2 Japan National Universities Reach Basic Merger Pact

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)--The two Japanese national universities of Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University said Friday they reached a basic merger agreement the same day.

TIT and TMDU, both government-designated national universities with world-level research capabilities, aim for integration by March 2025 to create a single university that will be able to cultivate new academic fields and promote innovations through "medical-engineering collaboration."

TIT President Kazuya Masu told a press conference that he will positively consider having the merged university acquire a government certification as a university with internationally outstanding research capabilities "if it matches the purpose of the integration."

TMDU President Yujiro Tanaka said at the same news conference that he would be for the certification "if it is found to be a useful tool" to achieve the merged university's goals.

In the fiscal year starting April 2024, the government plans to provide through an investment fund tens of billions of yen in state aid a year to each of a handful of certified universities. The application for the certification is scheduled to start by the end of this year.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]