Josai University Educational Corporation

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Sakado Campus Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for the 50th Anniversary Project Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall and the New Building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Josai University’s Sakado Campus, located in Saitama Prefecture, held a groundbreaking ceremony on October 6, 2015, for its Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall and the construction of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences' newest building. The event was part of a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the university's founding.

Image of the completed Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall

Image of the completed Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall

The Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall will be two stories tall, covering a floor area of approximately 1,800 m². The Mikio Mizuta Memorial Hall Exhibition Room has already been temporarily opened in the General Gymnasium on July 1. In the future, the exhibition room will join the memorial hall, which will have guest areas for receiving VIPs and important visitors from around the world, multi-purpose lounges for holding receptions and workshops, and more. It is to be a center for international education and regional cooperation. Additionally, the new building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences will have one basement level and nine levels above ground, with a total floor area of about 11,500 m². It will come complete with an isotope center, cutting-edge laboratories and research facilities. Both buildings will feature an Atelier Hitoshi Abe architectural design supervised by Director Hitoshi Abe and Kume Sekkei architectural design firm. Construction is set to be completed by Obayashi Corporation in March of 2017.

Image of the completed new building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Image of the completed new building for the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences

The Shinto ritual at the groundbreaking ceremony

The Shinto ritual at the groundbreaking ceremony

Chancellor Mizuta breaks<br /> the ground

Chancellor Mizuta breaks the ground

About 90 people participated in the groundbreaking ceremony, including university and construction personnel. After a Shinto priest had completed his ritual prayer, Josai University Educational Corporation Chancellor Noriko Mizuta broke the ground. University President Yasunori Morimoto humbly presented a sacred sakaki branch, praying that construction proceed without complications.

At the traditional Shinto banquet following the ritual, Chancellor Mizuta showed her appreciation in her opening remarks. “There were many issues, and it has taken longer than we thought it would, but finally today we were able to conduct this groundbreaking ceremony. Since the founding of our university, everyone has watched over it and joined in the founder's dream, and today we have arrived here at this point. I cannot thank you enough.”

Hitoshi Abe speaks at the traditional Shinto banquet

Hitoshi Abe speaks at the traditional Shinto banquet

Representing the architectural designers and supervisors, Mr. Abe said, “If you think about how these past 50 years have been a platform for creating today's Japanese people, then you realize that the next 50 years to come will be the platform for future Japanese people. We are extremely honored to be involved in the design of such a place that will mold future generations.” Shingo Ura, Obayashi Corporation’s Senior Managing Executive Officer and Manager of the Tokyo Office, also offered a few words. “It may be a time of great difficulty and labor shortages. However, we would like to make the construction sites and our main office like one, so that we can present you with finished buildings of the highest quality as soon as possible,” he declared.


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