On July 10th, 2025, Mr. Fukui, Deputy Director-General, Science and Technology Policy Bureau and others visited Tokushima University Kuramoto Campus and exchanged views on the initiatives, current status and challenges of the "Program for Forming Japan's Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)," which was adopted last year.
At the beginning of the discussion, President Kawamura explained Tokushima University's vision for the next 10 years and its initiatives related to the J-PEAKS project, to which Deputy Director-General Fukui and others expressed their high expectations for Tokushima University, which was selected for the project. There was also a lively exchange of opinions with Tokushima University's executive officers on securing research support personnel such as URAs, initiatives to enhance the project's sustainability, and the promotion of research integrity.
After the exchange of opinions, they toured the Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences co-creation Plaza on the same campus, where they were introduced to the open labs, shared equipment, and specific initiatives being promoted by Tokushima University to enhance medical education, research, and clinical practice.
The following day, on the 11th, Mr. Nonaka Atsushi, State Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, visited the campus, where he exchanged opinions with President Kawamura and others about J-PEAKS and toured the research facilities.
During the exchange of opinions, there was lively discussion about the current state of collaboration with Kamiyama Marugoto College of Design, Engineering and Entrepreneurship, a participator in the J-PEAKS project, and efforts related to management reform.
Following this, the State Minister Nonaka toured the Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, where he received detailed explanations from researchers and technical staff about the open lab and shared equipment. In particular, State Minister Nonaka was deeply interested in the fact that researchers transferred from other institutions can use the open lab to quickly start research while setting up their own laboratories, and in the operation status of the mass spectrometer, which boasts a high utilization rate in collaborative research both within and outside Tokushima University.
Encouraged by the visit of State Minister Nonaka and Deputy Director-General Fukui, Tokushima University will further accelerate the efforts to strengthen research capabilities through the J-PEAKS project and work harder to improve the research environment.
Deputy Director-General Fukui Toshihide (center right) exchanging opinions with the Tokushima University executive officers
Tour (Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences)
Mr. Nonaka, State Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
exchanging opinions with the executive officers of Tokushima University
Tour
Commemorative photo taken in front of the Dr. Setsuro Fujii Memorial Gallery.
From left: Mr. Nonaka Atsushi, State Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology; Mr. Kawamura Yasuhiko, President of Tokushima University
