FREX

Expectations for the Graduate School of Frontier Exploration in Earth and Space

Kohoku Kogyo Co., Ltd.

We expect graduates with broad, deep, and practical education in the space field to take the lead on projects.

Tomoaki TORIYA

Kohoku Kogyo Co., Ltd.
Executive Officer overseeing Next-Generation Product Development

* Affiliation and position current as of the time of the interview (March 2026).

COMPANY PROFILE

Company Profile

We manufacture and sell lead terminals for aluminum electrolytic capacitors, as well as optical components and devices for fiber optic networks. In particular, we possess highly-reliable optical device technology boasting the global market share of over 50% in optical isolators for submarine cables which support fiber optic communications networks. In the field of space satellite communications field as well, we are advancing the development of high-speed optical communications devices and other products with the aim of contributing to high-speed, large-capacity optical communications networks.

As a company, what value or appeal do you see in the Graduate School of Frontier Exploration in Earth and Space's approach to talent development?

Rather than research and education highly specialized in individual areas, I believe that an advanced, cross-disciplinary curriculum, combined with research and education conducted in close collaboration with your university's ESEC, will result in comprehensive talents development program. The framework of establishing an English-based curriculum and collaborating with many international students will lead to the development of valuable talents capable of working across cultures, not merely in language acquisition. Furthermore, the practical education of executing missions while managing projects will, I believe, deepen insight, cultivate problem-solving and breakthrough skills, and produce graduates ready to contribute immediately to society.

Our company is aiming to enter the space sector. We expect that graduates educated in this environment to foster comprehensive, deep, and practical knowledge and experience in this space field will play leading roles in our projects.

What kinds of roles or positions within your company do you believe graduates of the Graduate School of Frontier Exploration in Earth and Space would excel in?

· Product development of optical components for space satellite communication equipment
· Research and development of new materials and new devices
· Planning and development for new business creation and new field development
We believe graduates could contribute across a wide range of areas, not limited to space satellite products and business fields.

What kinds of knowledge and skills would be particularly useful in those roles and positions? Please provide some detailed examples.

Development of products for space satellite communications equipment : Knowledge and understanding of telecommunication technologies and functional materials, combined with knowledge of the space environment and project management skills, will be of great value in driving research and development projects forward.

Research and development of new materials and devices: Combined with broad, cross-disciplinary knowledge in science and engineering, project management capability is expected to serve as a driving force in research and development.

Planning and development for new business creation and new field development: Education through a cross-disciplinary, multi-domain curriculum and a business creation program is expected to cultivate a broad perspective and insight that will be oriented toward social implementation and will be utilized in planning and development work with an eye to the future.

MESSAGE

Message for prospective students of the Graduate School of Frontier Exploration in Earth and Space

The space sector is truly at a turning point ans is moving from "discovery-type exploration" and stepping toward a new stage of "the expansion of exploration and construction for extending the range of human existence," and further aiming at domains with "the construction and enrichment of human habitats" in view. We are also approaching an era in which the technology such as optical communications networks using satellites and space data centers are deeply involved in areas that support our daily lives. The vast domain of the Earth and Space Frontier is a field in which countries around the world will compete intensely for decades to come, pursuing a wide range of research and commercialization initiatives. The learning gained here will undoubtedly become a great assets that will contribute to your success in real-world — not only in tackling challenges in the space sector and the Earth's environment, but in whatever field you will choose to pursue.

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