The Shipbuilding & Ocean Renaissance International Center (SORIC) held its opening ceremony on August 19, 2026, at the Education and Culture Hall on Yokohama National University’s Tokiwadai Campus.

The ceremony opened with remarks by YNU President Izuru Umehara, followed by congratulatory addresses from Shin Imai of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; Toshihide Hirahara, Deputy Mayor of Yokohama and Chair of the Ocean City Yokohama Council; Katsuhiro Hozumi of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government; and Hiroyuki Yamato of the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

SORIC Director Taiga Mitsuyuki then delivered a presentation outlining the Center’s vision, activities, and future plans for revitalizing Japan’s shipbuilding industry and advancing the sustainable use of ocean resources.

Following the presentation, Deputy Director Manami Sasaoka and Laboratory Directors Yasumi Kawamura and Motohiko Murai shared their aspirations for the Center and their respective areas of activity.

The program also included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a commemorative group photo, and a press conference, marking the beginning of a new chapter for SORIC.

Through its four laboratories, SORIC will promote interdisciplinary collaboration among academia, industry, and government, while advancing research, education, human resource development, and innovation in the shipbuilding and ocean sectors.