Message from Director-General
|
June 13, 2025 Satoshi Yamashita
Director-General |
My name is Satoshi Yamashita. I assumed office as Director-General of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics (ISM) in April 2025. Since its founding in June 1944 as an institute under the direct control of the Ministry of Education, the ISM has contributed, over its 80-year history, to the development of the statistical and mathematical sciences. As society has evolved, the role of ISM has been risen and expanded, as reflected in its reorganization into a National Inter-University Research Institute in 1985; into an Inter-University Research Institute in 1989; and then into an Inter-University Research Institute Corporation in 2004. But the essence of the statistical and mathematical sciences remains unchanged. Our perspective on the nature of research—to discover the truth by identifying and clarifying facts, reality, and phenomena—has been passed down unchanged through generations of researchers.
Recent years have seen the rapid evolution of AI and machine learning technologies, as well as advances in data science. These advances have impacted every aspect of our society. The ISM has helped establish the theoretical foundations for such leading-edge technologies and facilitated the progress of research on machine learning, statistical inference, and data-driven decision-making techniques. We have been striving to return our findings and knowledge in the statistical and mathematical sciences to society by promoting cross-disciplinary research and reinforcing ties to both academia and industry through the Research Center for Statistical Machine Learning and the Research Center for Materials Informatics. Moving forward, we plan to continue exploring new frontiers in data science while striving to find broader applications for our research results.
For my four-year term as the Director-General, I intend to fulfill the following three objectives to drive growth and progress at the ISM.
The first is to establish strong and stable financial foundations. In line with our mission as the Inter-University Research Institute—to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and academic research—we are working to promote various joint research and to improve the research environment. It is therefore essential to secure sustainable financial foundations and to increase the degree of freedom of research activities. I plan to establish stable financial foundations primarily by improving operational efficiency and strengthening external financial support.
The second is to review and simplify our operating procedures, various committees, regulations, and so on at the ISM, which have grown increasingly complex over the past 20 years. The ISM has introduced various systems and committees to ensure organizational transparency and excellence in its research activities, but evolving circumstances compel us to reassess these systems and committees. I will seek to streamline various systems and to improve operational efficiency to create an environment in which researchers can focus on their research.
The third is to enhance the standing of the Institute of Statistical Mathematics. The ISM plays a key role in the field of the statistical and mathematical sciences—not just in Japan, but internationally. Delivering our research results to society and strengthening understanding and awareness of the value of the statistical and mathematical sciences are both important for the future of both academia and industry. To enable continuing growth of the ISM, I will seek to strengthen ties to domestic and overseas research institutions and, thereby, the presence of the ISM.
I am committed, alongside the staff, to making every effort to fulfill these objectives. On that basis, I ask for your continuing understanding and support for the research activities undertaken at ISM.
