Keiji Kojima
General Manager
Hitachi Research Laboratory, Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi Research Laboratory (HRL)-Hitachi's first research laboratory-was established in 1934 at the birthplace of Hitachi, Ltd. Integrated with the Mechanical Engineering Research Laboratory and the Energy and Environmental Systems Laboratory in 2011, HRL lives up to its name as a research center that plays a major role in supporting social and life infrastructures.
The mission of HRL is to pursue research and development that supports "social innovations"-such as social and life infrastructures and the materials and key devices that support them. While collaborating with domestic and international universities and research institutes and striving on a daily basis to integrate our varied skills and knowledge, we are taking up the challenge of developing new technologies that will contribute to society as a whole.
Located high on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is the Hitachi Research Laboratory (HRL) in Hitachi city, Ibaraki prefecture - the birthplace of Hitachi, Ltd. HRL grew out of a small research division that Mr. Odaira had formed in 1918, based on his strong belief that a company would never progress to explore technological advancement, and became the first corporate laboratory of Hitachi, Ltd. in 1934. Dr. BABA Kumeo, was appointed the first general manager of HRL, and oversaw research divisions on electrical, mechanical, physical, chemical and metallurgical research. Over the past 75 years, HRL has contributed to many of Hitachi's backbone businesses; produced various innovations in the field of materials, power electronics, energy and transportation systems, and so on.
A researcher talks about up-to-date technologies.
