University of Tokyo: First Workshop of International Research Laboratory for Astrophysics and Particle Physics held With CNRS and four divisions of the University of Tokyo

The first workshop of the International Laboratory for Astrophysics, Neutrinos and Cosmology Experiments, “ILANCE”, which has been established in Kashiwa Campus by CNRS/IN2P3 (French National Centre for Scientific Research / French National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics) and four divisions of the University of Tokyo, was held online on April 7, 2021.

ILANCE, organized by CNRS/IN2P3 and four divisions of the University of Tokyo: the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), the International Center for Elementary Particle Physics (ICEPP), Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) and the Graduate School of Science, is to promote collaborative research in five primary research fields of physics: neutrino physics, primordial universe, dark matter, gravitational waves and particle physics. Additionally, researchers who belong to projects such as Hyper-Kamiokande, Super-Kamiokande, T2K, KAGRA, CTA, LiteBIRD, PFS of Subaru Telescope, ATLAS and ILC, will join lLANCE.

Collaborative research has been continued between CNRS/IN2P3 and our four divisions so far. Meanwhile, Mamoru Doi, professor in the Graduate School of Science, visited IN2P3 in March 2019 and then Reynald Pain, director of IN2P3, proposed an idea of an international laboratory in Japan to promote collaborative research and training of young French researchers. Director Pain came to Japan 8 months later with Patrice Verdier, deputy director of IN2P3, to have a meeting with Takaaki Kajita, director of the ICRR, Hiroyuki Takeda, then-dean of the Graduate School of Science, and Sawako Shirahase, then-executive vice president, and they reached an agreement. Since then, CNRS/IN2P3 and our four divisions have been going ahead with preparation for the laboratory.

ILANCE is going to be located at Kashiwa Research Complex, next to ICRR Headquarters in Kashiwa Campus, where French researchers and graduate students will stay in Japan for medium or long term to advance research activities and relationships with Japanese colleagues.

At the beginning of the first workshop commemorating the ILANCE launch, Takaaki Kajita, co-director of ILANCE, said, “More than 50 physicists will participate in this laboratory. It is very important to collaborate with the world-leading scientists in CNRS/IN2P3 for carrying out cutting-edge scientific research. I hope that this new laboratory can provide a good opportunity for researchers and students in both countries soon after the situation of COVID-19 improves.” Michel Gonin, co-director of ILANCE (professor of Institut Polytechnique de Paris), pointed out the objectives of ILANCE as “Creation of a new cooperation tool shared by CNRS with one single foreign partner for the benefit of common projects and the development of international collaborations.”

Finally, Hiroaki Aihara, executive vice president of the University of Tokyo, gave a closing comment of gratitude and expectations of ILANCE at the end of the successful workshop, which saw the participation of 80 scientists.