On Friday, 18 October 2024, Dr. Yoichiro Matsumoto, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited CIIRC CTU. The aim of his European trip was, among other things, to seek opportunities for scientific cooperation in Europe. His visit to CIIRC CTU confirms the growing importance of the Czech Republic in the field of science and research and opens new perspectives for future cooperation.
Together with other representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Embassy of Japan in the Czech Republic, they held talks with Dr. Ondřej Velek, director of the CIIRC CTU, and Dr. Josef Šivic, one of the leading computer scientists. Dr. Matsumoto is a Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University of Science and is also a renowned international scientist in the field of mechanical engineering and computational mechanics. Dr. Matsumoto’s primary areas of interest include the application of science and technology for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing global challenges, science and technology diplomacy initiatives for the development of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), and the role of scientific consultations in the formulating national policies – topics that resonate strongly with CIIRC CTU.
The visit also included a short meeting with students from Japan who are currently at the CIIRC for a three-month study stay. Another part of the programme was devoted to a visit to the RICAIP Testbed Prague , which is located on two floors of the institute. Dr. Pavel Burget, director of Testbed, presented the latest robotic demonstrators in the field of advanced industrial manufacturing using AI and additive technologies. The visit also saw the lower-floor part of Testbed focused on manufacturing technologies, where the team led by Assoc. Petr Kolář focuses on laser and additive technologies with robots, microlaser applications or large-scale printing from plastic.
Discussions also centered on cooperations with companies such as Toyota Motor Manufacturing CZ, and the RIKEN Europe Office, the European representative office of the Japanese research institute RIKEN based in Brussels, which aims to promote research and innovation cooperation with European partners.
Scientific and research cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence with Japanese partners is already developing and will gain momentum thanks to the fact that CIIRC CTU plays an important role as country coordinator of the INPACE project . This project is part of the European Union’s strategic support for developing a digital partnership between Europe and the Indo-Pacific countries, with a strong presence of Japanese organisations. CIIRC’s involvement in these activities creates a strong platform for synergies, for example in the preparation of joint presentations on „trusted AI“ for Expo 2025 in Osaka.
