Observing the Future of "World-Class Research and Talent Cultivation" Envisioned by J-PEAKS Shinshu University
On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, a delegation from Toyota Motor Corporation, including Executive Advisor Takeshi Uchiyamada and Executive Vice President Chika Kako, visited the Matsumoto Campus of Shinshu University.
The purpose of the visit was to further deepen co-creation through an exchange of views on the future envisioned by Shinshu University. As part of this initiative, a commemorative tree-planting ceremony was held to honor Executive Advisor Uchiyamada’s visit. Additionally, the delegation toured the Institute for Aqua Regeneration (ARG), a core project under the university's "Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities (J-PEAKS)," as well as the cutting-edge "X-STAR Lab (Robot Lab)" research facility.
During the tree-planting ceremony, following welcoming remarks from President Soichiro Nakamura, Executive Advisor Uchiyamada expressed his high expectations for the university’s advanced research and educational initiatives, including J-PEAKS, and offered words of encouragement for its future development. Afterwards, near the entrance of the Aqua Regeneration Central Hub (ARCH), Executive Advisor Uchiyamada and President Nakamura together shoveled soil onto a sapling of a "Katsura" (Japanese Judas tree)—the same species as the symbolic tree in the central plaza—symbolizing their wishes for the further exchange and mutual growth of both organizations.
Following this, the delegation toured the Central Plaza and the Red Brick Warehouse, a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Shinshu University plans to integrate cutting-edge education and research with the Central Plaza, a symbol of freedom and learning, and the historic Red Brick Warehouse to develop them as a new hub for knowledge creation. Moving forward, the university aims to promote research under the ARG institution on themes such as water, energy, food, and disaster prevention, while rolling out practical education and research through new programs scheduled to open in April 2027, such as the "Aqualogy Major" and the "Cooperative Program for Sustainable Society."
These interconnected initiatives do not merely serve as demonstration fields for education and research; they represent a major, forward-looking effort by the university to create a sustainable, open campus space for local residents and businesses, and to feed those achievements back into education and research.
Later, at ARCH, Dr. Katsuya Teshima, Director of the ARG, introduced the "water-centric research strategy" being driven under J-PEAKS, along with research outcomes geared toward social implementation. At the X-STAR Lab, the delegation observed state-of-the-art equipment designed to automate and advance the synthesis, analysis, and evaluation of materials. The delegation showed a strong interest in the university’s research DX (Digital Transformation) and the advancement of its research infrastructure. Watching the operating equipment up close, they actively exchanged views and asked enthusiastic questions regarding technical details and future applications.
This visit served as a valuable opportunity to showcase the university’s efforts toward enhancing world-class research capabilities and social implementation through J-PEAKS, while sharing a common understanding of potential future collaborations. Building on this significant visit and exchange of ideas, Shinshu University will further accelerate co-creation and advanced partnerships with the industrial sector, using the world-class research hub established under J-PEAKS as a foundation. Through these efforts, the university will continue to share its initiatives for new innovation creation and next-generation talent cultivation with the world.
Related links:https://www.shinshu-u.ac.jp/
