History of City Construction

The construction of the Keihanna Science City was proposed by the "Kansai Science City Surveillance Conversazione" (Chairman: Azuma Okuda, former Head of Kyoto University) in 1978. The idea was finalized when the "Kansai Science City Construction Promotion Conference" was established in 1983, by Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara prefectures and economic organizations in the Kansai region. Following the enactment of the Kansai Science City Construction Act in 1987, full-scale construction began as a national project for Japan. More than 30 years have passed since the law came into effect, and about 60 percent of the cultural and scientific research districts are now ready for use. We are currently in the process of moving onto the next step of construction to create a research city with top-level management systems - applying the knowledge and experience we have gathered over the course of our accomplishments with this project.

1978 September "Kansai Science City Surveillance Conversazione (Chairman: Azuma Okuda, ex principal of Kyoto University)" was set up.
November Japan's Prime Minister approved a "Basic Development Plan for the Kinki Region" that included studies for the Kansai Science City Vision.
1981 November Kyoto Pref. released a "draft of basic concepts to construct a culture, science and research city."
1982 June National Land Agency announced the "Basic Concepts of the Kansai Science City (pilot plan)."
1983 March The "Kansai Science City Construction Promotion Conference" was established by 3 prefectures, Kansai Economic Federation and others
1984 February Nara Pref. announced their "Basic Plan for the Kansai Science City."
March Kyoto Pref. announced a "draft of basic construction plans (for the area in Kyoto Pref.) for the Kansai Science City."
1985 March Osaka Pref. announced their "Basic Plan for the Kansai Science City."
1986 April The Kyotanabe Campus of Doshisha University and Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts opened.
Doshisha-mae Station on the JR Katamachi Line opened.
June The "Foundation (now Public Foundation) of Kansai Research Institute" was established by the Housing And Urban Development Corporation (now Urban Renaissance Agency), 3 prefectures and financial circles of the Kansai region.
September The "Diet Member Confederation for Promoting the Construction of the Kansai Science City" was inaugurated.
1987 June The Kansai Science City Construction Act was promulgated and enforced.
September

Kansai Science City districts were designated.
The "Basic Policy on the Construction of Kansai Science City" was determined based on the Construction Promotion Law for the Kansai Science City.

1988 June "Hiten" was selected as the logo for the Science City.symbolmark.gif
1989 April Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) opened.
August The "Keihanna Corporation" was founded as the administrative body for establishing and managing cultural and scientific research exchange facilities.
1990 July The Ion Engineering Center (now Ion Technology Center) opened.
The Kiyotaki No.1 Tunnel on Route163 opened to traffic.
1991 April Midori no Bunkaen (natural park) opened.
December Keina Road (between Tanabe-Nishi and Seika-Shimokoma) opened to traffic.
1993 March Keina Road (between Seika-Shimokoma and Yamadagawa) opened to traffic.
April Cultural and scientific exchange facilities for "Keihanna Plaza" were completed and opened.
The first entrance ceremony was held at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology.
October The International Institute for Advanced Studies (IIAS) opened (established in August 1984).
The Takayama Science Plaza opened.
November The Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) opened.
1994 September "Keihanna Science City Festival '94" was held (Opening of the science city).
1995 April Kyoto Prefectural Keihanna Commemorative Park opened.
1997 April The Kyoto Prefectural Agricultural Resources Research Center (now Biotechnology Research Department, Kyoto Prefectural Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Technology Center) and the University Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto Prefectural University opened.
Daini Hanna Road opened to traffic.
1998 February Restoration work on the Suzaku Gate of Heijo Palace site was completed.
May The Second Stage Plan Promotion Conference announced "Aiming for realization of Second Stage Plan".
1999 September The Advanced Photon Research Center, Kansai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (now National Instututes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology) commenced research.
2000 April Keina Road (between Yamadagawa and Kizu) opened to traffic.
July The Keihanna Human Info-Communication Research Center, Communications Research Laboratory opened.
The Institute of Free Electron Laser, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University opened.
2001 July The Kids' Science Museum of Photons opened.
2002 April The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) selected the "Science City Research Project" for the "Intellectual Cluster Creation Project."
October The Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library opened.
2003 March Daini Keihan Road (between Oguraike and Hirakata-Higashi) opened to traffic.
April The Science City was authorized as a "Special Intellectual District,"where visa requirements for foreign researchers were eased.
June The "Keihanna Info-Communication Open Laboratory" of Keihanna Human Info-Communication Research Center, Communications Research Laboratory opened.
2005 April The Keihanna New Industry Creation and Interactive Community Center opened.
November Exchange promotion agreement was signed with Beijing Science Park.
2006 March The "Third Stage Plan of the Kansai Science City" was formulated.
The Kintetsu "Keihanna Line" started operation.
November Doshisha University Gakkentoshi Campus opened.
December D-egg (Organization for SMEs and Regional Innovation) opened on the Kyotanabe Campus of Doshisha University.
2007 March Kizu-cho, Kamo-cho and Yamashiro-cho were consolidated into Kizugawa City.
April The number of companies/organizations with facilities in the Science City exceeded 100.
October The "Children Who Live in Science City" project was launched.
2008 May The "Development of Ubiquitous Bio-instrumentation Healthcare Devices and Systems" was adopted by MEXT as a "City Area Program in Industry-Academia-Government Joint Research."
2009 July The Kansai Research Institute was merged with the Keihanna New Industry Creation and Interactive Community Center.
2010 January Celebrations for the 1300th anniversary of Nara Heijo-kyo Capital started.
March Daini Keihan Road (between Hirakata-Higashi and Kadoma) opened to traffic.
The "Keihanna Wide-Area Regional Basic Plan" was crafted to develop wide-area industrial clusters by creating new industry.
April The Science City was selected as one of METIʼs "Next-Generation Energy and Social System Demonstration Areas.
2011 April Doshisha International Academy opened.
August The Keihanna Science City Healthcare Development District was selected amongst regions promoting regional innovation strategies as one of the "Regions Focused on Strengthening International Competitiveness.
December The Science City was designated a part of the Kansai Innovation International Comprehensive Strategic Special Zone.
2013 April Osaka Prefectural Kita-Osaka Advanced Vocational Training Center opened.
2014 March The Kiyotaki No.2 Tunnel on Route163 opened to traffic.
2015 May The Keihanna Open Innovation Center (KICK) opened.
2016 March "The Plan for Creating New City" was formulated.
April "Experimental Farm, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University" opened.
September The Science City's research project was officially adopted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Global Research-Complex Program.
2017 April

Shin-Meishin Expwy. (between Yahata-Kyotanabe JCT/IC to Joyo JCT/IC) opened to traffic.

2018 March Nara Palace Site Historical Park opened.
April

"iPSC-based Drug Discovery and Development Collaboration Base" established at RIKEN's Keihanna campus.

2020 March

The Kizu-higashi Bypass of Route 163 and the Higashi-chuo Line of Urban Development Road opened to traffic