Spring 2023 Edition

Introducing Tohoku University
Located in the city of Sendai, in Japan’s picturesque Northeast region,
Tohoku University is one of the country’s top institutions,renowned for its innovative research and dynamic global network.
Tohoku University was founded in 1907 and is known
for its original guiding principles of putting research
first, having an open-door policy and committing
to practice-oriented research and education. Always
a trailblazer, the university was the first in Japan
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to accept women in 1913 and was one of the first towelcome international students.
These days, Tohoku University is home to 18,000
students across 10 faculties, 15 graduate schools andsix research institutes. About 10 percent of the students
come from abroad, contributing to one of the most
cosmopolitan academic environments in Japan.
Tohoku University’s excellent learning environment,international outlook and research influence, has led toit being conferred the status of a Designated National
University by the Japanese government in June 2017.
For the last four years, it has also held the number
one spot in Times Higher Education’s annual
ranking of Japanese universities, a list that highlights
institutional resources, quality of education andoverall student experience.

Tohoku University’s talented researchers are behindsome of the 20th century’s most lifestyle-changing
innovations, such as the split-anode magnetron usedin microwave ovens, the steel-wire recorder and theYagi-Uda antenna.
Now, looking at the new century ahead, the university
is embracing new challenges and opportunities tomake a positive difference. Strategies include a Green
Goals Initiative to address sustainability; and thepromotion of diversity, equity and inclusion, to ensure
the participation of different voices at all levels of theuniversity community and in society.

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Center for International
Law and Policy

In the News
Tohoku University is committed to improving communities at home andabroad through green initiatives and multidisciplinary research,
addressing issues such as natural disasters and geopolitical conflicts.

Tohoku University launched a Center for International
Law and Policy with the aim of promoting dialogue
and the sharing of expertise through symposiums
and conferences. The center will also develop policy
recommendations on how Japan can add to the efforts ofinternational judicial institutions to help resolve conflicts.

NanoTerasu

World Bosai ForumThe next-generation 3GeV synchrotron radiation
facility, located at the new extension of Aobayama
campus, is scheduled to be operational in 2024.
Generating light that is more than one billion times
brighter than sunlight, the giant microscope will becapable of making nanoscale observations of boththe surfaces and interiors of different objects, and ofvisualizing the microscopic mechanisms by whichthese objects function.

The third World Bosai Forum, a conference on
disaster risk reduction, returned to Sendai inMarch, after an absence of more than three years
due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Current global challenges differ from those of the 20thcentury, so there is a need to create new rules,” said
Executive Vice President Toshiya Ueki, who will serve as
the center’s first director. Oceanic and maritime issues,
the development of resources in space, SDGs, climatechange and unmanned warfare are among the potential
areas that the center hopes to address.

Approximately 5,400 people from 32 countries andregions participated, and more than 30 open sessions
were held. Discussions ranged from the importanceof international multidisciplinary collaboration, tothe role of women in disaster management.

Agreement with Toyota toPromote Green Initiatives

Nakazawa Wins 2023
Japan PrizeTohoku University and Toyota Motor Corporation
have signed a cooperative agreement to promote green
initiatives - such as the use of hydrogen as a clean
energy source – to build a more resilient future.

Masataka Nakazawa, a specially-appointed research
fellow at Tohoku University's International ResearchInstitute of Disaster Science and professor emeritus at
the Research Institute of Electrical Communication,
has won the 2023 Japan Prize in the field ofElectronics, Information and Communication.

Nicknamed “NanoTerasu,” a combination of"nano" (the scale of observation at the facility)and "terasu" (the Japanese word for shining a lighton something), the facility is a project led by theNational Institutes for Quantum and Radiological
Science and Technology and the Photon Science
Innovation Center. It is expected to attract experts
from academia, industry and the international
community, and to open new frontiers of science.

Tohoku University’s International ResearchInstitute of Disaster Science hosted several sessions
including a special panel on the 7.8-magnitude
earthquake that devastated southern Turkey andSyria on February 6. Istanbul Technical University
associate professor and Tohoku University alumnus
Fatih Sutcu gave a keynote speech describing his onsite survey of the devastation.

Under the agreement, both sides will engage in joint
research on hydrogen fuel cells and develop green
technologies with the aim of eventually realizing carbon
neutrality. Other goals include the creation of disasterresistant urban development in Fukushima prefecture,and technological innovation to raise the value of local
peaches, pears and other agricultural products.
“We hope that through working regionally, we canmake a difference nationally and eventually contributeto solving these issues globally,” said Tohoku University
President Hideo Ohno.

He shares the honor with co-winner Kazuo Hagimoto,the chief researcher at the National Institute ofInformation and Communications Technology.
The award - considered one of the most prestigious
in science and technology - recognizes Nakazawa
and Hagimoto’s contributions to global longdistance, high-capacity optical fiber networks
through the development of semiconductor laser
pumped optical amplifiers.

Student Activities
Return to Full Strength
Spring Festival - the annual showcase weekend atKawauchi campus for clubs and circles to recruit new
members - attracted about 1,800 students this year.
Unlike previous years when culture and sports clubs wereintroduced on separate days and participation was limited
due to COVID-19 prevention measures, this year’s event
saw a mix of activities by 111 student groups. There wereinformation booths, performances, demonstrations andsporting contests, and everyone was encouraged to takepart or simply have fun trying something new.
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5In the Lab
Tohoku University’s pioneering research continues to be at the forefront ofinnovation. With people and application in mind, researchers are addressing
society’s most pressing issues to create a bright, sustainable future.

Jellyfish and Fruit Flies: the Origin of Hunger Regulation
Decades' worth of research has shown that hunger
and feelings of fullness are controlled by hormonesand small proteins called neuropeptides. They arefound in a wide array of organisms like humans,
mice and fruit flies. Such a widespread occurrence
suggests a common evolutionary origin. A researchgroup, which was led by Hiromu Tanimoto andVladimiros Thoma from Tohoku University's
Graduate School of Life Sciences, turned to jellyfish
and fruit flies to explore this phenomenon.

They first focused their attention on
Cladonema, a small jellyfish with branchedtentacles, gaining further insights into
their feeding regulation. After identifying
the neuropeptide GAWamide, and noting
its similarities with a neuropeptide
found in fruit f lies, they swapped
the neuropeptide expression in bothorganisms. Amazingly, they discovered theneuropeptides to be interchangeable.

Analyzing Sweat via
Microelectronic Fibers

Soft Gums are More Proneto Inflammation

Imagine if a t-shirt could analyze sweat, potentiallyalerting the wearer to any health abnormalities. Well,
this is now closer to reality thanks to a research group's
recent innovation.

The tissue area around our teeth is called the gingiva, andhealthy teeth will sit firmly in the gums thanks to the many
gingival fibers that connect the tooth to the gingiva. The
gingiva is home to fibroblasts - cells that contribute to theformation of connective tissue. A group of scientists fromTohoku University have discovered that the gingiva stiffnessinfluences the properties of gingival fibroblasts, which inturn affects whether inflammation is likely to occur.

Assistant Professor Yuanyuan Guo, from Tohoku
University's Frontier Research Institute forInterdisciplinary Sciences, led a team of researchers
to develop a microelectronic fiber with microscopic
parameters that is capable of analyzing electrolytes
and metabolites in sweat. Its micrometer scale
allows it to be woven into clothes for healthcare
applications, and it is one of the first smart fabrics
capable of covering a large surface area.

Associate Professor Masahiro Yamada from Tohoku
University’s Graduate School of Dentistry, along withcolleague Professor Hiroshi Egusa, created an artificial
culture environment that simulated soft and hard gingiva
and cultured human gingival fibroblasts onto them.

New Insights from an
Ancient Asteroid

Rock, Paper, Scissors:
Strengthening Nonlocality

In June 2018, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft retrieved
samples from asteroid Ryugu and successfully returned
them to Earth. Researchers at Tohoku University haveanalyzed the samples and identified what they believe
may be the oldest solids from the solar system that havethus far become available for study.

Imagine when dying a glove, the other glove instantly
changed its color too. This may sound implausible
in the physical world. But in the quantum world, thephenomenon of nonlocality means a change in one
connected particle affects the other instantly, regardlessof the distance separated.

They examined mineral grains, concluding that thegrains were likely transported in widening circles fromthe inner regions of the early solar system out to themuch more distant region where the original asteroid
Ryugu formed. The work is part of the fascinatingprocess of understanding how the planetary systemthat eventually gave rise to life on Earth was born.

A common means to define and interpret nonlocality
utilizes mathematical inequalities, just like rock-paperscissors violates certain mathematical properties.
This is known as Hardy’s Paradox. Using a theoreticalframework, a research group has discovered that nonlocal
probability increases as the number of particles grows,
despite previous studies showing the opposite.

Everybody Needs Some Body
The field of molecular robotics, which is being
spearheaded in Japan, is beginning to change how wetypically think of robots. Much like how complex livingorganisms are formed, molecular robots derive form
and functionality from assembled molecules.
The first challenge in building a molecular robot is thesame as the most basic need of any organism: the body,which holds everything together. But manufacturing
complex structures has proven to be an engineeringnightmare. To address this problem, a research team at
Tohoku University has developed a simple method for
creating molecular robots from artificial, multicellularlike bodies by using molecules which can organize
themselves into the desired shape.
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In the Classroom
Tohoku University’s growing global network creates a culturally diverse learning
environment. Enhanced digital technology has also led to dynamic hybridclassrooms, and more programs with online / in-person options than ever before.

Summer, Winter and Online
Summer School, Winter Sessions and online
programs offer a quick taste of student life in Sendai.
The Tohoku University Engineering Summer
Program (TESP) is an international exchangethat features two weeks of classes and laboratory
activities taught by professors renowned in thefields of robotics, structural materials engineering,bio-materials engineering, quantum materials
engineering and green materials engineering.
At the undergraduate level, there is the Tohoku
University Japanese Program (TUJP) whereparticipants learn Japanese language and culture;and the Tohoku University STEM Summer
Program (TSSP) which is designed to showcase theuniversity’s cutting-edge science and technology.
“We encourage intercultural collaborative
learning even in short programs, so internationaland domestic students develop different
perspectives through interaction with eachother,” said Kazuko Suematsu, deputy director of
the Global Learning Center. “These programs arevery well received, and many participants havereturned to do longer-term exchange programs oreven applied to our graduate schools.”

In-comingFor degree seeking students, Tohoku University
currently offers 10 International Joint Graduate
Programs in five leading fields such as spintronics andmaterials science; and five emerging fields, such as
Japanese studies and disaster science.

Participants in the Direct Enrollment Education
Program for Natural Science Students (DEEP)
mainly take specialized courses in Japanesealongside local students.

There are also 23 graduate and three undergraduate
degree courses taught in English as part of the Future
Global Leadership (FGL) Program.
For shorter exchange opportunities, there are four
programs open to students from partner universities.
The Junior Year Program in English (JYPE) and the
Cooperative Laboratory Study Program (COLABS)
have research-oriented curricula that allow students
to explore topics in science. While the International
Program in Liberal Arts (IPLA) promotes theunderstanding of Japanese language and culture.

Out-going
To encourage a global mindset, there are
myriad short-term and double degree options
for Japanese or domestic students who areinterested in studying abroad.
These include the Study Abroad Programs(SAP) which focus on improving practicallanguage and communication skills; andFaculty-led Programs (FL), which explore asingle theme through problem-solving projects,
field work and other activities. SAP and FL
programs have dynamic curricula co-designed
by faculty members of Tohoku University andthe partner institutions involved.
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9In the Community
Students and staff engage in various outreach programs
throughout the year. Alumni in Japan and around the world arealso active members of the Tohoku University family.

Open Farm at Kawatabi Field Center
Tohoku University’s Kawatabi Field Center hosts
several activities each year, giving students andlocal residents a chance to learn more about
nature and some of the research being done by
the Graduate School of Agricultural Science.

Japanese students in the spring and autumn alsooffer rice planting and harvesting experience.

Recent activities include countryside excursions
guided by professors familiar with the local
fauna and flora; and an open farm, whereparticipants learn about agricultural machinery,
paddy fields and farm animals through a fieldtour and an easy-to-understand lecture.

International Festival

TomoProThe Tohoku University International Festival is one of themost popular events on the city’s social calendar, attracting
thousands of participants from around the region.

The Tohoku University Fund (https://www.bureau.
tohoku.ac.jp/kikin/english/) supports students and thecommunity, through a range of fundraising programs.

Joint study programs with international andOrganised by the university’s international students, theannual festival is a great opportunity for students and staff,
alumni and members of the community to come together
to celebrate diversity and different cultures. The festival's
main stage features all-day entertainment, and food stalls
offer delicacies from around the world – prepared, cooked
and served by students and alumni.

The Tomoni Program (known colloquially as TomoPro)
was launched in 2021 to give students the chance toimpact their own future by crowdsourcing their ideas andbuilding a project with sponsors who share their vision.
Students are invited to submit original proposals to realize
a dream, tackle a social problem or engage in positive
activism to improve their community.

Science Ambassadors
The Science Ambassadors program, formerly known as
the Science Angels program, is a cornerstone of Tohoku
University's on-going efforts to promote the role of womenin science and technology.
Members serve as a support network for each other and asrole models for children, especially young, school-age girls.
Science Ambassadors regularly give talks and host events
to encourage the love of science among young students.

Alumni Network
Tohoku University has alumni in over 145 countries
and the Alumni Association provides the best ways
to stay connected. In Japan, the Alumni Associationhosts four main events each year in the Kansai,
Kanto and Kyushu areas, as well as regular campus
activities like Homecoming Day.
There are also several overseas chapters which canbe accessed through the Tohoku University Alumni
Network. The online platform serves as a hub for thelatest university news and provides a place for alumni
across the globe to connect, network and deepen theirties with the university and with each other.
To learn more, contact the Shuyukai Alumni Associationor join the Alumni Network using the QR code below.
▶︎ Alumni Networkhttps://overseas-alumni.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/

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Editorial Adviser: Noriko Osumi
Produced by the Tohoku University Internationa l Public Relations Section
2-1-1 Katahira Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8577© Tohoku University