Type: INT 97-31 NSF/Tokyo Report: Japanese Programs for Promoting Centers of Excellence Date: 8/13/97 The National Science Foundation's offices in Tokyo and in Paris periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the Foundation's mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF policy. Japanese Programs for Promoting Centers of Excellence This report is a follow up of Tokyo Report Memoranda #95-2 dated February 3, 1995 and #96-6 dated March 1, 1996 on the same subject. Science and Technology Agency (STA) STA has newly funded two institutes under their Center of Excellence (COE) program, bringing the total number to nine. STA's JFY1996 COE budget of Yen 3.6 billion provided about Yen 400 million to each institute. The institutes and themes added during JFY1996 are: 1. National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science (NISES) Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research leader: Dr. Hajime Inoue Number of researchers involved: 72 (including 7 foreign researchers) COE theme: Study of the Creation of New Materials based on Insect Properties The goal is to create new materials by using living organisms and to develop new technologies modeled on biological functions. 2. Electrotechnical Laboratory Agency of Industrial Science and Technology Ministry of International Trade and Industry Research leader: Dr. Kazuhito Ohmaki Number of researchers involved: 24 (including 7 foreign researchers) COE theme: Global Information Processing Technology The objective is to develop a vast network system that forms the basic infrastructure of an information-oriented society. This research aims to solve problems concerning conversion from the "quantity" of information to "quality." Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (MONBUSHO) As mentioned in the previous TRM (#96-6), MONBUSHO's COE program consists of three elements: (1) program to promote institutes to become COEs; (2) program to support advancement of existing COEs; and (3) program to support advancement of the research environment. (1) Program to promote institutes to become COEs In JFY1996, the following 7 organizations were selected for COE funding under this program: 1. Graduate School of Language Sciences Kanda University of International Studies Research leader: Dr. Kazuko Inoue COE theme: Researching and Verifying an Advanced Theory of Human Language The objective is to explain the human faculty for constructing and computing sentence structures on the basis of lexical conceptual features 2. Research Project on Advanced Water Treatment Systems with Complex Microbial Community University of Tokyo Research leader: Dr. Tomonori Matsuo COE theme: Establishment and Evaluation of Advanced Water Treatment Technology Systems Using Functions of Complex Microbial Communities The goal is to explore functions of complex microbial communities for the development of advanced water and wastewater treatment systems 3. SCP Phase Control Project University of Tokyo Research leader: Dr. Kenjiro Miyano COE theme: Phase Control and Engineering of Spin-Charge-Photon Coupled System The objective is phase control and engineering of a spin-charge-photon coupled system. 4. Ultra Precision Machining Research Center Osaka University Research leader: Dr. Yuzo Mori COE theme: Creation of Perfect Surfaces The objective is to establish an excellent technology of ultra- smooth surface machining as a foundation of frontier technology and basic science 5. Research Center for Artificial Molecular Assemblies Kyushu University Research leader: Dr. Hiizu Iwamura COE theme: Design and Control of Advanced Molecular Assembly Systems The objective is to demonstrate that molecules can form selectively organized assemblies having novel functions. 6. Research Center for Digital Media Infrastructure and Application Institute of Environmental Information Keio University Research leader: Dr. Hideo Aiso COE theme: Research on Creative Digital Media: Basic Studies and Applications The goal is to investigate system architecture, common platforms, and real world applications for multimedia. 7. Projects for Molecular Biology and Genetics of Cytoskeletons University of Tokyo Research leader: Dr. Nobutaka Hirokawa COE theme: Molecular Biology and Genetic Study of the Cytoskeleton - the Mechanisms of Organelle Transport and Cell Morphogenesis The objective is to elucidate molecular mechanisms of intracellular transport and cellular morphogenesis of neurons and epithelial cells. Budget (1) Program to promote institutes to become COEs Yen 4,551 million General Account: Basic research funds for forming COEs (Special coordination funds for promoting science and technology) Post-doctoral fellowships Foreign post-doctoral fellowship Supplement for postdoctoral fellowships (Special coordination funds for promoting science and technology) National University Special Account: Leading research facilities (2) Program to Support Advancement of Existing COEs National University Special Account: Yen 5,817 million Research advancement promotion Foreign researchers Part-time researchers International symposia Frontier research facilities/equipment Facilities (3) Program to Support Advancement of the Research Environment National University Special Account: Yen 1,000 million JFY1996 GRAND TOTAL Yen 11,368 million (NOTE: Monbusho does not have breakdown figures for the above items for JFY1996.) The information contained in this report was obtained from the Science Promotion Division, Science and Technology Agency (Phone: 011-81-3-3581-5271; FAX: 011-81-3-3581-7033), National Institute of Sericultural and Entomological Science (Phone: 011-81-298-38-6022; FAX: 011-81-298-38-6028), Electrotechnical Laboratory (Phone: 011-81-298-54-5006; FAX: 011-81-298-54-5087), and the Science Planning Office, International Science Division, Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture (Phone: 011-81-3-3581-4211; FAX: 011-81-3-3592-1027).