 Japanese
Chinese
The Institute of Medical Science of the University of Tokyo (IMSUT) has been promoting Japan-China collaborative research on infections at two sites in Beijing and one in Harbin, supported by gProgram of Founding Research Centers for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseasesh of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, since fiscal 2005. In Beijing we have been operating two Japan-China joint-laboratories in collaboration with two life-science institutes, the Institute of Microbiology and Institute of Biophysics, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is a national institution consisting of about 100 various research institutes in the entire China. In the two joint laboratories Project Professor Yoshihiro Kitamura and Project Associate Professor Zene Matsuda, who are stationed there respectively, are studying HIV and hepatitis viruses together with Japanese staff and young Chinese scientists. In Harbin Professor Yoshihiro Kawaoka of IMSUT and Professor Hualan Chen of the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, are conducting collaborative studies focusing on highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. To help support these research activities we have set up a project office in Beijing.
China is an enormous country: the coastal urban area with highly developed economy in recent years and the other large area with some characteristics of developing countries. As exemplified by SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) that originated in China and caused a world-wide panic in 2003, the possible occurrence or increase of emerging and reemerging viruses such as H5N1 subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus or HIV is a major concern to the world. Furthermore, the other existing viral infections such as hepatitis and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis are still an important issue to address. Historically and geographically, China is the most important neighbor to Japan. In this project the Japanese scientists are stationed in China for a long term and working together with Chinese scientists in the fight against these infections, aiming not only to educate young scientists of both countries and to disseminate their scientific achievements to the world, but to contribute to the mutual understanding of the two peoples. We would welcome and appreciate everybody's warm support and encouragement.
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