In the 2014 academic year, our efforts to obtain external funding have continued in the same way so far.

Even though the number of externally-funded research case was decreased, the amount of funding increased more than that of the previous year. Joint research cases decreased from 63(22,533,000 yen) in the previous year to 52 (27,057,000 yen) in 2014, and funded research, etc., went from 31 cases (116,378,000 yen) to 32 cases (122,095,000 yen).

In terms of the Scientific Research Funds, we've been working on it while strengthening the measures to improve the environment in order to obtain it and 25 applications have been granted in the 2014 academic year.

Other various efforts had been made to create local vitality by promoting the joint research between industry and academia as well as fostering technicians by utilizing a national project called 'Center for the Next Generation Mobility Technology Development that is Friendly to Human and Environment' and the local community program selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) (from the year 2012 to 2016: delivered funds is about 50 million yen).

Furthermore, in the 2014 academic year we conducted 38 extension lectures at the Takizawa campus , Miyako campus and the Aiina campus (located at the west entrance of Morioka Station), as well as in three regions contained Ofunato, in order to share research results with the citizens of Iwate.

A total of 2,392 people attended the lectures.

●Extensions for Academic Year 2014

◆Takizawa Campus Courses

Courses	Date	Instructors	Topics
Course1	July 26	Iwate Prefectural University President NAKAMURA Yoshihisa	Origin of innovation
Course2	August 30	Morioka Junior College Professor ISHIBASHI Keitaro	To the era of multicultural coexistence from international exchange –Towards the creation of a new society for new social creation–
Course3		High Energy Accelerator Research Organization FUJIMOTO Jyunpei	To solve the mystery of the universe –International Linear Collider Plan–
Course4	September 6	Health and Welfare Section Yamada town government Public health nurse ONASHI Toru	Motion,Connection,Create –To revitalize Iwate in the new force–
Course5		Graduate School of Social Welfare Professor TAKAHASHI Satoshi	Return to the ideal way of education Prospects of Iwate education modernization
Course6	September 27	Faculty of Software and Information Science Associate professor ARAI Yoshikazu	Drive assistance system of Iwate style –The visualization of something invisible in preparation for emergencies–
Course7		Hitachi Solutions East Japan,Ltd. Representative director president-director HATTA Naohisa	The power of Iwate × The power of Hitachi Solutions East Japan –A new force to be born by moving into the the Takizawa IPU secondary innovation center–

◆Miyako Campus Lifelong Learning Course Content

Courses	Date	Instructors	Topics
Course1	September 4 September 11	Miyako Junior College Associate professor SHOTAKA Shigeki Associate professor OHSHIDA Ken	Personal Computer Assembly course
Course2	November 28	Miyako Junior College Associate professor KAMADA Masahito	Data processing using spreadsheet

◆District Course

Courses	Date	Instructors	Topics	Locations
In Takizawa Cooperation courses Mutsumi University	September 8	Faculty of Policy Studies Associate professor NITTA Yoshinobu	Viewed from Agricultural Policy "Farmland middle management mechanism" Current situations and issues of “Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Vitality creation plan for regional areas”, and what actions we should take	Takizawa City Community Center
Kamaishi district course	November 9	Faculty of Social Welfare Professor OGAWA Akiko	Mimamori and Community Development –Iwate Prefectural University of efforts–	Kamaishi Citizens Exchange Center
Miyako District Course	November 24	Faculty of Policy Studies Associate professor NITTA Yoshinobu	Fishery Processing distribution Industry of Enhancement of competitiveness and Expansion of job opportunities in Iwate Prefecture coastal areas	Rikuchyu building
Hirono townsfolk University cooperation courses	February 21	Faculty of Policy Studies Associate professor YAMADA Kana	Food" is inherited by the next generation. –What we inherited and what to hand over–	Hirono townspeople Cultural Center

In order to pursue the recovery of Iwate through tourism, at IPU, while we have worked as a member of “Iwate Disaster Recovery and Tourism Promotion Council (Office: Northern Iwate Transportation Inc.)” since the 2013 academic year, we also established an intramural study group called “Society to Consider the Disaster Recovery with Tourism of Iwate” and carried out research activities with the theme of “Fusion of Information Communication and Touring” until the 2014 academic year.

At this council we developed an application for smartphones and tablets which supports tourism and disaster management learning in the Taro area of Miyako City damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and we held a presentation there in the June 2015 academic year.

When people visit earthquake damaged remains and tourist attractions with a smartphone or tablet which has the application installed, they will automatically receive information on its screen such as detailed explanations and images.

From now on, by seeking to utilize its function as a guide for disaster management learning and sightseeing in disaster affected areas, we continue our research under a new framework starting in the 2015 academic year as well as proceeding to put our plan into practice as early as possible by transferring the technology to Iwate based local businesses."

Iwate Monozukuri and Software Integration Technology Center (i-MOS) was established on April 1st 2011 as a base of creating new innovations by integrating manufacture (Monozukuri) and software and has been working on promoting joint researches between Industry and Academia, providing technicians with sophisticated skills as well as supporting corporate prototype developments by opening up the facility equipments to participating companies .

i-MOS conducts researches with the aims of solving social challenges based on the regional characteristic in Iwate prefecture by utilizing manufacturing and software technologies, improving productivity and added value at companies related to manufacturing and expanding the business towards the automobile industry.

◆Academic Year 2015 Adoption Problem

No.	Research Topics	Research Representatives	Faculty
1	Research and development of universal automobile steering interface	MURATA Yoshitoshi	Faculty of Software and Information Science
2	Construction of the paint appearance examination system using movable camera and surface illuminant	SAWAMOTO Jun	Faculty of Software and Information Science
3	Research and development as well as clinical application of the preoperative plan support system, based on three-dimensional data, that focuses on tailor-made operating appliance	DOI Akio	Faculty of Software and Information Science
4	Research and development of the stethoscope diagnosis learning system	MIURA Natsuko	Faculty of Nursing
5	Construction of traffic accident prevention system in the aging society of considering individual differences	FUJITA Hamido	Faculty of Software and Information Science
6	Research of universal tourism relief system utilizing wearable device	ABE Akihiro	Faculty of Software and Information Science
7	Development of the relative position estimating algorithm among devices in local communication system	ARAI Yoshikazu	Faculty of Software and Information Science
8	Intellectual support system for safe driving in which biological and environment signal are integrated	GOUTAMU Chakraborty	Faculty of Software and Information Science
9	Research for the construction and operation of prototype application for sightseeing and prevention after disaster	YOSHINO Hideki	Faculty of Policy Studies
10	Research and development of learning materials creation support system utilizing the agriculture big data	TAKAGI Masanori	Faculty of Software and Information Science

At Iwate Prefectural University, where one of our fundamental aims is “practical science and practice-oriented education and research”, we have set up the Center for Regional Policy Studies in order to further reinforce think-tank functionality for citizens.

Confronting the needs and challenges of the people of Iwate from a regional point of view, researchers from a variety of disciplines have been conducting researches to resolve local issues in collaboration with local governments as well as NPOs and business.

●Progressive Reconstruction and Recovery Project Research on the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

The Center for Regional Policy Studies is engaged in the most important subject of Iwate prefecture “Disaster Recovery”.

In order to deal with diversifying needs of disaster affected areas and solving various challenges, we shifted our focus towards 'research which more directly contributes to the recovery of affected areas' in the 2014 academic year. We are working on the research on a large scale which will take many years.

No.	Research Topics	Research Representatives	Faculty
1	Prevention from isolation by the use of ICT and formation of the life support community in Kamaishi – Aiming at the evolution in all areas of Iwate –	OGAWA Akiko	Faculty of Social Welfare
2	Enhancement of competitive power and enlargement of employment in Fishery Processing and distribution in the coast area of Iwate	NITTA Yoshinobu	Faculty of Policy Studies
3	3D modeling of the reconstruction plan and human resource development in Sanriku aria	DOI Akio	Faculty of Software and Information Science

●Regional Joint Research (Proposal type by faculty members)

Focusing on joint researches between faculty members (researchers) at IPU and local organizations (such as the prefectural and municipal governments, local organizations, NPO and companies), we conduct researches proposed by faculty members themselves that meet the local needs.

◆Academic Year 2015 Adoption Problem

No.	Issue of Research	Field of Research	Research Topics	Research Representatives	Faculty
1	General Issues	Local management research	Establishment of a basic example in order to spread the Constructed Wetland Filtration System with Subsurface Flow, which is an energy saving water purifying method, within Iwate prefecture	TSUJI Morio	Faculty of Policy Studies
2	Earthquake Disaster Issues	Lifestyle Field	Research on visualizing the research findings of belief stonework affected by the disaster in Yamada town, and publishing the achievement	MATSUMOTO Hiroaki	Morioka Junior College
3	General Issues	Local Community Research	"Sightseeing and information" Development and trial of the local core personnel training curriculum	ABE Akihiro	Faculty of Software and Information science
4	Earthquake Disaster Issues	Community and revival educational program Local Infrastructure Field	Construction of sustained and strategic disaster mitigation, revival educational program	ITO Hideyuki	Faculty of Social Studies
5	General Issues	Local Community Research	Research about the actual situation of Hikikomori in the Morioka area	KAWANORI Yoshiya	Faculty of Social Welfare

●Regional cooperative research(Local Community Proposition Type)

Targeting joint research carried out with local organizations (public bodies such as prefectural and municipal governments, community organizations, NPOs, businesses and so on), our faculty members (researchers) carry out research they propose themselves in response to local needs.

Having integrated “earthquake disaster reconstruction research” into “regional cooperative research (Faculty Proposition Type)” in the 2011 and 2012 academic years, from the 2013 academic year we will focus on recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

In the first term of the 2014 academic year, we selected nine research issues on earthquake disaster recovery and five general issues."

◆Academic Year 2015 Adoption Problem

No.	Field of Research	Joint Researchers (Name of Proposer's Organization)	Research Topic Name (Topic name after the research planning decision)	Research Representative	Faculty
1	Oshu, Ichinoseki	Iwate Prefecture Policy and Community Section Scientific ILC Promotion Office	Research regarding the measures to improve medical environment for people from overseas following the construction of ILC	ISHIBASHI Keitaro	Morioka Junior College
2	Hachinohe, Iwate	Iwate Hachimantai Agricultural Promotion Center	Development of remote monitoring system for protecting the agriculture of Iwate from wild animals	SAITO Yoshia	Faculty of Social Welfare
3	Kawai Miyako (ex- Kawai village)	WISEMAN CO.,LTD.	Establishment of integrated community care system in cooperation with citizens by utilizing SNS	OGAWA Akiko	Faculty of Social Welfare
4	Maita aria in Nodamura	Kenpoku wide area Promotion Bureau Civil Engineering Department	Measures for conservation of seashore plants influenced by the reconstruction and maintenance of tide embankment in Tofugaura Yoneda district coast	SHIMADA Naoaki	Faculty of Policy Studies
5	Within the Iwate prefecture (Iwate Prefectural Library, Coastal area)	Iwate Prefectural Library	Research on the utilization of Iwate Prefectural Library's earthquake related documents digital archives	TOMIZAWA Hiroki	Faculty of Software and Information science
6	Kamaishi, Ozuchi, Yamada, Miyako	Iwate Women’s History Collective	History learning "Women and reconstruction", recap	UEDA Masahiro	Miyako Junior College
7	Morioka, Morioka wide area, Iwate	Morioka zoo	City development and the improvement of citizens' vitality, originating from Zoological Park, in association with citizens and communities	KURAHARA Munetaka	Faculty of Policy Studies
8	Karumai	Karumai Town Health and Welfare Division	Research on the establishment of community-comprehensive care system	UEBAYASHI Mihoko	Faculty of Nursing
9	Kawai in Miyako (ex- Kawai village)	Kawai genki sya (NPO)	Establishment of the watching system in depopulated areas in which the residents play major roles	OGAWA Akiko	Faculty of Social Welfare
10	Hachimantai	Hachimantai city Board of education	Basic research for community development featuring cultural resources (historical records of lacquer ware wholesalers and the lacquering industry)of communities	MISUDA Yosinobu	Morioka Junior College
11	Hachimantai	Hachimantai	Research on opportunities for women to participate in decision making process at local communities	YOSHINO Hideki	Faculty of Policy Studies
12	Kamaishi	Kamaishi local museum	Improvement of the functionality of the museum, mainly with the research of the geographical distribution of plants by having citizens participate in it	HIRATSUKA Akira	Faculty of Policy Studies
13	Morioka, Takizawa, Oshu, Tono, Minamisoma in Fukushima	Iwate Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department and Horse Racing Reform Promotion Office	Research study on handing over the equine culture to future generations and utilization of the resources related to the equine culture in Iwate	KURAHARA Munetaka	Faculty of Policy Studie
14	Morioka	Morioka Kotsu Machizukuri LRT forum	The introduction of contributing Kotsu Machizukuri and LRT to the activation of the central city of Morioka	USAMI Seiji	Faculty of Policy Studies
15	Takizawa and around Takizawa	Takizawa environment partner conference	Research on distribution investigation and removal of 'alien species golden glow' by citizen participation	SHIBUYA Kotaro	Faculty of Policy Studies
16	Takizawa and around Takizawa	DSTYLE inc.,	Utilization of woody biomass and research on woodlands management in Takizawa –Enhance region vitality from forests in the local production for local consumption of wood–	SHIBUYA Kotaro	Faculty of Policy Studies
17	Mizuwake area in Shiwa	Mizuwake Machizukuri no Kai	Utilization of “community resources” and development process of residents' community awareness for continuous community development	Yamada Kana	Faculty of Policy Studies
18	Iwate	Iwate-Kirara Art Association	Assisting in creating direction and life goals for the disabled through artistic activities ~About the way of public exhibitions to promote the social participation of the disabled~	SATO Asahito	Faculty of Social Welfare
19	Kitakami	Kitakami Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Agriculture Promotion Division	Role of core agricultural producers towards establishing agricultural intermediate support organization	Wenjing Liu-Würz	Center for the Advancement of Higher Education
20	Each municipality of Sanriku coast wide area	Iwate Prefecture coast wide area promotion bureau	Utilization measures the impact on the local economy due to the Sanriku coast road and Sanriku Railway opening	YAMAMOTO Ken	Faculty of Policy Studies
21	In Tanohata	Tanohata Policy Promotion Division	Earthquake reconstruction and regional activation –Focusing on analysis of the community development plan based in Tsukuehama Banya Group–	TAJIMA Toshinobu	Faculty of Policy Studies

Since taking measures against population decline has become a pressing issue in Iwate prefecture as well, the prefecture and all of its municipalities are working to formulate the future plan of “Population Vision” as well as for “Regional Comprehensive Strategy” in order to achieve this vision.

However, as it is the first attempt for municipalities, they tend to lack manpower. IPU was originally established as a think-tank for the prefecture, as well as municipalities, and it also has researchers specialized in various fields, so we have been working on resolving local issues in cooperation with municipalities. Therefore, in order to support the work of municipalities while aiming to enhance our function furthermore, we set up the “Regional Revitalization Support Team” in March 2015 and it has been operating since.

We provide useful information to all 33 municipalities in the prefecture, and at the same time we send out specialized faculty members in charge on request so that they can advise on preparing drafts of the Population Vision, etc, as well as offering suggestions at the panelmeeting of experts where discussions are held based on their findings.

We support municipalities to enable them to formulate their visions and strategies by their target dates (usually October).