuration with Möbius strip topology,
called "möbiuson", in a chiral nematic liquid crystal. Upon supplying energy as electric pulses,
möbiusons exhibit rotational and translational motions, as well as topological cargo-carrying
abilities controlled by tuning amplitude and frequency of applied fields.
(H. Zhao et al, Nature Physics 2023. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-022-01851-1).
[Bottom] Optical axis patterns with singular vortex lines with Möbius strip topology robustly
steer beams of light, including into knots. They may find technological uses in beam steering,telecommunications, virtual reality implementations and anticounterfeiting.
(C. Meng et al, Nature Materials 2023. doi:10.1038/s41563-022-01414-y).

31

2. Implementation as a WPI center(1) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
Advancing research of the highest global level:

The director has successfully brought in diverse groups of expert PIs from different
foreign institutions and from Hiroshima University (HU), along with a strong view ofgender diversity at all levels of the center. He has assembled research teams ofexperimentalists and theoreticians from various disciplines to develop a world-leading
research center to create the new field of “knotted chiral meta matter”.
The research approach and principles being put forward by SKCM2 appear to be good,
and there are a large number of very impressive research projects being undertaken.
Several reports have been published in good journals during the first year, but it’s
important to know how much of the reported research is driven by the center director
versus the center as a whole. SKCM2 should present the center’s researchachievements as a whole next year.
Generating fused disciplines:
The center has 18 excellent senior and talented young PIs from diverse disciplines ofchemistry, physics, biology and mathematics. It has assembled research teams andhas implemented a number of measures including shared space and daily coffee timeto promote collaborative projects across disciplines. At present, fusion studies are stillin the developing stage. The center director should carefully monitor progress in the
key areas supported within the center to ensure that they evolve into topics withgenuine connections to the intellectual core of the center.
(2) Global Research Environment and System Reform
Realizing an international research environment:
As of September, of this year, SKCM2 had 66 members of whom 44 (66%) are fromabroad. It is impressive to see the involvement of many early career researchersand students from abroad. The support provided young scientists to spend time inoverseas labs is significant to creating additional opportunities for collaboration andalso to expanding the minds of young Japanese scientists.
In order for overseas PIs and the center director to stay at HU for long-term periods
and promote productive collaborative research activities, there is a need to solve theserious problem of an international school being located a long distance from thecampus. This is a basic infrastructure problem outside of major cities in Japan, whichneeds to be solved. President Ochi is now actively working to bring an international
32

school closer to the campus.
Making organizational reforms:

The many system reforms initiated at SKCM2 under the strong leadership of thecenter director, who is a non-Japanese researcher, and with strong support ofPresident Ochi are very encouraging. The host university should continuously
support this effort in various ways so that the director’s vision can be realized in
SKCM2 and can lead the reform of HU.
(3) Values for the future
Societal Value of Basic Research:

Strategic efforts are being taken to reach out to leading institutions such as MIT in
attracting postdocs to the center. Meaningful outreach is also being taken to attract
potential young scientists in schools and communities. These include the hiring of
an in-house science writer.
The center director emphasized the goal of SKCM2 achieving societal impacts bytackling problems related to sustainability. However, the potential of the center’s
research to make sustainable impacts is not obvious; it should be more clearly
articulated in the center’s research mission and plans.
Human resource building: higher education and career development:
SKCM2 has initiated an interdisciplinary graduate program to train students in a
fashion that enables them to cross boundaries of isolated disciplines of science. The
details of the program are still being developed. It will be necessary to confirm theprogress made in the future, including an increase in the number of female students.
Toward improving gender balance in fields of science and engineering at SKCM2, oneof the Deputy Directors is actively engaged in related outreach.
The director’s declaration to publish 1,000 papers per year and have 10,000 cumulative
impact factors might be not be conducive to a healthy research culture for advancing
good science. It would be better not to set unnecessary quantitative goals.
Self-sufficient and sustainable center development:
President Ochi's strong commitment to developing SKCM2 as a sustainable instituteis excellent. The support measures that he has introduced include financial support,
research space in the existing building, 5 admin staffs, 5 new PI positions in thesecond half of the WPI funding period, and a plan to construct a new researchbuilding dedicated to SKCM2. It is urgent that HU work closely with MEXT in obtaining33

a budget for the building’s construction.
3. Actions required and recommendations
Overall SKCM2 has made a very good start in its first year of operation. There are somepoints that should be addressed for promoting further progress.

1) It may be too early to discuss its scientific achievements in the first year, but thecenter should present the original research achievements of its members as awhole next year.
2)

The connection between the sustainability of society and the center's research
mission and plans is not obvious and should be more clearly articulated.

3)

Fusion studies are still in the developing stage. The center director should carefully
monitor progress in the key areas currently supported within the center to ensurethat they evolve into topics with genuine connections to the intellectual core of thecenter.

4)

In relation to the director’s appointments at HU and University of Colorado, aspecific agreement needs to be exchanged on intellectual property assignment.

5)

The lack of suitable international schools near the campus for supporting long-termstays of foreign researchers with family is a basic infrastructure problem outside ofmajor cities in Japan. While this is an urgent problem, the solution will not be easy;
we hope the host university will continue to work closely with the local community
to find a solution as soon as possible.

6)

There is an urgent need to construct a new research building for SKCM2 as soon
as possible, which will greatly contribute to productive interdisciplinary
collaborative research, particularly by foreign PIs at HU.

34

I-3. Bio2Q
Center director: HONDA Kenya
Program officer: TAKAHASHI Ryosuke, Kyoto University
1. Efforts to improve points indicated as requiring improvement in application
review and results of such efforts
The program committee raised four major concerns to be properly addressed.
1) Application of quantum computing to the biomedical field
The computational researchers in the Q core started a discussion with biomedical
researchers in the Bio1/2 cores to formulate a roadmap. Dr. Tuganbaev (Jr. PI)
presented his attempt to leverage machine learning and quantum annealing computing
for personalized drug efficacy optimization. Moreover, a senior quantum computing
expert from IBM has been hired. A concrete roadmap, however, has yet to be presented.
2) Clarification of the relationship between microbiome and each organ
Top-down and bottom-up approaches using gnotobiotic techniques to clarify thisrelationship were described by Dr. Honda. Identification of bacterial consortia thatmediate beige adipose cell induction achieved through the top-down approach andisolation of a bacterial metabolite specific to centenarians achieved through the bottomup approach were given as examples.
3) Number of foreign PIs
Two PIs are currently invited to reside, and one Jr. PI is already residing, on site. It was
decided to set a concrete target of having at least 5 international PIs or Jr. PIs residing
on site. A global call is ongoing.

Recent highlight:
We identified a previously uncharacterized
subset of group 2 innate lymphoid cells(ILC2s) constitutively expressing IL-4 in themouse intestine and showed that dietary
vitamin B1 has a crucial role in maintaining
the interaction between tuft cells and IL-4+
ILC2s for intestinal homeostasis.
Cui et al, J Exp M ed . 2023;220(8).
doi:10.1084/jem.20221773

354) Host institution’s support
The top management of Keio University committed to constructing a new building witha floor space of 6050 square meters exclusively for Bio2Q on its Shinanomachi campus.
This building is scheduled to be completed by 2027.
2. Implementation as a WPI center(1) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
Advancing research of the highest global level:
Biomedical research at Bio2Q is of very high quality. The discoveries on the metaboliteand communities of microbiota using the gnotobiotic system (Director Honda), newtechniques of 2D culture system of intestinal epithelia (PI Sato), the state-of-art
technologies of lipidomics (PI Arita), CryoET analyses of synaptic proteins (Jr. PI
Suzuki), and creation of marmoset model of Alzheimer disease (PI Sasaki) areparticularly interesting and world-leading achievements in their respective research
fields. However, it is not well explained how these research initiatives are connectedto the research goals aimed at by the center. In particular, Bio2Q did not present a
clear idea of how the quantum computer group could collaborate with the life sciencegroups or of what its goals are.
Generating fused disciplines:
The fusion of microbiome research with neuroscience and other life sciences has
made some progress. On the gut-brain axis focusing on the EEC, the neuro-regulationteam is forming a nice collaboration with PI Sato’s group, who has succeeded indeveloping organoids. On the other hand, translational approaches promoted bycollaboration between basic and clinical researchers were not sufficiently discussed.
The members of Bio1/2 cores should hold regular meetings to discuss ways topromote their collaboration under the leadership of the center director.
The collaboration between the Bio1/2 and Q core teams has an apparently more afundamental problem: They speak different languages and still experience difficulties
in mutual understanding. Joint seminars between these groups could be of some help
but more concrete joint project planning is a necessity.
(2) Global Research Environment and System Reform
Realizing an international research environment:
Bio2Q has succeeded in recruiting world experts from abroad in establishing aninternational environment. Dr. Augustine, a renowned neuroscientist, will move to
Bio2Q from Singapore and set up his lab as a PI. Dr. Aricescu (PI) at MRC is helping36

Bio2Q to install a CryoEM, and Dr. Suzuki (Jr.PI) at MRC, who collaborates with Dr.
Aricescu, is moving to Bio2Q to take initiatives in CryoEM studies. They plan toestablish young researcher exchange programs between MRC and Keio in ensuing
years.
On the other hand, whether English is used as the official language within the centerand how the center supports foreign researchers were not elaborated in thepresentations. Further effort is expected toward achieving the goal of making 30%
of Bio2Q members foreign researchers.
Making organizational reforms:
Establishing a research center, independent and autonomous within the hostinstitution, is a new experience for Keio University. The university’s statutes havebeen changed to establish Bio2Q under the Keio Global Research Institute (KGRI), todefine Bio2Q’s independence with regard to decision making, and to establish thecenter’s administration. Keio University is currently developing bylaws for Bio2Q. In
recruiting excellent PIs from abroad, age and salary caps have been eliminated bydecision of Keio’s top management. The university has also committed to constructing
a new building for Bio2Q on its Shinanomachi campus by 2027.
(3) Values for the future
Societal Value of Basic Research:
Bio2Q has huge potential to contribute to the sustainable growth of the humansociety with healthy longevity. As an example, several of the bacterial consortia
developed in the Honda lab have been licensed to pharma/biotech companies. The
2D culture systems of organoids developed in the Sato lab have immediate andimmense potential in the pharmaceutical industry.
Bio2Q has employed an international design company to develop a branding anddesign strategy and its center’s logo. The name Bio2Q and its logo were registeredas a trademark. As for outreach activities, Bio2Q members participated in the 11th
WPI Science Symposium, explaining Bio2Q’s activities to middle and high school
students as well as to a general audience. Moreover, a Bio2Q Kickoff Symposium washeld.
Human resource building: higher education and career development:
Bio2Q launched a joint interdisciplinary graduate English program, called STaMP(Science and Technology, and Medicine, Pharmacy), across the university’s graduate
schools of Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Science and Technology. In FY
37

2022, STaMP held its first 5-day event “Workshop for Research Presentation Skills
2022”. A researcher exchange program between the MRC and Keio is planned to beestablished by the Structure Analysis team (Drs. Aricescu and Suzuki) in the near
future.
Self-sufficient and sustainable center development:
Keio University’s top management communicated its plan to construct a new building
dedicated to Bio2Q with a floor space of 6050 square meters at an estimated cost of
about 5,500 million JPY. This plan is commendable as it strongly supports theactivities of Bio2Q and fits with the WPI’s overarching concept of “under-one-roof”.
Keio’s top management is well aware of the need to create a concrete plan for
securing researcher positions and a financial basis for Bio2Q as a permanentorganization under the financial conditions of a private university, which is very
different from those of national universities.
3. Actions required and recommendations
1) The life science of Bio2Q is going extremely well. Individual research initiatives,

including those of microbiome, organoid, lipidomics, synapse neurobiology andgene-engineered marmosets, are at world-leading levels. What is highly expectedin the near future is to bring all of these initiatives together and to enhance fusion
by having each Bio2Q member share the vision of director Honda. The center
director will need to continuously help foster interactions during center operations
by pointing out where collaborative connections still need to be established.
Moreover, it is important to develop experimental and analytical techniques tounderstand the interactions between humans and microbiome at the molecularlevel. Furthermore, a data management plan for sharing data acquired from thecenter and the satellites would be helpful for future advancement.
2) Fusion of microbiome biology and quantum computing is still in its infancy and ina very challenging direction. But it will be a valuable challenge to tackle. To apply
quantum computing to life science problems will require further advances inquantum computers combined with deep analyses on how problems can be solved.
Finding practical but biologically relevant problems and solving them using
quantum-inspired calculation is a good way to proceed. The commitment of bothcomputational scientists and biologists is needed for this to succeed. Recruiting
researchers from outside Bio2Q could be instrumental in bridging the biology coresand the quantum computing core. Moreover, it is important to keep open the38

possibility of adjusting or even revising the roadmap in light of external
developments, such as new advances in quantum computing in coming years andgood usages of a hybrid-type computer.
3) Bio2Q aims to achieve the WPI goal of 20% non-Japanese PIs and 30% non-Japanese
researchers in total. We encourage the center to take every possible measure to
realize this goal. Bio2Q also aims to achieve 50% female researchers. This is a lofty
goal which will require a strong, strategic recruitment plan. It is also not too early to

begin planning career enhancement services for junior researchers to advance their
future career development.
4) The host university should develop a strategy in the next year on how it will
support Bio2Q after WPI program funding ends. Establishing an independent andautonomous research center is a new experience for Keio University. It is crucial
to form a consensus on how Bio2Q will contribute to advancing theinternationalization of Keio University, enhancing the university’s global visibility,and delivering benefits to the university as a whole. The president and top
management of Keio University should provide strong support in this effort.

39

J. A new WPI center launched in 2023
In 2023, MEXT made an open call for WPI centers under a new center scheme; a WPI
CORE center which develops to a full-sized center through a stage gate process, and a
WPI Multiple HOST center which is jointly proposed by multiple host institutions. After avigorous selection process that ran from February to September of 2023, the Program
Committee selected a new center in the Multiple HOST center category “Advanced Institutefor Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)” established jointly by Tohoku University and Japan
Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.
Headed by Professor SUGA Toshio, WPI-AIMEC aims to unravel the response andadaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems to environmental and anthropogenicpressures by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of scientists from ocean physics,
marine biology, climate science, data science and modelling.

The center combines

Tohoku University’s strength in basic academic research and education with JAMSTEC’s
strength in missions-based research in advanced observation and modelling.
WPI-AIMEC started operation in October of 2023.

K. WPI Academy
K-1. Aims and members
Concurrent with the end of the 10-year support period for the initially established five WPIcenters, a WPI Academy was launched by MEXT in 2017. Its aim is to enhance and amplify
the WPI brand and to play a vanguard role in internationalizing and reforming Japan’s
research environment by leveraging the WPI achievements attained so far.
Academy membership requires certification by the WPI Program Committee that a centerhas achieved “world premier” status. Centers, then, need to be recertified every 3 to 4
years by the WPI Program Committee, which determines whether they have maintained
their “world premier” status.
Currently, the WPI Academy centers are: AIMR, iCeMS, IFReC and MANA from FY 2017
and recertified in FY2020, I2CNER from FY 2020, Kavli IPMU from FY 2017 and recertified
in FY 2021 at its final evaluation, and IIIS, ELSI and ITbM since FY 2022.

K-2. Change of the Director in I2CNER, iCeMS, and Kavli IPMU
Kyushu University, the host institution of I2CNER, proposed a change of the center director
from Dr. Petros Sofronis to Dr. ISHIHARA Tatsumi. Following the procedure for changing
WPI Academy center directors, a pre-evaluation by the AD, AO and DPD was conducted40

on 13 January 2023, and a hearing by the domestic members of the Program Committee
on 17 January 2023. The change was approved and Dr. ISHIHARA started his directorshipon 1 April 2023.
Dr. ISHIHARA is an excellent chemist in catalyst field, well-known for his research on oxide
ion conductors and solid oxide fuel cells. Under a rapidly changing global energy landscape,Dr. ISHIHARA will expand the carbon neutral research of I2CNER to include promisingenergy carriers such as ammonia.
Kyoto University, the host institution of iCeMS, proposed a change of the center director
from Dr. KITAGAWA Susumu to Dr. UESUGI Motonari. A pre-evaluation by AD, AO and DPD
was conducted on 22 December 2022, and a hearing by the domestic members of theProgram Committee on 17 January 2023. The change was approved and Dr. UESUGI
started his directorship on 1 April 2023.
Dr. UESUGI is an excellent scientist, well-known in the field of chemical biology. He aims
to understand cellular self-assemblies to advance cell biology and create functional selfassembling materials to address global challenges. Additionally, he advocates for a new
education framework that includes undergraduates and emphasizes diversity, equity andinclusion.
University of Tokyo, the host institution of Kavli IPMU, proposed a change of the center
director from Dr. OOGURI Hiroshi to Dr. YOKOYAMA Jun’ichi. A pre-evaluation by AD, AO
and DPD was conducted on 18 July 2023, and hearings by the domestic members of theProgram Committee on 7 August and 13 October 2023. The change was approved and Dr.
YOKOYAMA started his directorship on 1 November 2023.
Dr. YOKOYAMA is an excellent scientist, well known in the field of gravitation and cosmology.
He will push the quest of Kavli IPMU for the fundamental laws of the Universe based on
the comprehensive mathematical analysis of cosmological observation with emphasis on
gravity. It is expected that Dr. Yokoyama vigorously pursues the reform of research andeducation system of University of Tokyo from Kavli IPMU.

K-3. Follow-up of the Academy centers
Follow-up of 9 WPI Academy centers, AIMR, iCeMS, IFReC, MANA, I2CNER, Kavli IPMU,
IIIS, ELSI, and ITbM for the period of FY 2021 was conducted from November 2022 toMarch 2023. The findings were reported at the October meeting of the WPI Program
Committee.
41

AIMR
The Advanced Target Project is effectively used to push Mathematics-Material science
Fusion in which the mathematical science group functioned as the catalyst. This resulted
in many publications with 10% in top-class journals. Global circulation of young
researchers is promoted using the Global Intellectual Incubation and Integration
Laboratory (GI3) Laboratory. The ratio of female researchers has improved to 21% (6%in 2018, 12% in 2020) and 6 female PIs. For Green Innovation (GX), “Open Innovation
Center for Hydrogen Science” has been established under the Director, and co-creation
research has started with industries. The Joint Research Centers at Cambridge University,
University of Chicago, and Tsinghua University continued as satellites. Official Web Sites
and international media coverages are promoted to outreach the “Math-Mat” brand of
AIMR.
iCeMS
Fusion research of cell biology and materials science focusing on health, environment,
and energy related themes is progressing well. Some notable achievements from young
PIs include the dynamics of scramblase (Suzuki Jun), novel pi-electron systems withsuperior optoelectronics properties (FUKAZAWA Aiko), in Silico design of novel materials(Daniel Packwood) and many others. There are now 6 On-site Laboratories (VISTEC(Thailand), UCLA (US), Acad. Sinica (Taiwan), Fudan Univ. (China), A*Star (Singapore),
MDI (New Zealand)) abroad, which are led by young PIs. The iCeMS Internship Program
invited 4 undergraduates from abroad. Effort has continued to secure external funding
and to launch startups. A large donation was secured this year with which hiring of female
junior PIs is planned. Communication Design Unit has issued many press releases madewith effective visual materials.
IFReC
Osaka University established a powerful framework for immunology and infectious
diseases research by connecting IFReC with the newly established Center for Infectious
Disease Education and Research (CiDER) and Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS(CAMaD). It has provided 6 posts to IFReC as well as extending the hiring of fixed term
PIs to FY 2026. The Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement Grants and Collaborative
Contracts spawned therefrom have provided a sustainable foundation for the operation of
IFReC. Nurturing of young researchers is conducted with the “Young Lead Researcher”
and “Advanced Postdoc” systems. In place of the “Singapore Immunology Network” which
terminated in 2020, “International School on Advanced Immunology” with University ofBonn started in 2022. Outreach activities include publication of popular books on
42

immunology, the “Imuneco” journal, annual report and books for experts.
MANA
MANA continues to produce top-level results based on the concept of “nanoarchitectonics”.
The host institution NIMS continues to support MANA strongly. Special fund from the NIMS
President supports interdisciplinary research programs and postdocs. International
research activity by young researchers has been boosted, leading to a high ratio (78.3%)
of internationally authored publications. Research in quantum materials and neuromorphic
system has been initiated to contribute to quantum technology innovation. MANA satellites
with 7 Satellite-PIs are functioning as a hub for international talent circulation. Outreachis very active including MANA E-Bulletin, MANA Virtual City Workshop and “Nanocar RaceII”, reaching both scientific community and society at large.
I2CNERI2CNER has reorganized its divisions into 3 Thrusts (Advanced Energy Materials, Advanced
Energy Conversion Systems, Multiscale Science and Engineering for Energy and theEnvironment) and 2 Platforms (International Collaborations and Partnerships, Societal
Implementation and Industrial Collaboration). Scientific activity is sustained at high levelwith many publications. Senior PIs are gradually stepping down, replaced by new PIs,
leading to 25 PIs with 12 from abroad in 2023. Kyushu University continues to strongly
support I2CNER; in addition to 12 positions already provided to I2CNER, 4 more positions
are under selection. Large external fundings are secured not only from Moonshot but also
through active collaborative contract with industry. The collaboration with University of
Illinois at Urbana Champaign Satellite continues to function well. In addition, Kyushu
University and University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign have signed a strategic
partnership.
Kavli IPMUInternationally co-authored publications have increased from 50% in 2007 to 85% in 2021
at Kavli IPMU. Gadolinium experiment at Super Kamiokande started in 2022. Observations
with Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) will start in 2024. Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC)
observation has finished in 2022, with many publications. Center for Data Driven
Discovery has been established. 60% of researchers who worked at Kavli IPMU has goneon to tenure or tenure track positions abroad. Two foreign researchers obtained such
positions in Japan. The five-year extension enabled Kavli IPMU to secure enough longterm funding for a stable operation with help from the University of Tokyo and Kavli
Foundation. Effort for diversity includes establishing the C.-S. Wu Prize Postdoctoral
Fellowship for female researchers, and participation in Kavli Foundation Science and43Society Program.
IIIS
In 2023, University of Tsukuba will place IIIS as “World Leading Research Center” andprovide strong support. Tenure posts to all PIs are progressing as planned. Excellent
results continue to emerge in prominent journals. Securing large external funds have beensuccessful with the AMED Moonshot Project and JSPS International Leading Research
Project (RECONNECT). International activities include the Annual International Symposia,
and international talent circulation of graduate students and postdocs using Moonshot
and RECONNECT programs. Outreach is pursued using EurekAlert! and interviews with
science journalists to expose IIIS and its scientists to wider society.
ELSI
ELSI is expanding the scope from “Life on Earth” to “Life on Planets”.

Research highlights

includes analysis of Ryugu samples brought back by Hayabusa2, and organic chemical
evolution on icy bodies. Noteworthy is the start of the ELSI Graduate Program with 10
student enrollments (5 from abroad, 5 domestic). ELSI is a permanent organization inInternational Research Frontiers Initiative (IRFI) of Tokyo Institute of Technology. Large
external fundings have been secured with “Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Areas” and“International Leading Research (RECONNECT)”. International recruitment of postdocs isgoing well. New collaborative projects have been started with NASA, California Instituteof Technology, University of Cambridge, and University of Cote d’Azur. Since 2019, therecruitment of foreign outreach specialist has boosted the international outreach,contributing to the recruitment of foreign researchers.
ITbM
Research is going well both in the existing projects such as Striga and clock diseases, andin new projects such as on mosquito hearing. Five foreign PIs continue to work closelywith their co-PIs. Two foreign junior PIs have been recently hired, enhancing theinternational environment. ITbM is a permanent institution within Nagoya University
Institute for Advanced Study, with 29 posts secured by 2022. 2 female and 2 foreign PIs
or junior PIs recently joined. International activities have restarted including the annualinternational symposia and 2 “International Leading Projects” (RECONNECT). Postdoc
applications has also rebounded in 2022. The final report to the WPI Program Committee
on the research misconduct and the prevention measures has been submitted. The
measures for nurturing openness, transparency, and inclusion for preventing research
misconduct have been implemented.
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L. Branding and outreach
In November 2023, the 12th WPI Science Symposium was held in Sapporo on the theme“Research frontier driven
by informatics.” ICReDD
of Hokkaido University
ledinorganizing

symposium.

the
The

symposium was held in a
hybridfashion:177

attended the symposiuminpersonandthrough internet.
Booth exhibition of WPI research centers45

153