Kumamoto University Holds Opening Ceremony for New Facilities “SOIL” and “D-Square”
On September 13, 2025, Kumamoto University held the official opening ceremony for its new facilities, SOIL and D-Square.The construction of these facilities was made possible with support from national programs designed to strengthen university research and education in advanced fields, such as semiconductors, data science, and digital transformation.
The ceremony began with a ribbon-cutting in front of the new buildings, followed by greetings from President Hisao Ogawa. Guest congratulatory remarks were then delivered on behalf of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ms. Toshiko Abe by Mr. Masaaki Nishijo, Director-General of the Science and Technology Policy Bureau, and subsequently by Diet Members Koichi Hagiuda, Minoru Kihara, and Nobuhiro Yoshida, as well as Mr. Takashi Kimura, Governor of Kumamoto Prefecture. President Ogawa also outlined the University’s future vision centered around SOIL and D-Square.
SOIL functions as an open laboratory to promote advanced joint research with industry, especially in the semiconductor field. It aims to enhance Kumamoto University’s research capabilities as a hub for semiconductor implementation studies, ranging from next-generation cutting-edge research to applied projects.
D-Square aims to cultivate highly skilled professionals. It hosts many undergraduate students from the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Informatics and graduate students in semiconductor and digital transformation from the Graduate School of Science and Technology. These students gain opportunities to engage in various collaborative research projects with researchers in data science, AI, and semiconductor-related fields.
By integrating these two facilities into one complex, Kumamoto University will create strong synergies between research and education, contributing to industrial revitalization and addressing pressing societal challenges.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony held before the official event
Group photo with all participants