On October 7, 2024, Hiroshima University (HU), Micron Memory Japan, and the City of Higashihiroshima held a lunch session at the STS Forum 2024 in Kyoto, on the theme “Project to Create a Global Advanced Science and Technology Ecosystem,” attended by approximately 20 corporate leaders. At the beginning of the session, Forum Chairman Hiroshi Komiyama gave a speech, which further heightened expectations for the project.

HU President Mitsuo Ochi touched on the importance of strengthening international competitiveness in the semiconductor industry from the perspective of economic security, recognizing that Japan must work to strengthen its technological capabilities in the upstream industry of the semiconductor supply chain, which still accounts for 60% to 90% of the global market share. The President also mentioned that Higashihiroshima City is home to a concentration of semiconductor manufacturing and development facilities, mainly Micron Memory Japan, and the maintenance companies that support them, and that HU is building an internationally competitive ecosystem that combines its Research Institute for Semiconductor Engineering, the World Premier Institute (WPI) for pioneering new materials science related to Knotted Chiral Meta Matter and the only university synchrotron radiation facility in Japan, based on the achievements accumulated as the longest established semiconductor education and research center in Japan. He explained that the area surrounding HU is therefore ideally situated for the formation of an ecosystem to strengthen the technological capabilities of the upstream industry of the semiconductor supply chain, with semiconductor manufacturing sites, R&D sites, and human resource development sites clustered in close proximity to each other. In closing, President Ochi expressed his hope for the role that industry-government-academia collaboration will play in the revival of Japan's semiconductor industry and called on participants to actively participate in the project.

Mr. Joshua Lee, Representative Director of Micron Memory Japan, then explained the importance of semiconductor memory technology in supporting DX (Digital Transformation) and GX (Green Transformation) and the “UPWARDS for the Future” human resource development program, a Japan-US collaboration launched on the occasion of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, and emphasized the significance of fostering next-generation engineers.

From HU, Executive Vice President (Global Initiatives) Shinji Kaneko and Director Akinobu Teramoto of the Research Institute for Semiconductor Engineering took the podium to explain HU’s role as a center for semiconductor education and research, and to introduce the “Setouchi Semiconductor Consortium”, which was established to foster cutting-edge semiconductor-related R&D and human resources, and the “CMOS Advanced Course” and “CMOS Practical Program”, which aim to foster practical engineers. They also announced the introduction of the “Industry Advisory Board” as part of the university's management reforms to promote the development of practical education and research programs that reflect the needs of industry.

Deputy Mayor Kawaguchi of Higashihiroshima City, introduced their efforts for local economic development through cooperation among industry, government, and academia based on the “Next Generation School City Concept” and the “Town & Gown Initiatives”, and the establishment of the “Smart City Co-Creation Consortium” which aims to realize the SDGs and Society 5.0 in collaboration with businesses.

After the session, networking time was set aside for participants to get to know each other better. The corporate leadership and academics engaged in direct dialogue and engaged in a lively exchange of ideas about future collaboration and potential joint projects, and discussed possibilities for further cooperation.

In the future, this “Project to Create a Global Advanced Science and Technology Ecosystem” is expected to develop into a new model for leading the next-generation science and technology industry through strong collaboration among industry, government, and academia, with the aim of reviving Japan's semiconductor industry.