Fourth Round of Selection of Applicants for the J-Innovation Hub Initiative

1. Overview of the J-Innovation Hub Initiative

Under this initiative, METI targets regional innovation hubs, mainly universities, and assesses and selects outstanding industry-academia bases that are playing a leading role as hubs for networks of companies. The aim is to enhance their creditworthiness, focus public support measures on them, and enhance the capabilities of the top-ranking hubs.

METI selects the hubs in two categories: the international development category and the regional contribution category.

International development category	Hubs that are actively engaged in industry-academia collaboration activities with global enterprises both at home and abroad, and are aiming for further business development overseas in the future.
Regional contribution category	Hubs that are aiming to solve regional issues, boost regional economies, and take on other challenges, and that are actively engaging in industry-academia collaboration activities with regional companies and municipalities.

2. Outline of the selection process

METI held a call for applicants from July 27 to August 31, 2022, and received 15 applications.
It examined the applications from the perspective of the factors below, and selected candidates based on discussions by an examination committee of outside experts.

Major factors for the examination

• The hubs' visions and objectives, and their strategies and plans;
• The hubs' infrastructures and inputs (systems regarding researchers and support staff; financial bases; facilities and equipment; systems regarding contracts and security; and human resource development);
• The processes for creating innovation at the hubs (innovation management systems); and
• The outputs and outcomes of innovations created within the hubs.

3. Successful hubs in the fourth round of selection of applicants for the J-Innovation Hub Initiative

International development category

Osaka University	Joining and Welding Research Institute
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University	Technology Development and Innovation Center
Shinshu University	Faculty of Textile Science and Technology Fiber Innovation Incubator

Regional contribution category

Kagawa University	International Institute of Rare Sugar Research and Education
Kagoshima University	Southern Kyushu and Nansei Islands Innovation Center
Nagaoka University of Technology	Center for International Industry-Academia Collaboration
Nagoya Institute of Technology	Organization for Co-Creation Research and Social Contributions
Hiroshima University	Digital Monozukuri (Manufacturing) Education and Research Center
Ritsumeikan University	Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Strategy Board
Ryukoku University	Ryukoku Extension Center

4. Related links

• About the start of the public call for the fourth round of applicants for the J-Innovation Hub Initiative (in Japanese)
• Hubs adopted previously (in Japanese)
• J-Innovation Hub portal site (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

Industry-University Collaboration Office, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau