PWRI Web Magazine Editorial Staff
P.R. Managerial Meeting
<Tsukuba>
General Manager: Dr.Kazunori Wada, Representative managers: Mr. Eiji Aoki, Ms. Harumi Moriki, Mr. Toshio Yarimizo, Mr. Masuo Kondo, Mr. Minoru Kikuchi, Managers: Mr. Yoshiaki Sato, Mr. Takahiro Yamanashi, Mr. Akira Kamakura, Mr. Takayuki Ayabe, Ms. Yuko Nagaya, Mr. Takaya Higuchi, Mr. Junji Kato, Dr. Masatoshi Denda, Mr. Hiroki Sakamoto, Mr. Takeshi Shimizu, Mr. Nobuharu Isago, Mr. Yoshikazu Shimizu, Mr. Yasushi Josen
<CERI>
General Manager: Dr. Atsushi Yoshii, Managers: Mr. Hiroshi Ota, Mr. Satoshi Mori, Mr.Yoshio Ninomiya, Mr.Morito Takahashi, Mr. Hiroyasu Kyoshi, Dr. Motoki Asano, Dr. Yoshiaki Hideshima, Mr. Yukinori Outi

Editor’s Note

The Space Battleship Yamato now showing at the cinema is a live-action version of the TV animation Uchu Senkan Yamato that I loved as an elementary school pupil. I loved the animation so much that I also went to see the movie versions Uchu Senkan Yamato and Saraba, Uchu Senkan Yamato.
In the story, set in 2199, the Earth is invaded by mysterious aliens from the Gamirass Empire. Although the humans managed to survive on the Earth contaminated by radiation due to the Gamirass Empire attacks, only one year is left before total annihilation. A message from Planet Iscandar to come for radiation removal equipment is sent to the crisis-hit Earth. Survival of the human race now depends on the space battleship Yamato, which travels to Iscandar 148,000 light-years away for the equipment. In the days when mainstream shows with superheroes like the Masked Rider and Ultraman clearly distinguished between good and bad, I remember being shocked by the story of the Gamirass Empire invading the earth in order to survive as it too was in danger of annihilation.
Now, how about the Earth in reality? Although there are no signs of invasion from space, we humans are certainly facing a crisis and may not survive until 2199, when Uchu Senkan Yamato was set.
A lecture meeting of CERI was held on Nov. 12th, in which President Norihito Tanbo of the Hokkaido Research Organization gave a special lecture entitled "Is this the age of the environment?" In the lecture, President Tanbo said that the Earth has relatively shrunk (crowding) due to the significant modern growth and, as its structural consequence, metropolitanization of civilization is occurring on a global scale (globalization). He predicted that a variety of strains accompanying such changes would lead the end of the modern era, and we would begin to look for a new era. He presented a sharp analysis of the coming age saying, "If our country becomes aware of the fact that we are at the forefront of civilization in the late modern age, or the era of environmental restrictions, it can create a new civilization based on new values, as a region to lead the world toward the post-modern era."
Some crises may be overcome with our own efforts without traveling 148,000 light-years away. Our Institute will continue our research to play a part in technologies to support such efforts.
(Hirofumi Kitsuta)