Activities to Promote Industry-Government-Academia Collaborative Researchon the Arctic Region
supported by Japan Arctic Research Network Center (J-ARC Net)
Masato TANAKA1,Shingo TANAKA1, Yasushi FUKAMACHI1 and Sei-ichi SAITO1
1

Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

Abstract
Activities to promote Industry-Government-Academia (I-G-A) collaboration project in Japan Arctic
Research Network Center (J-ARC Net) are shown in this report. These activities are consisting of the Arctic
region open seminar, I-G-A collaboration planning meeting, I-G-A feasibility study, and promoting researcher
nurture supported by planning, coordination and fund of J-ARC Net. And effective disseminating results areaiming to increase Japanese national presence of international Arctic research.
Key words: J-ARC Net, industry, government, collaborative research, Arctic region
INTRODUCTION
J-ARC Net as a center of excellence certified by theMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology was funded in April 2016 as the first
formulated network cooperated by three research
centers constituting J-ARC Net conductive to solve
issues toward rapid environmental and amplified
climatic changes and to promote sustainable utilization
for industries in Arctic Region.
J-ARC Net promotes advanced and interdisciplinary
collaborative research conducive to understanding
environmental-human interactions and creation of newacademic fields regarding sustainable utilization andpreservation of Arctic region.
For promoting advanced and interdisciplinary
collaborative research, J-ARC Net makes the best useof research infrastructures of three organizations towhich three centers belong such as research vessels
and overseas laboratories, and mediates between
research communities, industries and government
offices to promote activities conducive to solve
problems in Arctic region.
J-ARC Net also nurtures personnel who have broad
outlook and can lead international discussion to solve
challenges in Arctic region.
J-ARC Net disseminates the results of the above
activities effectively and aims to increase Japanesenational presence in international Arctic research.
ACTIVITIES(1) Supporting Research Communities Projecta) Challenging Exploratory Interdisciplinary Joint
Research: J-ARC Net supports and promotes
Challenging Innovative Interdisciplinary Researchdeveloped from Meeting for Collaborative Researchand Collaborative Promoting Research, conducive tosolve problems in Arctic regionb) Joint Promotion Research: J-ARC Net encourages
bottom-up joint research for researchers not only innatural sciences but also in humanities, social andpractical sciences and those new to the Arctic region.
c) Joint Research Meeting: J-ARC Net provides
meeting opportunities for researchers in various fields
to plan research projects for Challenging Innovativeinterdisciplinary research and collaborative promotion
research.
(2) Promotion I-G-A Collaboration Projectsa) Arctic Region Open Seminar: J-ARC Net holds theopen seminars for personnel in industries andgovernments to provide the latest information on theArctic region in natural and social sciences, and topromote new entry to activities to solve challenges inArctic region, which have been held six times asshown in Table 1.
Table 1. The Arctic Region Open Seminar in 2016-2018fyNo.
1st*1

2nd*2

3rd
*1

4th*2

5th*1

6th*2

Dates

Subjects

I*3

G*4

A*5

Jan 172017

Future Arctic Region,and North Sea Route(NSR)
Utilization for NSR andits Perspectives

44

192424529

Utilization for theArctic Region to create
industries
Trend of the economic
development andinternational
governance around theArctic region
Progress of the latest
Arctic research and thepossibility ofapplication to industry
and society
Possibilities andchallenges ofapplication to industry
on the latest Arctic
observation andprediction technology

75242725142621193229227221

83165

Mar 172017
July 242017
Dec 142017

July 202018

Dec 122018

Total 469

*1: Sapporo, *2:Tokyo，*3,*4 and *5:the number of participants fromIndustries(*3), Governments(*4) and Academia(*5), respectively

Results of survey regarding the Arctic region byparticipants in the fifth and sixth The Arctic Region
Open Seminar shown in Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

【Q4】Which Industrial fields in the Arctic region can you
expect the possibility of social implementation
efforts ? ＊NSR: North Sea Route【Q1】Was the seminar useful for you ?

Fig. 1 Usefulness of the Arctic Region Open Seminar【Q2】Which fields of natural science in the Arctic region
can you expect the possibility of social
implementation efforts ?

Fig. 4 Expected industrial fields in the Arctic region【Q5】What do you expect from this Open Seminar topromote new entry to industrial activities in theArctic region ?

Fig. 5 Expectation to the Arctic Region Open Seminar

Fig. 2 Expected natural scientific fields in the Arcticregion.
【Q3】Which fields of human and social science in theArctic region can you expect the possibility ofsocial implementation efforts ?

b) I-G-A Collaboration Planning Meeting (PM): J-ARC
Net provides meeting opportunities for personnel inindustries and governments to discuss problems to besolved by I-G-A collaboration and to plancollaborative research.
c) I-G-A Collaboration Feasibility study (FS): For
personnel in research, industries and governments,
J-ARC Net promotes feasibility studies to carry out
problem-solving joint research with I-G-A
collaboration.
Results of acceptances from public applicableproposalsforpromotingadvancedandinterdisciplinary collaborative research are shown inTable 2.
Table 2. No. of proposal accepted from proposals forpromoting advanced and interdisciplinary
collaborative research in FY2016 to FY2018

Fig. 3 Expected human and social science fields in the
Arctic region

Activities

Categories

Supporting
Research

Challenging
Exploratory

Subsidy(x¥1000)
2500

Term(y)Max2

FY20162017

Acceptances
10Communities Project

Promoting
I-G-A
Collaboration
Projects

Interdisciplinary
Joint Research
Joint Promotion
Research700

1

Joint ResearchMeeting500

1Collaboration
Feasibility
Study (FS)Collaboration
Planning
Meeting(PM)2500

Subtotal
Max2500

1Subtotal
Total 7120183201620172018
201620172018
201620172018
20162017
2018

916887557
313232201620172018

14232721

Fourteen I-G-A collaborative research involving a
total of 107 researchers were accepted in FY2016,FY2017 and FY2018.
Research Subjects of Promoting I-G-A Collaboration
Projects in FY2018 are shown in Table 3. Six I-G-A
collaborative research are progressing at the presentwith 65 researchers as the total number.
Table 3. Research Subjects of in I-G-A Collaboration
Support Projects in FY2018

Categories
FSFields

Research Subjects

NSR

Practical examination andanalysis of utilization ofNorthern Sea Route (NSR) inHokkaido
The feasibility study for IceNavigation Support System
for the Northern Sea Route(NSR)

NSR

Engineering
Permafrost
PM

Permafrost
OilSpill

Total: 65

ArcticTechnology&ResearchForumtoconsolidate opinions fromindustries
Assessing and mediating
damage on infrastructure andchanges in ground surface
due to permafrost thaw
An Indispensable Condition
to Secure the Continuity ofIceandFrozen
Soil
Engineers in Japan
Research on Arctic Oil Spill
Response TechnologyResearchers
I:2
G:2
A:4
I:5
G:0
A:15(incl.
Russian:2)
I:5
G:0
A:6
I:1
G:2
A:7(incl.
Russian:3)
I:3
G:0
A:4
I:5
G:0
A:4
I:21,
A:40

G:4,(3) Promoting researcher nurture programs
For not only personnel in research but also inindustries and governments, J-ARC Net provides
courses to nurture personnel who can contribute tosolve challenges in the Arctic region as shown in Table
4. And the study courses include lectures and fieldcourses utilized such as Japan-Russia Joint ResearchLaboratory established by Hokkaido University andNorth-Eastern Federal University at Yakutsk as shownin Table 5.
Table 4. Nurturing courses for the Arctic region (1)Lectures for Introduction of Arctic region
in FY2018
Nov.21 to 22, 2018 in Sapporo and Tokyo
Participants from relatives I-G-A:33 auditors in total
involving I:13, G:3, A:16 and other:1
Program
1. Opening, Guidance and Self-introduction
2. Lectures(1) Geography & History, (2) Atmosphere, (3) Glacier & Ice
Bed, (4) Ocean (5) Ocean Ecosystem, (6) Terrestrial Ecosystem,(7) North Sea Routes, (8) Resources Development, (9) Humanbeings and Society, (10) Governance and (11) Data Science
2. Social Gathering
3. Presentation & Discussion
4. Closing

Table 5. Nurturing courses for the Arctic region (2)Winter School as Field courses on ”Environment
and Innovation of the North”in FY2017
on Feb.23-Mar.4, 2018 at Yakutsk via Vladivostok
in Russia
Organized by J-ARC Net, HU-NEFU-IBPC* Joint
Research Lab* HU: Hokkaido University, NEFU: North Eastern Federal University
and IBPC: Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone

Participants; Japan:I;0,G:2(one from central
government agency, other from Municipality ofHokkaido), A:8 (one research fellow in the university,two PhD students, four graduate school students, one
under graduate school student)
Russia: six graduate school students
Lecturers; Japan:2, Russia:7Program(a)City Tour in the Far East Russia(b)Excursion for Spasskaya Pad Experimental Forest(c)Introductory Seminar and Natural History-Lectures on Permafrost & its Ecosystems and Satellite
ecology-Self-introduction for Japanese and Russian participants(d)Economy and Industry-Lecture on Economy of Sakha-Tour at Arctic Innovation Center, Greenhouse Project Siteand Diamond Museum(e)Life in the North, Education-Lectures on Life in the North and Ecology and Education-Excursion for Cities and Suburbs in Cold Environment,
River ice road, and Fish market(f)History and culture-Lecture on History of Sakha-Dance performance-Tour & Excursion at Yakutsk State Museum of Art, Culture
or History Museum,
Russian Church and Mammoth
Museum(g)Participant Forum-“Environment and Innovation of the North” Presentationand Discussion by participants-Lecture on Policy and Governance-City tour & Excursion of Lenin avenue, city center ofYakutsk for Cultural activities, and farewell party(h)City Tour in Yakutsk

Winter School as Field courses on” Environment andInnovation of the North” in FY2018
on Feb.21 to Mar. 2, 2019 at Yakutsk via Vladivostok
in Russia
Organized by J-ARC Net, HU-NEFU-IBPC* Joint
Research Lab and Human Resource Development
Platform for Japan-Russian Economic Cooperation andPersonnel Exchange (HaRP)
For entry, public applicable proposal started on the late ofNov. and were adopted on the mid of Dec.
Participants will be I;1, G:1, A:4 from Japan and, fivegraduate school students from Russia. Lecturers will bethree from Japan and seven from Russia.
Program(a) City Ture in the Far East Russia(b) Excursion around Natural Environment(c) Introductory Seminar and Natural History(d) Lecture and Tourⅰ) Economy and Industryⅱ) Life and the North and Educationⅲ) History and Cultureⅳ) Participant Forum and Excursion(4) Disseminating resultsa) International symposium: J-ARC Net holds
international symposiums to disseminate results ofactivities and invites experts to the symposium fordiscussion of our future activities.
b) Website: J-ARC Net provides a website todisseminate results of activities and J-ARC Net
information opens to the public.
(5) Prospective effectsa) Advance of interdisciplinary research conducive tosolve problems in Arctic region and creation ofinnovative academic fields by interdisciplinary
research.
b) Adoption of new viewpoints and technologies
through interdisciplinary collaboration and creation ofinnovations.
c) Promotion of international collaboration throughadvanced and interdisciplinary researches, andexpansion of industry- academic-government Arctic
research community.
d) Creation of new industries and markets in Arctic
regione) Supply of personnel with broad outlook who cancontribute solving problems in Arctic region.
f) Contribution to increase Japanese presence
internationally by solving problems in Arctic region.

CONCLUSIONSJ-ARC Net has started entry of collaborative research
for FY2018. Your participation to J-ARC Net Projects

as below will be very appreciated.
Ⅰ. Researcher’s Community Support Projects(1) Innovative interdisciplinary collaborative research(2) Collaborative promoting research(3) Meeting for collaborative research
Ⅱ. I-G-A Collaboration Support Projects(1) Arctic region open seminar(2) Feasibility study(3) Planning meeting for setting issues
Ⅲ. Researchers Nurture programsJ-ARC Net also will prepare to entry Researchers
Nurture program for FY2019 on website around mid ofDec.,2020, although that of collection in FY2018 wasclosed.
Please contact to Prof. Masato Tanaka.
mtanaka@arc.hokudai.ac.jp
j-arcnet@arc.hokudai.ac.jp
http://j-arcnet.arc.hokudai.ac.jp/
http://www.arc.hokudai.ac.jp
Tel：+81-11-706-9624 Fax:+81-11-706-9623

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was carried out under the program of theJapan Arctic Research Network Center.
REFERENCES
Masato TANAKA and Sei-ichi SAITO (2018). Activities toPromote Industry-Government-Academia Collaborative
Research on the Arctic Region, Proc., 33rd Int’l. Symposium
on Okhotsk Sea and Polar Oceans:109-112
Three centers and three organizations to which three centersbelong constituting J-ARC Net;J-ARC Net is constituted by Arctic Research Center in
Hokkaido University, Arctic Environment Research Center in
National Institute Polar Research and Institute Arctic Climate
and Environment Research in Japan Agency for MarineEarth Science and Technology.
http://j-arcnet.arc.hokudai.ac.jp/organization/

Summary in Japanese「北極域をめぐる産学官連携共同研究活動紹介」～北極域研究共同推進拠点産学官連携事業～
田中雅人 1,深町康 1,田中晋吾 1,齊藤誠一 11 北海道大学北極域研究センタ－

平成 28 年度より文科省共同利用共同研究拠点に認定された北極域研究共同推進拠点において、北極域の持続可能な利用と保全に関する新たな学術領域の創成に向けて共同研究、人材育成プログラムを推進中。
その中で特に平成 30 年度を中心に産学官連携支援事業として、北極域オープンセミナー、課題設定集会、フィ－ジビリスタディ等の共同研究による課題解決、課題解決型人材育成などの活動について紹介した。
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