Our society and industries are facing a variety of difficult challenges in the world. Efforts to mobilize the wisdom of science and technology are required to solve or mitigate them. Tough cyberphysical AI is one of the most promising forefronts, and the world believes its contribution.

Universities are expected not only to perform research and education in this domain, but also to enhance communities’ well-being and to create a future for society. In particular, the promotion of new innovation to realize a prosperous society where people can feel happiness is an important issue.

Tohoku University is situated in the middle of the region that suffered from the unprecedented disasters of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. It is our duty to contribute to the safety and security of the world by making full use of our experience and technology, and to contribute to the recovery and prosperity of the region by overcoming this disadvantage.

The Tough Cyber Physical AI Research Center was established in Tohoku University as a hub for open and closed innovation in which industries, central and local governments, private sectors, and academia work together to solve the problems, to develop human resources, to nurture businesses, and to create wealth. I believe that many people working together, shall create value through industry-government-academia collaboration.

I, as the director of this center, would like to ask your support for this endeavor.