Geoffrey Taylor, chair of the International Committee for Future Accelerators (ICFA), visited Ohara, Ichinoseki City on November 3rd to see the candidate site for the ILC. It was Taylor’s first time in Japan. “There’s a lot local interest in the ILC. I think Japan will move towards the realization of the ILC.”

Jun Sasaki, director general of the Bureau of ILC Promotion of the Iwate government showcased the Kitakami mountain site along with Professor Tomoyuki Sanuki of Tohoku University (particle physics) and others. They also visited the former site of NEC Platforms which could be used as an informational facility for the ILC by Ichinoseki City.

Taylor said, “It’s a beautiful site, and I’ve confirmed that the geological features are appropriate for building the ILC. The local area is also preparing to receive the project, through things like cooperation among SMEs in the Tohoku region. The international community of particle physicists has put their trust in Japan.”

ICFA is made up of the heads of the world’s major accelerator facilities, and is pushing forth the ILC project. Taylor was in Japan to give a seminar on November 1st at the Linear Collider Workshop held in Sendai.