The Ritsumeikan Trust and Kumamoto University Sign Comprehensive Agreement of Cooperation to Promote Exchange in All Research Activities, Aiming for the Development of International and Regional Societies and the Cultivation of Human Resources
The Ritsumeikan Trust and Kumamoto University (Location: Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture; President: Hisao Ogawa) signed a comprehensive agreement of cooperation in September 2025. This agreement aims to promote exchange and collaboration across all research activities and further enhance research at both universities as well as to contribute to the development of international and regional communities and the cultivation of human resources.
Amid the accelerating transformation of industrial structures, the establishment of a robust framework for semiconductor research and human resource development in Japan has become an urgent priority. Looking abroad, collaboration with overseas research institutions is indispensable, and strengthening industrial foundations through cooperation with local communities is also essential.
In April 2024, Ritsumeikan University established the Ritsumeikan University Semiconductor Application Research Center (“RISA”), and in 2025, it launched the Semiconductor Application Research Consortium drawing participants from industry, academia, and government. Currently, 12 institutions participate in the consortium, which is working to revitalize the semiconductor industry in the Kinki region, particularly by promoting partnerships with Shiga Prefecture, aiming to establish a new semiconductor research hub in collaboration with nearby companies and local governments.
Meanwhile, Kumamoto University, which was selected for the Education Network for Semiconductor Technologies project, is working to strengthen international collaboration and cooperation with regional industries in the Kyushu region, where semiconductor industrial clusters are expanding.
Building on this agreement, both universities will move forward with research exchange and researcher dispatch in semiconductors and other cutting-edge fields, cooperate with international universities and research institutions, and work to strengthen networks with companies and local governments nationwide. They will also pursue a wide range of other initiatives, including reskilling, talent development encompassing liberal arts students, and the creation of new industries through startup support.
Areas of Collaboration Under the Agreement
Personnel exchange: Promotion of human exchange through the dispatch of faculty members and researchers
Research collaboration: Advancement of joint research that leverages both universities' strengths and leads to the creation of new knowledge
Industry-academia collaboration: Real-world application of research outcomes and industry promotion initiatives in collaboration with companies and local governments
Social contribution: Development of education and research activities that address regional issues and contribute to the international community
From left: Kentaro Kaneko (Director of the Semiconductor Application Research Center, Ritsumeikan University), Masato Miyake (Vice President, Ritsumeikan University), Yoshio Nakatani (Chancellor of the Ritsumeikan Trust), Hisao Ogawa (President of Kumamoto University), Kazuhito Tomizawa (Executive Director, Kumamoto University)
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