At a signing ceremony hosted on Friday, December 4 at the Canadian Embassy in Japan, the heads of Canada’s TRIUMF and Japan’s High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, KEK, signed a new partnership agreement to significantly enhance research collaborations between the two centres and promote joint projects in the areas of subatomic physics, accelerator science, and materials science.
“This agreement represents an important milestone in the TRIUMF-KEK and Canada-Japan bilateral relationship,” said Dr. Jonathan Bagger, TRIUMF Director. “This agreement will enhance cooperation between our organizations and countries in support of cutting-edge research, such as the Ultra-Cold Neutron project in Canada and the T2K experiment in Japan.”
As international hubs for subatomic physics research, both TRIUMF and KEK are involved in the research, development, and operation of particle accelerator facilities. Both share collaborative projects in these areas, with current efforts relating to T2K, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the Belle II experiment, the proposed International Linear Collider, materials and molecular sciences, and particle physics experiments using neutrons, muons, and kaons, in addition to accelerator science. Recently, the jointly awarded 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics to Canadian researcher Dr. Arthur B. McDonald and Japanese researcher Dr. Takaaki Kajita illustrates the shared spirit of inquiry between Canada and Japan.
To further strengthen collaborative research opportunities and jointly advance scientific efforts, this new agreement stipulates that each laboratory will set up a branch office at each other’s respective institution.
Dr. Masanori Yamauchi, Director General of KEK, said “Building on KEK and TRIUMF’s strong foundation of international scientific cooperation, this new agreement, and particularly the establishment of branch offices, will facilitate and enhance our common work on current and future scientific projects of shared interest.”
The December 4th signing ceremony was held in the presence of the Ambassador of Canada to Japan, His Excellency Mackenzie Clugston; Ms. Susan Bincoletto, Assistant Deputy Minister, International Business Development, and Chief Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada; Ms. Yayoi Komatsu, Director-General, Research Promotion Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); a delegation from TRIUMF led by the laboratory's Director Dr. Jonathan Bagger; and a delegation from KEK led by the organization’s Director General Dr. Masanori Yamauchi.
“For nearly half a century, both laboratories have served as an international center of excellence for accelerator science … and provided opportunities for … domestic and foreign researchers,” said Ms. Yayoi Komatsu, Director General, Research Promotion Bureau, MEXT.
“I congratulate TRIUMF and KEK on this important step for international scientific collaboration,” said The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science in Canada. “Canada and Japan are among the world’s leaders in the field of subatomic physics. This partnership will deepen our knowledge of this fundamental research area and create innovations to benefit both of our countries.”
“Canada and Japan share a long history of bilateral cooperation in science, technology and innovation,” said Ambassador of Canada to Japan, His Excellency Mackenzie Clugston. “TRIUMF and KEK are an excellent example of this.”
“This agreement is a significant achievement and another milestone in advance of the 30th anniversary of the Canada-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement in 2016,” noted Ms. Susan Bincoletto, Assistant Deputy Minister, International Business Development, and Chief Trade Commissioner, Global Affairs Canada.
– Taken from a TRIUMF press release
A collection of photos from the signing ceremony can be found here.