DATE2025.10.21 #News
The 5th Chile–Japan Academic Forum was held
The 5th Chile–Japan Academic Forum / Japan–Latin America Academic Conference 2025 was held at Kyoto University’s Uji Campus from September 29 to October 3, 2025. More than 200 participants attended the forum in person, including 64 delegates from Chile.
The opening ceremony featured distinguished guests such as H.E. Mr. Ricardo G. Rojas, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile to Japan; Dr. Rosa Devés, Rector of the University of Chile; Dr. María Angélica Fellenberg, Vice-Rector of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Dr. María Andrea Rodríguez, Vice-Rector of the University of Concepción; and Dr. Carlos Ladrix, Deputy Director of Applied Research at the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development (ANID). From Japan, attendees included Prof. Tetsuo Sawaragi, Executive Vice-President of Kyoto University; Prof. Tomoharu Hori, Director of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute; Prof. Tomohiro Morio, Executive Vice-President of Tokyo University of Science; Prof. Mamoru Doi, Director General of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; Mr. Jun Sawada, Chairman of the Board of NTT Corporation; and Dr. Masami Matsumoto, Director of the Human Resource Development Program Development and Research Program Department at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), among many others.
Prof. Shin-ichi Ohkoshi, Dean of the Graduate School of Science, Executive Advisor to the President (Vice President Equivalent) delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the University of Tokyo. He reflected on the more than 10-year history of the forum since the 9th UTokyo Forum held in 2013, and expressed his deep appreciation to the universities, research institutes, and companies that have contributed to advancing research collaboration. Following four keynote lectures, including one by Prof. Makoto Nakanishi, former Director of the Institute of Medical Science, a welcome reception was held.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Prof. Shin-ichi Ohkoshi and all members of the Graduate School of Science, as well as to the professors who led each session. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to President Teruo Fujii, Vice President Masato Yaguchi, Prof. Masaomi Nangaku (Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine), Prof. Sakae Tanaka (Director of the University of Tokyo Hospital), and Prof. Motohiro Kato (Graduate School of Medicine) for warmly welcoming the Chilean delegation during their courtesy visit to the Hongo Campus.
5th Japan-Chile Academic Forum and Japan-Latin America Conference
From the following day, six parallel sessions were organized under the themes of “Astronomy & Astronomical Instrumentation”, “Earth Sciences, Climate Change & Disaster Preparedness”, “Engineering and Science for Health”, “Social, Cultural, and Educational Challenges”, “Ecology, Sustainable Architecture & Urban Planning”, and “Quality of Life, Food, and Wellbeing Solutions for the Elderly”.
(Responsibility: Professor Kotaro Kohno, Institute of Astronomy)