COVID-19: UNIQLO Yanai donates 10 billion yen: Kyoto Univ, Yamanaka, Honjo’s research support
COVID-19:
(2020/06/24-18:24)
“UNIQLO”: Chairman Tadashi Yanai
Tadashi Yanai, Chairman and President of FAST RETAILING, has donated 10 billion yen.
On June 24, we will donate a total of 10 billion yen over 10 years to support the research of Nobel Prize winners in medicine and physiology, Professor Shinya Yamanaka and Professor Yusuke Honjo.
Kyoto University: Professor Yamanaka
Construction of an artificial pluripotent stem cell (iPS cell) manufacturing facility for regenerative medicine started in 2021.
Donation from Mr. Yanai:
Appropriate 4.5 billion yen out of 5 billion yen for construction cost of manufacturing facility
Allocation of 500 million yen to new type coronavirus/vaccine development using iPS cells
Kyoto University: Professor Honjo
Honjo won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for developing cancer immunotherapy
Supporting cancer immunotherapy research and fostering young researchers
Established “Yanai Foundation” at Kyoto University and allocated 5 billion yen for all donations
Mr. Yanai and Mr. Honjo: high school alumni
Mr. Yanai and Mr. Honjo are both graduates of Yamaguchi Prefectural Ube High School.
Mr. Honjo, who grew up in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, asked Mr. Yanai for support and accepted the donation.
Press conference ：at Kyoto University
“I think the biggest problems in medicine are cancer and viruses,” said Yanai.
I would be happy if I could study with Kyoto University in the future.”
Mr. Honjo: “The unspecified purpose is the advantage of private funds,” he emphasized.
Mr. Yamanaka: “I am grateful for such a donation for running a research organization,” he said.
JIJI.com