On Monday, November 16, 2020, the Reiwa 2nd Year Livestock Memorial Ceremony of Hiroshima University was held at the Saijo Station (Research Farm), a unit of the Setouchi Field Science Center that is attached to the Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life.

The Livestock Memorial Ceremony is a time-honored traditional Japanese ceremony held each year to express appreciation for the hundreds of animals who sacrificed their precious lives in support of animal science education and research. The occasion also provides opportunities to reflect on the value of these sacrificed lives and the ethics of animal welfare that are strictly observed in each experiment.

In front of the memorial altar set up for the occasion, Center Director Professor Taketo Obitsu, representative members of the faculty, staff, and students laid flowers.

Every year, more than 100 faculty members, staff, and students participate in this ceremony, but this year, only four representatives participated in view of the restrictions and safety measures implemented against the novel coronavirus infection.