On March 26th, the Tohoku ILC Planning Office (Director: IPU President Atsuto Suzuki) released an outline of their master ILC plan, which describes the future of Tohoku and what infrastructure would be created, as well as makes clear the roles of government and the private sector. It clearly stated that the main campus for research would be in either Ichinoseki or Oshu cities, which both have a shinkansen station. The private sector would handle building commerce facilities and housing/accommodations, and the local government would be responsible for group housing for foreign residents, buildings for research/operations, and the main facility for the ILC. A more detailed version of the master plan, along with other materials about the office’s activities, will be shown to the national government and economic organizations in April, as they encourage the government to realize the ILC.

Director Suzuki along with Prof. Satoru Yamashita (Tohoku ILC Planning Office Fellow, specially-appointed professor of Tokyo University’s International Center for Elementary Particle Physics) held a press conference in Sendai City on March 26th.

The Master Plan makes clear that the construction and operation of the ILC will not be undergone just by Tohoku, but with the cooperation of all of Japan. The plan outlines a future for Tohoku, including an international hub of innovation as well as the reconstruction from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disasters.

The plan also made clear what the private and public sectors’ roles would be in building the ILC. The local government would handle group housing/accommodations for foreign residents, the research buildings, and the ILC main facility, but would also work hard to introduce private funds into these projects through private finance initiatives (PFI).

The plan also established who would build the facilities within the main campus, and will use the private sector to build things like halls, accommodations, benefits programs, exhibitions facilities, and more.

The core zone surrounding the ILC was listed as inland cities from Morioka to Sendai, as well as the ports from Miyako to Sendai. There would also be an encompassing regional zone that would include the main campus area, a hub for advanced industries, a facility for showcasing Tohoku food and culture, and a facility for international exchange. There would also be a hub for inspecting, putting together, and storing ILC parts.

Director Suzuki stressed that, “The master plan includes information on the past two years of ILC Planning Office activity. As we wait on a decision from the national government, we will show this plan as well as a report of our activities to the ministries and economic organizations. I want to show them that Tohoku has proceeded forward with preparations for the ILC.”