A delegation from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Research Institute for Climate Resilient Infrastructure (RICRI), led by Professor LI Xiangdong, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and Director of RICRI, recently completed a successful visit to Japan to strengthen international collaboration in climate resilience, carbon neutrality, and sustainable urban development.
During the visit, the delegation met with LocationMind Inc. in Tokyo, where Professor SHIBASAKI Ryosuke, CTO of LocationMind Lab, introduced the company’s advanced digital platform for real-time human mobility and disaster monitoring. Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on the integration of urban digital platforms and explored opportunities for joint research in disaster prediction and smart city development.
The team also visited Zero-Club to learn about Japan’s carbon-zero initiatives and discuss potential research and industrial collaborations. Zero-Club’s leadership welcomed Hong Kong partners to join efforts in carbon-neutral innovation. At Keio University, a workshop facilitated knowledge exchange on smart and sustainable urban development, with both sides expressing strong interest in future research collaborations and student exchange programs.
In Osaka, the delegation toured the Carbon Neutral Research Hub (CNRH) of Daigas Group, gaining insights into advanced R&D technologies such as SOEC methanation and Virtual Power Plants. Discussions focused on collaborative research and student visits between Hong Kong and Japanese institutions. The group also visited key pavilions at Expo 2025, including Osaka Gas, Jellyfish, and Mitsubishi.
The visit concluded at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Tokyo, where both institutions shared their research achievements and discussed the establishment of joint research projects and student exchanges. The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) team committed to collaborating with RICRI on sustainable urban development and participating in future initiatives such as the Inno-HK programme.
This fruitful visit reinforced RICRI’s commitment to global partnerships in climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure. The delegation’s engagements in Japan have laid a strong foundation for future collaborative research, innovation, and academic exchange.
