The Center for Fundamental Research was established in 2018 with the mission of fostering fundamental researchers who will pioneer cutting-edge research areas. Concerned about the future of the research environment in Japan, we newly designed this organization as a support structure to create an environment that enables us to engage in fundamental research, which takes a long time to produce research results.
Professor Emeritus Yoshinori Ohsumi, a Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2016, has emphasized the necessity of establishing an environment that enables young people to address complex challenges. Conversely, the research environment in Japan is currently experiencing three significant challenges. Firstly, there is a crisis surrounding the challenge and continuity of research, which is being exacerbated by a decline in funding and time available for research. Secondly, there are concerns over the future of the next generation of researchers, given the deterioration in employment opportunities and research environments for young researchers. Thirdly, there are threats to knowledge integration, with a decline in research hubs.
Therefore, the Center for Fundamental Research aims to create an open-minded environment in which young researchers can increase their research effort and concentrate on their research. In order to create an appropriate research environment for each research field, we have established three Specialized Academies and the Comprehensive Academy which provide an appropriate research environment according to the field. Respective Specialized Academies are headed by prominent researchers with an outstanding track record in the cutting-edge research fields for which Science Tokyo takes a lead role. In addition, all junior faculty members at Science Tokyo spend their first three months at the Comprehensive Academy. The academies have accepted more than 100 junior researchers to date.
We will continue these steady activities to support research and researchers who take a step away from a research attitude that tends to fall into a short-term perspective.
The establishment of the Institute of Science Tokyo underscores the growing necessity to cultivate the next generation of researchers who will spearhead the international scientific community, equipped with a comprehensive outlook and robust competencies. We kindly request your continued understanding and support.
I took up the position of Associate Director in September 2024. I am in charge of administration of CFR includeing the operation of the he Comprehensive Academy. Our mission is to create an environment in which young researchers can carry out original and innovative basic research on a sustainable, long-term basis. It is very important for the future of Japan to create an environment in which young researchers can establish their own fields of inquiry with a long-term perspective and secure in their career path. We need your understanding and support to make such an environment a reality. We will do everything we can to allow young researchers to conduct research with intellectual freedom.
The Center for Fundamental Research (CFR) consists of three "Specialized Academies" and a "Comprehensive Academy". The CFR strongly supports junior scientists to find original and innovative research ideas based on their own academic interests, and provides an excellent environment to drive their research based on their own intuition and the expectations and responsibilities of society.
