7

Vol.2 Issue3

2006

SUMMER

SPECIAL FEATURE 1

01 Cutting Edge Projects Leading the World

21st Century COE Program Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems
SPECIAL FEATURE 2

03 The Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan

SPECIAL FEATURE 3

07 Ritsumeikan University Research 09 RU News Topics 10 APU News Topics

Highlighting recent research developments at Ritsumeikan University

Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems

The 21st Century of Excellence Program is an initiative by the Japanese Ministry of Education that is designed to establish doctoral research programs of the highest standard across Japanese universities. In 2002, Ritsumeikan University was selected by the Ministry of Education to direct four projects in four diverse fields of research(introductory article in Ritsumeikan University Newsletter No.1). In this issue we take a look at one of those projects: the Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems Program led by Science and Engineering Professor Sugiyama Susumu.

Cutting Edge Projects Leading the World

COE Program

21st

Century

RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY

Cover Picture
The cover image, from the ukiyo-e collection of Ritsumeikan Universitys Art Research Center, depicts the actor Kawarazaki Gonjuro performing the character of Yagen Jutaro in the kabuki play entitled Tokaido Iroha Nikki ("Iroha" Journal of the Tokaido Stations).

Order of Names
In this publication, the name order for personal names preserves the original order of the nationality in question. For example, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean names are presented in the surname/given name order, while the given name/surname order is used for people from Western countries.

NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2006

The word ritsumei comes from a passage in the Jinxin chapter of the Discourses of Mencius. This passage states, Some die young, as some live long lives. This is decided by fate. Therefore, ones duty consists of cultivating ones mind during this mortal span and thereby establishing ones destiny. Thus, Ritsumeikan means the place to establish ones destiny.

Organization of Ritsumeikan
The Ritsumeikan Trust is the legal entity that operates the entire Ritsumeikan Academy, which is comprised of Ritsumeikan University, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, and the affiliate secondary schools. In this publication, Ritsumeikan is used to refer to the Ritsumeikan Academy, while RU and APU refer to Ritsumeikan University and Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, respectively.

Published by
Office of Public Relations, Ritsumeikan University

Designed by
Delights, Inc.

*In this publication, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology is referred to as the Ministry of Education.

Featured this Issue

Synchrotron Light Life Project

Life Sciences

Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems

Information/Electronics

Through the development and use of the worlds smallest synchrotrons and semi-conductive synchrotrons, this project has contributed to research advances in the life sciences and medical treatment. With this technology, it becomes possible to produce extremely bright infrared light and x-rays which can be used in the previously impossible early detection of cancer tumors as small as 1 millimeter in size as well as to inhibit the growth of cancer by controlling the function and performance of proteins.

IC and LSI chips function as the brains of electronic devices. The goal of the Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems Project is to fuse sensors and motors produced by micromachining technology, mechanical elements such as those used in robot arms, with wireless communication and energy converters to develop IC and LSI chips with completely new capabilities. Once these chips are developed, it may become possible for a chip within a patients body to gather information and then formulate and administer medicinal treatment.


SPECIAL FEATURE 1

Kyoto Art and Entertainment Innovation Research

Humanities and Information Science

By combining art and culture research with innovative science and technology, the Kyoto Art and Entertainment Innovation Research Project is pioneering research in traditional arts. This project uses the latest technologies to preserve digital data of the traditional arts of Kyoto and distributes that data to researchers around the world. Research includes the digitization of the movements of traditional dance performances and noh dramas and comparing them to their equivalents overseas, and using virtual reality technology to recreate historical picture scrolls in three dimensions. A cuttingedge project using information systems technology to simulate the experience of being in the streets of Japans ancient capital is also being undertaken.
(Featured in Ritsumeikan University Newsletter No.5)

Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage

Mechanical Engineering/Civil Engineering/Construction/other areas

The Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage Project combines scientific theory and technique with the goal of preventing the loss of irreplaceable cultural heritage to natural disasters, in order that this heritage may be enjoyed by future generations. The project is multi-disciplinary and depends on collaboration among the fields of civil engineering, disaster mitigation science, architecture, information science, and the humanities and social sciences to form an academic research system and advance the field of disaster mitigation.

Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems

Science and Engineering Professor

would then be aware of any inconsistencies in their storage conditions that could potentially cause problems, such as fluctuations in temperature or humidity.

Concept of MEMS
Processing IC

Micro Electro Mechanical Systems

Sensors Actuators

in
Energy Physical Mechanical Optical Biological ...

SUGIYAMA Susumu
Creating a Factory on a Chip

The terms nanoscience and nanotechnology refer to the study, development, design, and application of technology at the nanoscale (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). Professor Sugiyama explains that the implications of this exciting young field of research are far reaching, and have a broad range of applications in information technology, communications, medicine, and health care, as well as commercial uses in areas such as agriculture and the transportation of commercial goods. Nanotechnology is already being put to practical use in a range of applications such as the construction of computer chips, electronic sensors, and bio-analyzers. Many other applications are currently under development in fields such as GPS satellite communication systems, road and building maintenance, and medical diagnosis and treatment. Ritsumeikan Universitys Micro Nanoscience Systems COE Program is at the cutting-edge of this vital field of research. The current goal of RUs nanoscience systems research team is to combine sensors, actuators, and microprocessors together on silicone chips measuring 0.5 millimeters in size. The term actuator refers to an output device of some kind, such as a motor. The concept is to integrate an input device (the sensor), a processing device (the microprocessor), and the output device (the actuator) onto a single chip - in Professor Sugiyamas words, a factory on a chip. Applications Such chips are known as Smart MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), and have a very diverse range of potential applications. Development of such chips requires the combination of expertise from several different fields, explains Professor Sugiyama, including micronano fabrication technology, crystal growth technology, device assembly and packaging, and robotics and information systems technology. Through the combination of these many different fields, the new academic field of nanoscience system engineering has evolved. In the communications field, Smart MEMS could be used to connect optical fiber networks, and control radio frequency circuits and mobile phone antennas. The same Smart MEMS chip could be used in a different way in an automobile, in the sensors for engine and driving controls. Smart MEMS embedded into the structures of buildings and roads could monitor factors such as pressure, vibration and humidity, providing engineers with important maintenance information. In the field of transportation, the chips could be used to keep a record of the changing environmental and storage conditions of foods, organic, or other sensitive materials for the entire duration of their transportation. The recipient

In the medical field, Smart MEMS could be used to monitor a patients pulse, blood presOut sure, and other biological data Energy SILICO Physical N CHIP including their state of motion. Mechanical Optical Biological This information could then be ... relayed any distance - even if the Conventional LSI processes only one kind of input/output signal. MEMS processes different (multi) kinds of input/output signals. patients doctor was on the other side of the world it would still be possible to monitor a patients activity and physical condition. The small size of the Smart MEMS chips makes them extremely well suited to applications involving their attachment to the human body. For example, says Professor Sugiyama, in sports science, the recorders used to measure an athletes performance, heartbeat, blood pressure, and electrocardiographical information can be so cumbersome that they can affect the readings they gather. Utilizing Smart MEMS technology it is projected that it will become possible to replace such devices with unobtrusive patch-style monitors which will be able to obtain more accurate readings. Collaborative Research Projects The Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems Research Center is involved in collaborative work with several overseas universities and institutions, most notably Chinas Shanghai


SPECIAL FEATURE 1

Sommawan Khumpuang
Researcher

Synchrotron radiation manufacturing technology, microneedles

Please tell us about your work within the program. I began by studying micro technology - thats a little larger-scale than nano - and I progressed to fabricating structures ranging from micro to nano size. Ritsumeikan University has very good synchrotron radiation storage facilities in the SR center, and we can use x-ray lithography to view things which are very small. The excellent facilities here allow us to do the whole process of micro and nano fabrication within the university What aspects of this project do you find particularly interesting? Its new. This kind of research is rare in Thailand, and so we need more experts there. Id like to build connections between the research being done here, and the institutes in Thailand. Please tell us about some of the challenges involved in your work. Maintaining a high level of motivation can be a challenge. Sometimes experiments fail, and we need to be patient. Funding is also an issue because the machines we use are so expensive to maintain, so we have to look to private organizations for support and manage funding very carefully.

Thailand

What are your hopes for the future of the project? My field is bio-medical nanotechnology, and I hope to see the results of my work being put to practical application in hospitals and by patients. I am working on the development of microneedles, and I hope that my work will make medical treatment less painful and more convenient. For example, I hope that my work will make it possible for blood to be tested without a patient being required to visit a hospital. I want to make this kind of thing possible in the near future, and I hope that it benefits both doctors and patients. Were working with small stuff, but it has a big purpose.

Application of Smart MEMS

Fusion MEMS
INTERNET

Jiao Tong University, the Hanoi University of Technology in Vietnam, and the University of Freiburg in Germany. Collaborations take the form of joint seminars, student exchange agreements, as well as visits by professors and researchers. Collaborative research is also undertaken with institutions in Korea, Australia, Switzerland, and the United States. Professor Sugiyama and members of his research team have also presented seminars on MEMS development in Vietnam, China, and Korea, and hosted collaborative research symposiums with the Hanoi University of Technology and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The event held at the Hanoi University of Technology in February, 2006 was of particular significance. It was held in conjunction with a ceremony to mark the opening of the MEMS R&D Center, a collaborative research facility established at the university. Among the approximately 60 people in attendance were Vietnams Vice Minister of Science and Technology, Vice Minister of Education, and the president of Hanoi University of Technology, in addition to a number of graduate and research students. Of the research seminar which was held after the ceremony, Professor Sugiyama says, Many of those who took part in the event, including the Vietnamese researchers, have told me that participating in a technological exchange with Japan, particularly joint research in the field of nanotechnology, very much helped to invigorate Vietnamese industry. Another notable seminar was held at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Micro Nanoscience Research Center in March, 2005. That seminar facilitated very fruitful exchange between researchers and faculty staff members. In March of 2006, five graduate students from RUs College of Science and Engineering visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a further exchange that led to a significant deepening of insight in the field. The graduate students who participated in the seminar were very impressed with Chinas technological development. says Professor Sugiyama, They reported that meeting the Chinese researchers and seeing their work first-hand gave them an opportunity to understand their own research from an international standpoint. In addition to such international linkages, the Research Center is also involved in collaboration with industry and business in the form of the Education, Research, and Development (ERD) Project. This program allows the university to share research information, laboratory facilities, as well as personnel in the form of internship programs, leading to further advances in research and new patents. The Future of the Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems Program When asked about his vision for the future of the Micro Nanoscience Integrated Systems Program beyond the culmination of the COE Program at the end of 2006, Professor Sugiyama explains, my work as well as that of my team has benefited greatly from the COE Project, and the fundamental base of knowledge in the Micro Nanoscience field has been significantly expanded. In the future, I hope that my research team and I can continue our collaborative projects, that the fruits of our research will lead to the production of increasingly sophisticated technology, and that Kyoto, and Japan, will continue to be a global center of research into micro nanoscience integrated systems.

SPECIAL FEATURE 1

Environment, Bio

Production Delivery Transport Factory Agriculture Aerospace

Chemical Analysis

Information Technology

Medical Treatment Diagnosis Medical Engineering Sports

Robotics, FA

Professor Dao Viet Dzung, PhD.

Doctoral Fellow

Vietnam

Six-degree-of-freedom micro force-moment sensor

Please tell us about some of the challenges involved in your work. One difficulty is the fact that we need such special facilities. Because we are working at such a very small scale - invisible to the naked eye - we need the facilities to manipulate and observe material at that scale. We also have to consider the new properties that material acquires at such a small scale. We understand the properties of something that can be measured in meters or millimeters, but its properties become very different when it is downscaled to microor nanometers. So we need knowledge of physics and chemistry to understand that. Its difficult, but also very interesting. What are your hopes for the future of the project? Any research should have a practical application, and in fact some results of the project have already been applied in industry. But we hope to have more results that will have uses and applications in our daily life. For example we hope to be able to treat diseases at the DNA and cellular level - from the bottom up as it were.

Please tell us about your work within the program. I am researching micro and nano devices including micro-sensors, micro-actuators, and micro-motors. We are developing micro-bio and nano-bio detectors and sensors, and mechanical sensors that detect pressure and force. Force sensors are used in cars for airbag activation, and also in robotics for stabilization and motion detection. Force sensors are very important in robotics; when a robotic hand grips an object, for example, the hand must relay information about the object, such as its weight and center of gravity. A force sensor can detect such information. What aspects of this project do you find particularly interesting? It is always interesting for a researcher to work with things which are not yet understood. I am very interested in different scales things which are very large, like a planet or the solar system, or things which are very small, like atoms and electrons. Thats one element of micro nanoscience that is of interest to me.

The Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan, the first Confucius Institute in Japan, was formally established on October 1st, 2005, as a center of Chinese language and cultural education in Japan, and as a locus of educational and cultural exchange between China and Japan. The Ritsumeikan Trust established the institute as a Specified Nonprofit Corporation under Japanese law in conjunction with the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCFL) and Peking University, one of Ritsumeikans partner institutions in China. Through cooperation with academic institutions in other countries, the Chinese government plans to establish Confucius Institutes in 100 different locations around the world.
For inquires regarding the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan, please contact:

Asia Pacific University, and the number of Ritsumeikan students studying Chinese as a foreign language is close to 8000, including the approximately 130 students who are in China as study abroad students each year. The establishment of the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan is a remarkable milestone in the ever-deepening cooperative relationship between the Ritsumeikan Trust and its Chinese partners.
The Two Major Missions of the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan
To become a leader in Chinese language education in Japan.

The Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan proposes to create a complete system of Chinese language education. In cooperation with the Chinese government and Peking University, it provides teachertraining for Chinese language instructors and develops innovative teaching materials, curricula and systems. The Institute also offers assistance to those planning to study in China, and serves as a test site for the Chinese Proficiency Test, in addition to a range of other language education and exchange activities.
To become a center of cultural exchange between China and Japan.

Office, Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan

TEL:075-465-8426 FAX:075-465-8429 confuciu@st.ritsumei.ac.jp http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/mng/cc/confucius


SPECIAL FEATURE 2

Confucius Institute
Promoting Chinese language, Culture, Studies and Business

The

As awareness of, and interest in China continues to grow amongst Japanese people in all walks of life, the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan intends to be a center of fruitful cultural exchange between

at Ritsumeikan

The Ritsumeikan Trust and China

The Ritsumeikan Trust has a long history of interaction and cooperation with China and Chinese institutions. To begin with, its very name is derived from the works of the classical Chinese philosopher Mencius, meaning the place to establish ones destiny or mission in life. As an institution whose education is founded on the values of peace and democracy, Ritsumeikan began a concerted effort to establish a meaningful, future-oriented relationship with China soon after the end of World War II, while owning up to Japans responsibilities for its war of aggression. In 2004, Ritsumeikan launched a Special Research Seminar for Administrators from Chinese Universities. The course has so far provided training for over 300 administrative executives from 55 universities, as well as from government ministries and agencies such as inter-departmental educational ministries and financial administration agencies. The program has been highly successful and was recognized as such by the governments of both China and Japan. At present Ritsumeikan has partnership agreements with over 50 Chinese universities and institutions. More than 800 Chinese nationals are studying at Ritsumeikan University and Ritsumeikan

the two countries, and a source of up-to-date news and information. The Institute holds monthly lectures on Chinese culture, as well as many other cultural events and activities, including a Chinese speech contest. There are also plans to make use of Ritsumeikans network of connections with universities all across China, as well as its connections with both central and local governments to provide overseas study programs for both university students and business people. The Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan is less than one year old, and although it is already a remarkable achievement, an array of further projects and expansions are already planned for the future. The Institutes Tokyo School has already been established (see news item on p.9), and further branches are being planned for Osaka, and possibly Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University.

Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University

Over Half a Million Visitors !

The Kyoto Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan University on June 27th, 2006, celebrated its 500,000th visitor since its inception. The visitors who pushed the number past the half-million mark were a group of 136 second-year students from Hisamine Junior High School in Miyazaki Prefecture. The students received commemorative certificates from the museums director, Professor Anzai Ikuro. I hope that as you look around the museum,Professor Anzai addressed the students,each of you will think about what peace is, and what can you do for peace. The representative for the visiting students gave an earnest response, saying, I want to think about the people who died in the war, and think about

what peace really means. The students then assembled beneath a decorative banner which had been erected outside of the exhibition hall, and received commemorative gifts from the museum. The museum was established in May, 1992. It was the first ever peace museum to be established by a university, and remains the only comprehensive peace museum in Japan that is owned and operated by a university. The museum underwent a large-scale renewal in April of 2005, which included the establishment of its International Media Library and Searching for Peace, an exhibition space designed to encourage visitors to think actively about peace.

Museum staff and visitors celebrate the occasion

Museum director Professor Anzai Ikuro presents the visiting students with commemorative certificates.

Countdown to a

New College Opening

Ritsumeikan University to Open a

College of Image Arts and Sciences

This is the first part of a four part series focusing on the new College of Image Arts and Sciences, slated to open in April 2007
The rapid advancement of digital technology in recent years has given rise to many new forms of visual expression which are still in the process of rapid innovation and development. As the advancement and innovation in the production and distribution of images and visual media continues to grow, the potential of such material in art, industry, and the media -- is rapidly increasing. The development of talent and skill, and the promotion of image arts and sciences-related industries is becoming an important focus in many countries, including Japan. Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly necessary for higher education institutions to respond to societys growing needs in this area. The College of Image Arts and Sciences will be established at Ritsumeikan Universitys Kinugasa Campus in 2007. Through combining the study of art, technology, and business, the college aims to focus on a wide range of skills in the field of image creation and visual technology. Kyoto, where Ritsumeikans Kinugasa Campus is located, is a city rich in cultural and historical significance, and was the birthplace of Japans film and video game industries. It is a transmission point for a visual culture with a long history and technological sophistication. The College of Image Arts and Sciences aims to build on RUs achievements in the field of image arts and sciences research, and foster creative and enterprising individuals who will make significant contributions to society, culture, and daily life.

Game Design

Film Theory Film History Image Anthropology

(PhotographyEditingSound)

Image Production

Computer Graphics Animation

Art Management Cultural Economics


Column

Game Technology Virtual Reality Interactive Media Image Processing Technology Intellectual Property Management

International Contents Business Organizational Design Finance Marketing Media Industry Contents Industry

Fundamental Concepts and Aims

1.Fostering skills and talent for the rapidly advancing era of digital image technology The College of Image Arts and Sciences aims to impart vital technical skills as one element of a rich and varied education. The college will focus on the range of skills and knowledge needed for the creation, manufacture, production, and distribution of image arts in the digital era. 2.Providing an education which combines the fields of art and science. The curricula of the College of Image Arts and Sciences will take full advantage of RUs resources to combine the art and science fields. Students will have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and will gain genuine experience through long-term internship and cooperation programs with industry, government, and educational institutions. 3.Creating a new visual culture and industry - based in Kyoto, directed at the world. Inheriting the legacy of Kyotos cinematic history, and the vitality and energy that launched the video game industry, the College of Image Arts and Sciences aims to become a global center of visual culture and industry. The college aims to create a foothold in Asia for image arts and science research and education, and foster producers, creators, business people, researchers and scholars for the world.

Fields of Study
1.Image Culture This research field encompasses the investigation, analysis, and criticism of the culture of images. Beginning with a deep understanding of the creation processes and expressive techniques involved in creating images, this field draws on the perspectives of art research, media studies, anthropology, and cultural studies to facilitate research into the many historical, artistic, social, and economic issues surrounding image culture, and reexamines the relationship between society and images. 2.Image Production Focusing on perceptive and communicative skills, while combining a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between images and society together with a thorough knowledge of image-related business and industry, this field aims to foster talented individuals who are seeking to become business people within image-related and media industries, and who will contribute to the social and cultural value of those industries. 3.Image Creation This is a practical field focusing on creative ability. Studies will encompass the history of image culture, and will involve comprehensive training and education to nurture visual sensitivity and expressive ability in a range of media. This field of study opens the path to becoming a creator or artist in the film, CG (computer graphics) animation, or video game production industries. 4.Image Technology This is a science and technology field dealing with image technology from the fundamentals through to practical application. This field involves study and research into the technology of cutting-edge visual media and applications such as digital image media, image processing, human interface, video games, real time CG, and virtual reality. This field is geared towards those who have an interest in technical occupations, such as broadcasting station technician or systems engineer.

The Ubiquitous Computing project aims to use advanced computer networking technology to make daily life safer and more convenient for all citizens. Professor Nishio Nobuhiko of the College of Information Science and Engineerings Ubiquitous Computing and Networking Laboratory discusses the project, and explains about his recent research into street sentry robots to watch over young children commuting to and from school.
Ubiquitous Computing and Networking Laboratory

communication between local residents for the sake of looking after the areas children. The original impetus behind the development of the project was to try to be able to provide such a service outside of either the home or the workplace where information infrastructures are already established. As I was considering the problem of how to do that, I thought about the vending machines that are positioned throughout the city. I thought: the vending machines are already positioned everywhere throughout the city; if I attach the network to the vending machines, then I can provide a service throughout the whole city. I thought that the most appropriate type of service to provide would be a crime prevention service, since that is very much in demand at the moment, and I could expect to get backing from local governments. From February to March this year, we collaborated in an experiment with Chuo Elementary School in Osakas Chuo district. As a researcher, its very important to me to achieve my technical objectives, but I have also always had the objective of improving peoples everyday lives, so it was very gratifying for me to hear people say that the project went well, and that safety was improved. I was especially encouraged by the fact that when the experiment reached its final week, the parents and guardians of the local children were very unhappy that they wouldnt be able to use the system any more. That let me know that the system really provided a service for the community. Doing research is a very painstaking and difficult process. Its 99 percent difficulty and stress, and one percent happiness. But that one percent is really worth striving for - that is why I will continue with my research.

A vending machine remodeled into a street sentry robot An emergency alarm for schoolchildren

An elementary school rucksack fitted with an IC tag. The tag will activate the sentry robot when the child passes in front of it.


SPECIAL FEATURE 3

Ritsumeikan University Research

What is Ubiquitous Computing?

Ubiquitous Computing
College of Information Science and Engineering Department of Computer Science Ubiquitous Computing and Networking Laboratory

Highlighting recent research developments at Ritsumeikan University.

It can be said that Ubiquitous Computing is the creation of an environment in which computers perform a multitude of functions to enhance the daily life of the users, without the users conscious effort. Such an environment requires objects other than computers, such as furniture, houses, cars, and all kinds of objects in city streets, to be installed with computer processing and transmission capabilities. I am undertaking research in the technology that will make such a society possible.

Please tell us what you envision for the future.

I think that there are many possibilities for this project. After crime prevention, the next thing I am considering is advertising. I think the system will become adopted by society if it is combined with a service which can be profitable. I think that if free papers and the like, which are currently distributed as printed hard copies, can be distributed electronically using a network of vending machines, then that would be one such profitable business.

Nishio Nobuhiko

Professor

Please tell us about your research into street sentry robots

Most people, when they hear the word robot, probably imagine some kind of humanoid robot, but actually any machine that can perceive, consider, and respond to its surroundings is called a robot. The street sentry robots are a network of remodeled vending machines. When a child passes in front of them, they sense it and activate a camera. Also, children can be provided with emergency alarms, and if the child feels threatened or in danger, he or she can activate the alarm, and the robot will dispatch a text-message notification to a registered volunteer in the vicinity. The volunteer is then able to help the child very quickly. This robot can, by watching over children and providing crime-prevention data, increase the safety of a given area and prevent crime. It also has the effect of strengthening community ties, by improving the

Finally, do you have a message for students?

In my case, my research work and the pursuit that I am truly interested in doing are one and the same. It is as if I spend most of my day doing my hobby. The fact that I enjoy my research makes me approach it all the more earnestly, and gives rise to all the more creativity, which in turn leads to results. Rather than suggest a theme for research, I would tell students to consider what it is that they really want to do, and pursue that. If its something that you really want to do, youll do whatever it takes to achieve it, and youll read widely to find out other peoples methods. I think that, for myself, thats the only way I can do research. Id like to see students doing the research they themselves really want to do, and achieving their own goals.

The 3D Safety and Security Map of Kyoto combines geographic information systems (GIS) and virtual reality (VR) technology to create an innovative way of providing scientific data regarding natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, and landslides. In addition to such natural disasters, the map also displays localized crime statistics. The map is able to show both possible future risk areas and statistical information about past incidences of crime and disaster. Displaying the statistics in such a manner facilitates the analysis of the causes of and trends surrounding criminal activity and natural disasters, and thereby aids in the prediction and prevention of future incidences. The map appears as a detailed three-dimensional computer simulated model of the city of Kyoto. Using on-screen controls, the user is able to freely move over, around, and through the citys streets or the surrounding mountainous areas. The map clearly shows the locations of individual buildings, including facilities such as hospitals and police stations, as well as detailed information about the facilities. The map also includes data about culturally and historically significant sites and landmarks. The Safety and Security Map of Kyoto is being developed by the Spatial Information Research Group of Ritsumeikan Universitys Research Center for Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage. We spoke to leading researcher Nakaya Tomoki, Associate Professor of the College of Letters Department of Geography, about the project and his involvement in it.

and my own personal interest and focus is health the geography of health. For example I study the elevated risk, or future diffusion pattern, of HIV. I think those in medical and health care can use my data to combat various problems, and see which problems are prevalent in certain regions. Visualization is quite powerful - my specialty is mainly mathematics and statistical calculations its quite abstract, so its quite difficult to convey my ideas to other people, but visualization, especially using maps, is very powerful and I have had a very good response from many people. So recently Ive been focusing my work on that kind of thing the visualization of information using maps, based on statistical analysis.

What do you think is particularly interesting or exciting about this project?

This project is much more advanced than most forms of scientific visualization or mapping. In a sense you can actually walk through it - fly through it. The most exciting thing is that it is a very advanced form of visualization, and we can easily grasp the sense of actually seeing something. So we can represent various data with such a complete exact sense of sight in three dimensions.

Project Leader Associate Professor Nakaya Tomoki, College of Letters

What is your vision for the future of the project?

As I already mentioned I would like to include data relating to health risks and hazards, and to make the system a more complete support for safe and secure communities. The challenging thing is that although we may be able to make a system, how can we make


SPECIAL FEATURE 3

Developing the 3D Safety and Security Map of Kyoto

What are the goals of the Safety and Security Map of Kyoto project?
The main purpose is to share different kinds of risk information amongst citizens and concerned groups in Kyoto City. The risks were focusing on include crime and hazards, such as flooding, earthquake, fires, and landslides. In the future, I hopefully want it to include health and safety information as well, such as data on traffic accidents, incidences of disease such as cancer, and mortality rates.

College of Letters

Nakaya Tomoki

Associate Professor

it so it can be used by citizens? Of course we can distribute information using the internet, and make it accessible to people, but other than that, Im interested in looking into other ways that the system can be used for hazard and risk education. Such applications are not my specialty, however, so again that would involve collaboration. We are also currently looking into other applications, such as town planning.

How did the project begin?

I have a background in two separate fields: the first is a technical background. My colleagues and I are part of RUs Kyoto Art and Entertainment Innovation Research Center of Excellence Project (COE). Our main specialty is GIS Geographic Information Systems, a computer-based system for creating digital maps. Until recently, such maps were two-dimensional, but recently we have been trying to meet the challenge of making three-dimensional maps. We want to make a kind of digital museum for the Art Research Center to integrate various digital archives and historical materials. That is why we developed the 3D GIS and the huge digital 3-D map of Kyoto. We were always thinking about how we could use the system for other applications. This is also the first example of the system being used in another field. It originated with the Art Research Center project, but we took that technology and applied it to a different field. The second motivation is a very personal one: my specialty is spatial statistics and spatial modeling,

How did you come to be involved in this kind of work?

At Ritsumeikan University, geography is part of the College of Letters, but at Tokyo Metropolitan University, where I graduated, geography was part of the Faculty of Science. So alongside geography I studied mathematics, statistics, and other scientific subjects, including information systems, and later GIS.

Do you have any message for students, or for those interested in entering into the same field as yourself?
This field encompasses both art and science, so I would recommend students to read widely and obtain a broad range of knowledge, as well as focusing on their own specialty.

Professor Sawa, in his speech, voiced the following opinion: Since the latter half of the 1990s, globalization has been rapidly advancing, reducing the distance between countries and people. However, this globalization has been led by the United States. Any ideology which conflicts with the ideology of free market economics has been excluded. In the midst of this globalization, China too has been able to shift towards a market economy and develop, but this has brought with it a range of problems. Japan should become a model for China. Ambassador Wang said in his remarks China has embraced Globalization, and achieved economic development by taking advantage of having the largest market and workforce in the world. Various problems have arisen recently, but we hope to learn from the experiences of Japan, which underwent such economic development before us. We are now looking to further develop, alongside the other countries of Asia. Now we must look towards a new era for Asia. We must cooperate with the other countries of Asia and create an Open Asia. Finally, Zhou Weisheng, Director of the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan, and Professor at Ritsumeikan University College of Policy Science gave an explanation of the Confucius Institutes background, main activities, and objectives. He then spoke about the plans for the Tokyo School: We aim to open the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan, Tokyo School, in the fall of 2006. We plan to hold seminars on the latest news from China, business Chinese lectures, as well as Sino-Japanese cultural exchange activities. We aim for the Institutes exchange activities to focus on China and Japan, but be open to the world. An exchange meeting was held following the commemorative lecture. Addresses were given by Ritsumeikan Chancellor Nagata Toyo Omi, and former Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party, Nonaka Hiromu. The toast was given by Minister Li Dong Xiang of the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in Japan.

Ritsumeikan University

Ri-One Takes Third in Robo-Cup Soccer World Championships

The 2006 RoboCup Soccer World Championships were held in Bremen, Germany from the 14th to the 20th of June, The members of Ri-One dis2006. Ritsumeikan play their trophy University College of Information Science and Engineering Robo-Cup Simulation Team, Ri-One, took third place in the championships. This result means that the Ritsumeikan team will be seeded for entry into the next championships which are scheduled to be held in July of next year, in Atlanta, USA.

The first part of the meeting comprised of a report from the Student Executive Committee about their activities in schools in the areas that have been rebuilt in the wake of the disaster. The students described conditions there, and told of how their visits to the schools provided motivation to the children. They also told of how happy they were to see the childrens faces brighten over the period of their stay. The second part of the meeting comprised of the mid-term report by Lecturer Fujiyama Ichiro, Director of Ritsumeikan International, and Director of the Elementary School Reconstruction Project. He reported that the construction of new schools was expected to begin in July and be completed by the end of the year. He also spoke of how Ritsumeikan students are providing support beyond the building of schools, and of his vision for continued support in the future.


RU NEWS TOPICS

In Robo-Cup soccer, teams of autonomously thinking and moving robots compete in matches which are divided into five separate leagues, much like real soccer. The Simulation League that Ri-One takes part in does not involve actual physical robots, but teams of computer-generated virtual robots, playing on a virtual field. The teams comprise of 11 virtual members, and each is programmed with artificial intelligence relative to its position on the field. Matches last for ten minutes. Ri-One fared remarkably well in the first half of the tournament, winning six of their seven matches. They went on to win the first match of the quarterfinals, but unfortunately they were beaten by teams from China and Germany, and ultimately finished in third place. Terashi Yoshihiko, a third-year student in the Department of Computer Science, was in charge of Ri-Ones offense. Reflecting on the tournament, he said The awards ceremony is over, and now its really beginning to sink in that we took third place. Although that is very frustrating, I think it is also a result we can be proud of.

Special Lecture to Commemorate the Opening of the Tokyo School of the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan
A commemorative lecture was held for the establishment of the new Tokyo branch of the Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan on June 19th, 2006, at Le Mridien Pacific Hotel, Tokyo. In October 2005, with the cooperation of the Chinese government, and Peking University, Ritsumeikan established Japans first Confucius Institute. The main purposes of the institute are Chinese language education and Sino-Japanese cultural exchange. The Confucius Institute at Ritsumeikan, Tokyo School, has been established in order to serve those same purposes and meet the needs of the Tokyo area. A welcoming address by Chairman Kawamoto Hachiro of the Ritsumeikan Trust was followed by lectures on the theme of Globalization and Chinas Economic Direction,presented by the Vice-President of Peking University, Zhang Guoyou; Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Policy Science Professor, Sawa Takamitsu; and The Peoples Republic of Chinas Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan, His Excellency Mr. Wang Yi. Vice-President Zhang said in his presentation, China has seen very rapid economic development recently. In order to facilitate further development, however, there are issues which must be addressed relating to the expansion of domestic demand, energy shortages, and amicable international cooperation. The issues China now faces have already been experienced by Japan. It is necessary for the two nations to learn from each other.

Law Professor Wins German Award

German Consul General of OsakaKobe, Dr. Gerold Amelung (L), and Professor Deguchi Masahisa (R)

Ritsumeikan Indian Ocean Tsunami Aid for Elementary School Reconstruction Project: Account of Student Activities and Division of International Affairs Mid-Term Report
A meeting was held on Ritsumeikan Universitys Kinugasa Campus on June 11th, 2006, with the combined purposes of reporting the onsite student activities of Students tell of their visits to the Ritsumeikan Indian the reconstructed schools Ocean Tsunami Aid for Elementary School Reconstruction Project and the mid-term report of the Division of International Affairs. Ritsumeikan BiwakoKusatsu Campus and Asia-Pacific University were connected to the meeting by satellite relay.

College of Law Professor Deguchi Masahisa was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit. Officially called the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the award was presented by Dr. Gerold Amelung, the German Consul General of Osaka-Kobe on June 26th, 2006, at Ritsumeikan University. Professor Deguchi has made major contributions towards making German law widely known in Japan. Since studying in Germany and obtaining his doctorate from the University of Freiburg in 1983, he has published a great number of scholarly papers in addition to translating the works of German legal scholars. Having built up an extensive network of contacts throughout Germany in the process of his research activities, he also periodically hosts lectures by noted German legal scholars. In total he has organized approximately eighty seminars, presentations, and lecture courses. Professor Deguchi was honored with the Cross of Merit by the German government for his contributions in advancing scholarly interaction between Germany and Japan in the field of law.

His Excellency Mr. Wang Yi, the Peoples Republic of Chinas Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan

The new classrooms, research buildings and student facilities are due for completion by April of next year.

Cultural Events at APU: Cultural Fiesta HA GO RO MO and the Shinjin Performance

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University

Special Lecture by Dr. Ronald P. Dore

but this cooperative agreement is the first of its kind to be signed with another Japanese university. Under the terms of the agreement with Oita University, the possibility of credit transfers, student/faculty exchanges, and other academic exchanges are currently being examined. APU was established with the help of tremendous support received from Oita Prefecture, Beppu City and from across Japan and abroad. Through cooperation with a broad range of organizations, APU strives to further its endeavors to contribute to society.

A performance by APUs Wadaiko Club

APU recently hosted two distinctly different, but equally entertaining cultural events: the Cultural Fiesta HA GO RO MO, and the Shinjin program of traditional Japanese performance arts. The Cultural Fiesta HA GO RO MO was held at the APU Millennium Hall on Friday, June 30th, 2006. The Cultural Fiesta was based on the widely known Asian folktale called Hagoromo (The Feather Mantle), which tells the tale of two brothers who traveled around the world with a robe of feathers. Students representing 19 different countries and areas, including Thailand, Indonesia, Tanzania, Estonia, and Papua New Guinea, put on various acts including songs based on the folktale. The finale of the Cultural Fiesta was a fashion show with students from over 31 different countries and areas displaying their national costumes. One of the members of the Cultural Fiesta HA GO RO MO Committee commented, We hope that not only APU students but everyone who came to see our version of Hagoromo was able to relate to the tale, and realized that APU truly does provide opportunities to mix with people from all over the world and learn about their different cultures. A program of traditional Japanese performance arts entitled Shinjin Performance: Tsunagari was held at the APU Millennium Hall on July 18th, 2006. The event was organized by the Executive Events Committee, which is comprised of members of six traditional Japanese performing art clubs at APU. The event included performances of "wadaiko" (Japanese drumming) and "kagura" (Shinto music and dance). The event focused on the "tsunagari," or connections, between the clubs. There were eight performances in total, and between the acts the "katari" (storytelling) club gave detailed explanations of the performances and how they relate to each other. The word "Shinjin" in the title is written with the characters meaning new and advance, and indicates that the performance was geared towards new students. The aim of the event was to give both the performers and the members of the audience the opportunity to meet new people, as well as to showcase various performing arts.

Dr. Ronald P. Dore addressing the APU audience

A special lecture and seminar was held on May 17th, 2006, to welcome Dr. Ronald Dore, APU Academic Advisor and Professor Emeritus of the University of London. Dr. Dore has been involved in research into Japanese society and industry for over half a century and played a leading role in research that introduced Japanese-style management to the world. The theme of his lecture was Ancient Asia and Future Asia.Dr. Dore gave as an example the fact that the Three Kingdom Saga of Chinese history, which was also a well known book amongst common people in Japan during the Edo Period, is something that people are getting acquainted with in the modern age through the medium of a computer game. He said that the people of Japan, Korea, China, and other neighboring countries are preserving their shared traditions and culture in a similar fashion. Just as history was passed on through books and then games, we should acknowledge that there is a link between ancient and modern Asian culture and resources. In fluent Japanese, he went on to state that we should build a beneficial relationship between the countries of Asia for the future. In the question and answer session, Dr. Dore was asked many questions regarding relationships between Japan and other Asian countries. The seminar that followed in English was entitled Whose company is it and whose should it be? and touched on issues of ownership and possession within industry. Approximately 170 students and members of the public were in attendance and listened attentively to Dr. Dores well delivered presentation.

APU President Cassim and President Hano Tadashi from Oita University shake hands upon signing the Cooperative Agreement

10
APU NEWS TOPICS

Shinto Ground-Breaking Ceremony Held for New APU Buildings

On Wednesday, April 19, a Shinto ground-breaking ceremony was held at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) for new classroom buildings, faculty offices, and student facilities, including a new student dormitory. The construction of the new buildings is a part of the APU New Challenge Project, which began in 2004 with the objective of further improving and internationalizing the university. The building site is located to the west of the APU Graduate School Buildings. Approximately 90 people attended the ceremony to pray for the successful completion of the new facilities, including a number of local dignitaries, the presidents of both APU and RU, and many other officials from the Ritsumeikan Academy. Also in attendance were many representatives from the companies involved in the construction of the buildings. At the reception which followed the ceremony, Chairman of the Ritsumeikan Trust, Mr. Kawamoto Hachiro, gave an address in which he proclaimed, Since its establishment six years ago, APU has lived up to the expectations of society. However the future of the university depends a great deal on the success of the APU New Challenge Project. We must further improve our standards of education and research, and build a stable and lasting foundation for the future. I hope to work together with all of you in order to create a truly international university.

Conclusion of a Cooperative Agreement with Oita University

A cooperative agreement between APU and Oita University was formalized on June 30, 2006. Over 230 universities overseas have entered into cooperative agreements with APU. Friendship exchange agreements also exist with a number of local municipalities in Beppu City and Oita Prefecture,

APU President Cassim performs a ritual at the Ground Breaking Ceremony

One of the many acts in the Cultural Fiesta

ibune Shrine is located in Kibune Village in the mountainous northern area of Kyoto. The cool summer climate of the mountains haslong made the area a popular summer sightseeing destination. The ancient shrine is over 1600 years old, predating the city of Kyoto itself. The large stone stairway lined with distinctive red lanterns at the entrance to the shrine is one of its most famous features. Kibune is actually a complex of three shrines, each of which holds its own appeal. The lower and most easily accessible is the most popular with visitors, while the small central shrine is

Kibune Shrine
notable for its striking location in an ancient cedar grove, and the upper shrine is the oldest, comprising the original Kibune Shrine. Kibune Shrine is dedicated to Takaokami-no-kami, a god of rain and water. Japanese historical texts describe how people have prayed for rain at Kibune Shrine since around the middle of the 8th century. If rain was desired, the imperial emissary would bring a black horse to the shrine the color black being symbolic of an overcast sky. Conversely, in the case of too much rain, a white horse, symbolizing bright sunlight, would be offered. The shrine also gained a reputation as a place to pray for fortune in romance and marriage since the Heian period poet, Izumi Shikibu, was reputed to have prayed there to regain the love of her husband. Sitting by the riverbank she composed a verse describing her forlorn predicament, whereupon she is said to have heard a mysterious voice reply with the following verse of consolation:

From the mountains heart Seething, falling in Rapid cataracts, Scattering jewelets; such sadness alone Should not fill your head.
Should you also wish to seek the advice of the god of Kibune, the shrine is easily accessible by the Eizan Railway. Take the Eizan Kurama line from DemachiYanagi Station to Kibune-Guchi station. The shrine is approximately a 20-minute walk from the station.

oused in the Suekawa Memorial Hall on Ritsumeikan Kinugasa Campus, the Mock Courtroom was actually the 15th courtroom of the Kyoto District Court, a valuable, historical artifact dating from before World War II which was relocated to Kinugasa Campus in 1998. The courtroom is currently used to provide law students with the opportunity to partake in simulated trials, in which the students perform the roles of judges, public prosecutors, and lawyers. Construction of the courtroom was completed in 1928, the year that the Jury Act became effective in Japan. Trials by jury were held in this courtroom under the Jury Act for approximately fifteen years, until the jury law was suspended on April 1st, 1943. The original plan was for the courthouse to be demolished, but thanks to the interjection of distinguished Ritsumeikan alumnus Matsumoto Nisuke, this important part of Japans legal heritage was saved, and reconstructed at Ritsumeikan University. The interior of the courtroom has been faithfully recreated in the manner of the original, down to the design of the desks, the high, arched ceiling, and the chandeliers.

One modern touch that has been added, however, is the large video screens, upon which students can watch educational films about legal history. The Mock Courtroom is not just about history, however, it is also a place to contemplate the legal system of the present and the future. Visitors from all over the country come to view the facility and experience the genuine courtroom atmosphere for themselves.

he Suekawa Memorial Hall was opened on RUs Kinugasa Campus in 1983 in recognition of the great achievements of former Ritsumeikan Academy Chancellor and Ritsumeikan University President Suekawa Hiroshi. Dr. Suekawa was president of Ritsumeikan University for 25 years from 1945 to 1969, during which time he established and championed, Ritsumeikans educational ideals of Peace and Democracy, and introduced a series of revitalizing reforms following the end of World War II.