～ Cooperating with four domestic leading life science clusters and promoting innovations using networks ～
Life Science Innovation Network Japan, Inc. (head office: Nihonbashi-Honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; chairman of the board: Hideyuki Okano; hereinafter "LINK-J") exchanged a memorandum of understanding on cooperation aimed at promoting open innovations in the life science field with the City of Kawasaki on August 30. LINK-J is a general incorporated association based in Nihonbashi in Tokyo that supports the commercialization of seeds and ideas in the field of life science by promoting human and technology exchange. Kawasaki encourages the creation of new industries in the life science and environment fields. This is the first MOU exchange with a local government.
Takashi Ueda, director of LINK-J, and Norihiko Fukuda, mayor of Kawasaki
Kawasaki is promoting healthcare-related industries in the life science field in the district around King SkyFront, the international strategic center of Tonomachi, for example through the formation of innovation bases including drug discovery using the international strategic zone (designated in 2011), and the development and manufacture of innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices responding to personalized medical services and preventive medicine using the assistance for a national strategic special zone (designated in 2014). LINK-J and Kawasaki have interacted with each other for about two years: LINK-J visited the site in Tonomachi and local companies, and the city workers in charge visited LINK-J and took part in events. These interactions led to the exchange of the MOU.
LINK-J and Kawasaki will exchange information and opinions and cooperate closely with each other in a range of efforts in the life science field using their resources and networks. The goal is to promote open innovations through cooperation between the members of LINK-J and the companies/research institutes related to life science based on King SkyFront and other locations in Kawasaki.
The business alliance partners with which LINK-J has exchanged MOUs to create life-science-related innovations are the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and the Biocom (the life science organization in San Diego, U.S.A.) in May 2016; Eurobiomed (a life science organization in South France) in June 2017; Kyoto Research Park Corp. (Japan's first private research park) in July 2017; One Nucleus (a large life science organization in Europe that is based in the U.K.) in December 2017; and the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation in Kobe in February 2018; the Institute for Advanced Biosciences, Keio University (Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Pref.) in April 2018; MedCity (an organization established under the leadership of the Mayor of London to promote the industrialization of life sciences research) in June 2018. Kawasaki is the ninth partner under MOU. LINK-J is going to serve as a more influential global hub in the life science field by further cooperating with more domestic and international life science organizations in addition to Kawasaki.
Norihiko Fukuda, Mayor of Kawasaki, commented on the alliance as follows:
"In Kawasaki, we are seeking to concentrate life science companies on King SkyFront, the international strategic center of Tonomachi. We have interacted with other life science clusters such as Kyoto and Kobe. The tie-up with LINK-J is part of these efforts. I expect that interacting with the life science clusters in Nihonbashi, including members of LINK-J, will provide significant support to the companies based in Tonomachi, particularly in terms of the method of business."
"I am extremely pleased that we have exchanged an MOU on an alliance with Kawasaki, one of Japan's leading life science clusters. King SkyFront, the international strategic center of Tonomachi, has comprehensive animal testing facilities and laboratories. We can share the findings obtained in these facilities and hold exchange events, including inviting the companies based in the Tonomachi district, to contribute to the creation of new values," said Takashi Ueda, director of LINK-J.
LINK-J will contribute to the activation of the industry as a whole by further interacting with the nine domestic and overseas alliance partners and stimulating the creation of life science innovations.
History of alliance of LINK-J
| Time | Organization | Description of partnership |
|---|---|---|
| May 2016 | University of California San Diego (UCSD) (U.S.) | -Exchanging publications, documents and information -Mutually organizing programs and events - Organizing symposiums in Nihonbashi and inviting a well-known professor, etc. |
| May 2016 | BIOCOM (U.S.) | - Providing services to members of both organizations - Exchanging publications, documents and information - Mutually organizing programs and events, etc. |
| June 2017 | Eurobiomed (France) | - Providing services to members of both organizations - Exchanging publications, documents and information - Mutually organizing programs and events, etc. |
| July 2017 | Kyoto Research Park Corp. (Japan) |
- Cooperation in organizing, co-sponsoring and |
| December 2017 | One Nucleus (U.K.) | - Providing services to members of both organizations - Exchanging publications, documents and information - Mutually organizing programs and events, etc. |
| January 2018 | Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe | - Cooperation in organizing, co-sponsoring and announcing activities, events, programs and others - Exchanging publications, documents and information - Mutual visits, etc. |
| April 2018 | Institute for Advanced Biosciences（IBA）, Keio University | - Cooperation in organizing, co-sponsoring and announcing activities, events, programs and others - Exchanging publications, documents and information - Mutual visits, etc. |
| June 2018 | MedCity (U.K.) |
- Exchange of publications, materials and information |
| August 2018 | Kawasaki City (Japan) |
- Co-hosting, co-sponsorship and support for notification at activities, events and programs |