UC San Diego Sets Up Its First Overseas Office in Nihonbashi Life Science Building
to Link U.S. Cutting-Edge R&D System with Japan,
Thereby Energizing Japanese Life Science Research, Education, and Innovation
July 27, 2016
University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego)
Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J), and Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (Mitsui Fudosan) are pleased to announce the opening of UC San Diego’s first overseas office in Nihonbashi Life Science Building, one of the bases of the Nihonbashi Life Science Innovation Promotion Project, on July 26, 2016.
LINK-J has been established for the purpose of promoting the project through collaborations with companies, including Mitsui Fudosan. The project aims at promoting open innovation in the life science area through industry-government-academia cooperation in the Nihonbashi area, where pharmaceutical companies are clustered, thereby extending support to the creation of new industries. LINK-J has already agreed to enter into a partnership in the life science area with UC San Diego.
Japan is the largest foreign investor of San Diego, California, with investments from Japanese life science companies accounting for a large percentage. The US’s top-class life science clusters are found in UC San Diego; not only has UC San Diego shown leadership through industry-academia cooperation, it is known for its state-of-the-art research and development system as well. UC San Diego will focus on initiatives to strengthen industry-academia collaboration in Japan down the road. It has already forged a long-term alliance with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in cancer research and with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. in regenerative medicine. By establishing its Japanese office in Nihonbashi, it will speed up forging of new alliances even further.
(From left) Takashi Ueda, LINK-J Director and Mitsui Fudosan Executive Managing Officer; Albert Pisano, UC San Diego Dean for the Jacobs School of Engineering; Sandra Brown, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Research; Robert Sullivan, UC San Diego Dean of the Rady School of Management; and Akihiko Soyama, LINK-J Secretary-General
On July 26 when UC San Diego’s Tokyo Office opened, we organized a commemorative symposium entitled “For Strengthening Partnerships in Research, Education, and Innovation,” which was followed by a networking event.
The university will continue to move ahead with cooperation and collaboration with Japanese companies, research institutes, and universities in areas that go beyond the life science realm.
Meanwhile, LINK-J and Mitsui Fudosan will promote the creation of life science innovation and extend support to the generation of new industries, thereby further enhancing the value of Nihonbashi and contributing to resolving issues associated with the health and longevity of people all over the world.
The symposium and networking event to commemorate the launch of UC San Diego’s Tokyo Office
Comments from Albert Pisano, UC San Diego Dean of the Jacobs School of Engineering
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UC San Diego has decided to open its Tokyo Office as its first overseas base for three reasons.
The first reason is that we intend to step up cooperation with Japanese companies and develop business. By setting up our office in Nihonbashi, which is not only the center of Tokyo but the hub of the life science area in Japan as well, I expect to deepen our partnerships.
The second reason is education. We have organized a new short-term educational program for entrepreneurship and innovation jointly with the Jacobs School of Engineering and the Rady School of Management this year. I would like businessmen as well as students to take advantage of entrepreneurship that they learned to make innovations happen.
The third reason is networking. The Tokyo Office will serve as the venue for research symposiums or networking events or networking of our alumni association, as well as the base for our faculty members who visit Japan for research. Addressing impending issues associated with the life science area, which is located at the crossing of medicine, science, and engineering, is a challenge that both Japan and the U.S. face. Including solutions to the problem of aging, I look forward to working with our Japanese partners. Moreover, we have set up our office in Nihonbashi and joined hands with LINK-J in the belief that this partnership is highly significant in linking those involved in the life science arena in both cities.
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Comments from Pradeep K. Khosla, UC San Diego Chancellor
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The challenges we face as a global society are increasingly complex and need to be addressed collectively through the collaboration of nations, industries and disciplines. By opening this new office in Tokyo’s life science hub, UC San Diego is demonstrating our commitment to strengthen our global partnerships and advance the frontiers of knowledge in order to benefit our planet and humankind.
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Comments from Sandra Brown, UC San Diego Vice Chancellor for Research
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We are very pleased the office is located at the heart of the life science hub in Tokyo, a perfect fit for UC San Diego as our two cities are seen as world leaders in life sciences and biotechnology.
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Comments from Takashi Ueda, LINK-J Director and Mitsui Fudosan Executive Managing Officer
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Nihonbashi is “the” center of Japan where you can find Zero Milestone of Japan. It has also been known as a cluster of the pharmaceutical industry since the Edo Period. By leveraging this traditional advantage, Mitsui Fudosan and LINK-J have launched a project to promote life science innovation. The city of San Diego is known for being one of the largest life science clusters in the United States and a role model for us. We are excited to collaborate and together accelerate open innovation.
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University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego)
University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) was established in 1960, offering 87 undergraduate courses and 55 master’s courses. It is a state research university where approximately 34,000 students are engaged in more than 100 major fields of study as of fall 2015. US San Diego conducts cutting-edge research in medicine, science, and engineering and is recognized as one of the world’s top 15 universities in terms of area of research. Of note is that in San Diego, where the nation’s top-notch life science clusters are found, the university is known for its state-of-the-art research system in the life science realm and proud of having chalked up a track record in taking the initiative in life science clusters in California through industry-university collaboration. For further details, please visit the website: http://www.ucsd.edu/
Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (LINK-J)
LINK-J is a general incorporated association established by Mitsui Fudosan and volunteers from academic circles. With its base in the Nihonbashi district, where a number of pharmaceutical companies are clustered, it aims to promote open innovation in the life science realm through industry-government-academia cooperation and extend support to the creation of new industries. Across the entire life science area, i.e., the area where all sciences are combined, ranging from medicine to science and further to engineering or new technologies, such as information and communication technology (ICT) or artificial intelligence (AI), it will accelerate interdisciplinary human and technological exchanges. For further details, please visit the website: http://www.link-j.org/
The Nihonbashi Life Science Base
Mitsui Fudosan has put in place the following life science bases in Nihonbashi:
Click map to enlarge
