It is my great pleasure to welcome so many people at this inauguration ceremony for the Center

for Advanced Science and Innovation at our Uji campus in this season marked by the lush
greenness of trees. I would like to thank you all on behalf of Kyoto University.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation in particular to Director-General Seiichi
Nagatsuka from the Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as Mayor Isamu
Kubota of Uji City, who joined us today despite their busy schedules as a result of responding to
the earthquake disaster, not to mention all the guests and participants from related parties inside
and outside the university.
The Center, which we just inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, was founded with the
support of the 2008 Industrial Technology Research and Development Facility Subsidy from
Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), which aims to support the creation or
upgrading of facilities that will connect cutting-edge research to the product development
activities of relevant companies and promote the application of cutting-edge research to industry
in a region with high potential in a specific sector of technology, eventually to maintain and
develop internationally competitive technological expertise while stimulating the local
economy.
The design of this facility features a handsome appearance suitable for a sophisticated, advanced
research facility; the feel of an open facility in which rooms have a wide view with effective use
of glass; consideration for energy saving through the effective use of rainwater and LED lamps
for all lights; flexibility which allows diverse modes of research and experiments in the future
with the provision of technical balconies and free access floors; security to prevent the leakage of
research and experiment data; and support rooms for women to facilitate the research activities
of female researchers.
The details of Kyoto University's research projects will be shown to you later, but the projects to
be based on this facility will include the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development
Organization's RISING (R&D Initiative for Scientific Innovation of New Generation Batteries)
project led by Zenpachi Ogumi (a specially appointed professor from the Office of SocietyAcademia Collaboration for Innovation) and an R&D project on the next generation of thin-film
solar cells led by Susumu Yoshikawa (a specially appointed professor from the Institute of
Advanced Energy at our Uji campus).
As you may know, in recent years batteries have been utilized in diverse applications, which
include laptop PCs, digital cameras and cellular phones. Now, in our present age, we may call
them the staple food of industry, just as steel was in the post-war high-growth period or
semiconductors were in the 80s to 90s. While the importance of batteries is increasing, the
economic and social circumstances in our country are undergoing a drastic change reflecting
considerations for global environmental issues or reconsideration of our energy policies after the
Great East Japan Earthquake. To be able to respond to these challenges promptly, it will be
critical to commercialize such technologies as smart grids and electric vehicles by dramatically
boosting the performance of batteries, to finally realize a low-carbon society as early as possible.
Hoping that this institute will play a key role in achieving these goals, I would like to ask again
for the generous support from the relevant government authorities and industry.
In closing, I would like to express again my deepest appreciation to the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry for its assistance in the construction of the building, to the staff of the local
municipalities who helped us until the completion of construction, our Uji campus staff, and all
parties concerned for their kind cooperation.

I would like to conclude by expressing my hope that this institute will serve as a hub point for
Kyoto University's endeavors to promote the further development of collaboration among
industry, government and academia