The Robotics Industry Development Council
The Founders' Statement

June 2003

We hope this message of greeting finds you and your endeavours at a stage of prosperance..

As this present time, Japan faces a crisis in its manufacturing sector, due largely to the gain in momentum that other economies in the Asian region have begun in their own manufacturing industries, causing a vacuum in domestic output.
　In order for us to propagate growth in our local economies, it has become an urgent problem for us to claim a new area of industry comprising of unrivaled and unique skills.

The robotics industry is being strongly predicted to gain a firm foothold in the future and grow into a substantial industrial field. A survey by the Japan Robot Association revealed that the market size is expected to expand from 3 trillion yen in 2010 to 8 trillion yen in 2025.

Lying within these predictions is an extemely high but as yet latent demand for robots in fields ranging from medical and welfare to security and disaster prevention services, yet all the while our present utilities and products are not being administrated effectively to offer solutions to an ever growing problem even as the large expectations, that are soon to be weighed upon the industry and its supporting research facilities, loom nearer.

Fortunately however, Fukuoka Prefecture already hosts a sizeable accumulation of robotics related corporations and research laboratories drawn here, in part, by the RoboCup 2002 event held in Fukuoka City and the establishment of the RoboSquare. The events have also raised the local public awareness of the robotics industry and its possibilities.

Based on these favourable conditions, this prefecture aims to create a new robotics industry here. We are commited to promote and foster advances in research and development, disseminate domestic and international information, strive to create an increased awareness and subsequently an increase in investigative work. For this purpose the National Bureau of Industrial Science has sought to establish the RIDC (Robotics Industry Developmet Council) to act as a nucleus in realizing these aims.

Furthermore with this council at its center , Fukuoka City and Kitakyushu City have been designated as Special Districts to lead the nation in the fields of robot testing, research and development.

The significance of a unity of industry, university-based academic research laboratories and individuals curious about robots under the common purpose of creating a world leading single entity cannot be underestimated, not least of all for its impact on the local economy . This entity, we believe, is set to become a driving force in the ongoing effort to regain national industrial competitiveness.

We this council humbly request you to grant an understanding to our intentions and lend your support to this proposal.

Sincerely
The Govenor of Fukuoka Prefecture	Wataru Aso
The Mayor of Kitakyushu City	Koichi Sueyoshi
The Fukuoka City Mayor	Hirotaro Yamasaki