PUBLIC WORKS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

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New Year's Message from President

Taketo UOMOTO
President
National Research and Development Agency Public Works Research Institute (PWRI)

Taketo UOMOTO President National Research and Development Agency Public Works Research Institute (PWRI)

Happy New Year.

Fiscal 2016 is the first year of the 4th medium to long-term project plan, which will last for six years from fiscal 2016 to 2021. With the new project plan, PWRI has just started its efforts to maximize our R&D results and achieve other goals. I am deeply grateful for a high evaluation we received for the achievements by implementing the 3rd project plan, which ended last year. Encouraged by such evaluation, we have refreshed our commitment to R&D activities proposed in the new project plan.

The 4th medium to long-term project plan is developed around the following three primary goals:

  1. Realization of a safe and secure society
  2. Strategic maintenance, management and renewal of social infrastructure
  3. Realization of a sustainable and vibrant society

Seventeen R&D programs have been set to achieve these primary goals effectively and efficiently.

We are also promoting the efforts to share R&D results with the general public as soon as possible through various channels such as journals, conferences, open house events, and the PWRI showcase.

In Japan, where the population is projected to continue declining, improvement in per-capita productivity is one of the priority issues that require immediate attention. Innovate technology is needed to be developed in every area of social infrastructure. All staff at PWRI are fully aware of this reality and working hard to make a contribution to society.

In the meantime, parts of Japan suffered tremendously from natural hazards last year; the Kumamoto earthquake in April and heavy rainfall caused by Typhoons No.10 in August and September.

PWRI dispatched specialists of each disaster type immediately to affected sites to analyze the causes of disasters, provide instructions and advice on what measures to take and implement safety measures for rescue efforts and evacuation of local residents. I believe that their expertise contributed to effectively responding to emergency situations, and have confidence that researchers at PWRI continue striving for further reduction of disaster risks in the future.

Our responsibilities as a national research institute specialized in civil engineering are to study technical issued related to civil engineering technologies to meet the needs of our society and propose better solutions. To this end, we are expected to conduct research and share the results with a wide range of actors in society. We would like to fulfil our responsibilities by making the most advantages as a national institute.

We would appreciate your continued support and cooperation and wish you a happy new year.

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