Japan’s Federation of Diet Members for the International Linear Collider (ILC) held a general assembly on April 27 in Nagata-cho, Japan’s political center. The gathering was attended by Diet members, government officials, scientists, and industry representatives, highlighting its importance. The formation of the Federation dates back to 2006 when it was established by the members of the Liberal Democratic Party. Subsequently, in 2008, it expanded into an all-party organisation. Since then, the Federation has been actively pursuing various initiatives to realise the ILC project in Japan.
“Our goal in launching this Federation is to bring the ILC, an international research center, to Japan. This will help us to advance our country’s science and maintain our position as a global leader in the field,” said Ryu Shionoya, a member of the House of Representatives who was appointed as Chair of the Federation in February 2022. “Trying to reach our goal has been a challenging journey. The COVID-19 pandemic and the situation in Ukraine have had a significant effect on numerous global projects including the ILC. However, there’s been a notable uptick in activity for the ILC within the global research community. This is a positive indication,” he said.
KEK received a significantly increased research budget for accelerator R&D this year, following the resolution made by the Federation last year. Shionoya concluded his opening remarks by saying “The current government places a high priority on science and technology innovation, believing it will contribute significantly to the growth and progress of the nation and society in the future. To achieve this goal, we seek your continued and enthusiastic support in bringing the ILC to Japan.”
Shoji Asai, a professor at the University of Tokyo and Spokesperson of ILC-Japan, spoke on behalf of the research community. He stated that the increased budget will aid in establishing the ILC Technology Network- a global network of institutions committed to developing vital technologies. ILC-Japan is a promoting body by high-energy physicists in Japan.
As a keynote speaker, Masanori Yamauchi, Director General of KEK, gave a presentation to provide an update on the current progress of the ILC. In great detail, he provided an explanation of the ILC’s current status. This included basic information such as the scientific studies that will take place at the ILC, and how the ILC works, as well as global trends in particle physics research, technology development plans, and ongoing global discussions among researchers.
During the meeting, a new resolution was adopted to work towards the ILC, and it was handed to Keiko Nagaoka, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), and Sanae Takaichi, Minister of State for Science and Technology, after the meeting. “The meeting today allowed us to update everyone on the current status of the ILC. I would like to request your continued cooperation in helping us reach our goals,” Shionoya concluded the meeting.
A summary of the resolution is as follows:
- Encourage collaboration between relevant parties to bring the International Linear Collider (ILC Project) to Japan, which will establish the first major science and technology center in Asia.
- The ILC project cannot be accomplished by a single country alone, and international cooperation is necessary. Therefore, it is important for the government to collaborate closely with researchers who are working towards these goals and communicate with the governments of the countries involved.
- We should work towards advancing next-generation accelerator technology to support the ILC project through international cooperation. Additionally, it is important to obtain the required funds to accomplish this task.
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