July 27, 2016
Press Release
University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego)Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

UC San Diego Sets Up Its First Overseas Office in Nihonbashi Life Science Building
to Link U.S. Cutting-Edge R&D System with Japan,
Thereby Energizing Japanese Life Science Research, Education, and Innovation

University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J), andMitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Fudosan) are pleased to announce the opening of UC San Diego’s first overseas
office in Nihonbashi Life Science Building, one of the bases of the Nihonbashi Life Science Innovation Promotion
Project, on July 26, 2016.
LINK-J has been established for the purpose of promoting the project through collaborations with companies,including Mitsui Fudosan. The project aims at promoting open innovation in the life science area throughindustry-government-academia cooperation in the Nihonbashi area, where pharmaceutical companies areclustered, thereby extending support to the creation of new industries. LINK-J has already agreed to enter into apartnership in the life science area with UC San Diego.
Japan is the largest foreign investor of San Diego, California, with investments from Japanese life science
companies accounting for a large percentage. The US’s top-class life science clusters are found in UC San Diego;
not only has UC San Diego shown leadership through industry-academia cooperation, it is known for its
state-of-the-art research and development system as well. UC San Diego will focus on initiatives to strengthenindustry-academia collaboration in Japan down the road. It has already forged a long-term alliance with Chugai
Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in cancer research and with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in regenerative medicine.
By establishing its Japanese office in Nihonbashi, it will speed up forging of new alliances even further.

(From left) Takashi Ueda, LINK-J Director and Mitsui Fudosan Executive Managing Officer; Albert Pisano, UC San
Diego Dean for the Jacobs School of Engineering; Sandra Brown, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Research; RobertSullivan, UC San Diego Dean of the Rady School of Management; and Akihiko Soyama, LINK-J Secretary-General

On July 26 when UC San Diego’s Tokyo Office opened, we organized a commemorative symposium entitled “For
Strengthening Partnerships in Research, Education, and Innovation,” which was followed by a networking event.
The university will continue to move ahead with cooperation and collaboration with Japanese companies, research
institutes, and universities in areas that go beyond the life science realm.
Meanwhile, LINK-J and Mitsui Fudosan will promote the creation of life science innovation and extend support
to the generation of new industries, thereby further enhancing the value of Nihonbashi and contributing toresolving issues associated with the health and longevity of people all over the world.

The symposium and networking event to commemorate the launch of UC San Diego’s Tokyo Office■Comments from Albert Pisano, UC San Diego Dean of the Jacobs School of Engineering
UC San Diego has decided to open its Tokyo Office as its first overseas base for threereasons.
The first reason is that we intend to step up cooperation with Japanese companies anddevelop business. By setting up our office in Nihonbashi, which is not only the centerof Tokyo but the hub of the life science area in Japan as well, I expect to deepen ourpartnerships.
The second reason is education. We have organized a new short-term educational
program for entrepreneurship and innovation jointly with the Jacobs School ofEngineering and the Rady School of Management this year. I would like businessmen
as well as students to take advantage of entrepreneurship that they learned to makeinnovations happen.
The third reason is networking. The Tokyo Office will serve as the venue for research
symposiums or networking events or networking of our alumni association, as well as
the base for our faculty members who visit Japan for research. Addressing impending
issues associated with the life science area, which is located at the crossing of
medicine, science, and engineering, is a challenge that both Japan and the U.S. face.
Including solutions to the problem of aging, I look forward to working with ourJapanese partners. Moreover, we have set up our office in Nihonbashi and joinedhands with LINK-J in the belief that this partnership is highly significant in linking
those involved in the life science arena in both cities.
■ Comments from Pradeep K. Khosla, UC San Diego Chancellor
The challenges we face as a global society are increasingly complex and need to beaddressed collectively through the collaboration of nations, industries anddisciplines. By opening this new office in Tokyo’s life science hub, UC San Diego isdemonstrating our commitment to strengthen our global partnerships and advance thefrontiers of knowledge in order to benefit our planet and humankind.

■ Comments from Sandra Brown, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Research
We are very pleased the office is located at the heart of the life science hub in Tokyo,
a perfect fit for UC San Diego as our two cities are seen as world leaders in life
sciences and biotechnology.

■Comments from Takashi Ueda, LINK-J Director and Mitsui Fudosan Executive Managing Officer
Nihonbashi is “the” center of Japan where you can find Zero Milestone of Japan. It
has also been known as a cluster of the pharmaceutical industry since the Edo Period.
By leveraging this traditional advantage, Mitsui Fudosan and LINK-J have launched a
project to promote life science innovation. The city of San Diego is known for being
one of the largest life science clusters in the United States and a role model for us. We
are excited to collaborate and together accelerate open innovation.

■ University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego)
University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) was established in 1960, offering 87 undergraduate courses
and 55 master’s courses. It is a state research university where approximately 34,000 students are engaged in morethan 100 major fields of study as of fall 2015. US San Diego conducts cutting-edge research in medicine, science,and engineering and is recognized as one of the world’s top 15 universities in terms of area of research. Of note isthat in San Diego, where the nation’s top-notch life science clusters are found, the university is known for its
state-of-the-art research system in the life science realm and proud of having chalked up a track record in taking

the initiative in life science clusters in California through industry-university collaboration. For further details,
please visit the website: http://www.ucsd.edu/■ Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)
LINK-J is a general incorporated association established by Mitsui Fudosan and volunteers from academic circles.
With its base in the Nihonbashi district, where a number of pharmaceutical companies are clustered, it aims topromote open innovation in the life science realm through industry-government-academia cooperation and extend
support to the creation of new industries. Across the entire life science area, i.e., the area where all sciences arecombined, ranging from medicine to science and further to engineering or new technologies, such as informationand communication technology (ICT) or artificial intelligence (AI), it will accelerate interdisciplinary human andtechnological exchanges. For further details, please visit the website: http://www.link-j.org/■ The Nihonbashi Life Science Base
Mitsui Fudosan has put in place the following life science bases in Nihonbashi:
Nihonbashi Life Science Building2(31VENTURES Life Bridge Nihonbashi)
KandaStationShowa Street）Chuo Street

Shin Nihonbashi
StationNihonbashi Mitsui Tower

Nihonbashi Life Science Building（UC San Diego Tokyo Office）

Mitsukoshimae
StationNihonbashi

Nihonbashi Life Science Hub
COREDO Nihonbashi

TokyoStationNihonbashi
Station