On July 11th, Prof. Satoru Yamashita (Specially-appointed professor of the International Center for Elementary Particle Physics of the University of Tokyo) held a press event in preparation for the August ILC symposium in Tokyo. There, he talked about the current status of the ILC. He also recommended that private investment be used to help cover the costs of ILC construction, as well as initiatives that would promote coordination and cooperation among all of the national ministries.

Prof. Yamashita gave an outline of the ILC at the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, Culture and Technology (MEXT). In response to criticism that the ILC’s construction would put pressure on Japan’s budget for science and technology, he offered the following suggestions.
▽Implementing a separate budget for the ILC, aside from the normal budget for science and technology
▽Reducing pressure to get national funds by implementing a system for PFI (Private Finance Initiative)
He said, “We will need not just MEXT to work on this, but coordination and cooperation among all of the national ministries.”

Next year, the Board of Directors at CERN will begin discussing the next 5-year strategy for particle physics in Europe, so “the Japanese government must make their stance on the ILC clear by the end of 2018.”

The August symposium will be held by KEK and Ochanomizu University. Nobel prize winners Barry Barish and Sheldon Glashow, who are both very involved with the ILC project, will be in attendance. It will take place on August 5th at 2pm at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo’s Bunkyo ward. Admission is free, and up to 1,000 people (middle school students and older) can attend. Reservations can be made at http://ilc-symposium.jp/.