TOKYO, Apr 1, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) -  Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), Mitsubishi Corporation Urban Development Co., Ltd. (MCUD), and iPark Institute Co., Ltd. (iPi) are pleased to announce our joint development of a new, rental-lab-type R&D facility in Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC). The facility, which has been tentatively named "iPark Kobe," will augment progress being made in KBIC to establish a community based on institutions dedicated to research and development. MCUD signed an agreement today with Kobe's municipal authorities to purchase land for the facility's construction on Kobe Port Island, which is owned by Kobe City.

Growth in semiconductors, medical treatment and other cutting-edge industries has accelerated in recent years, which has given rise to the formation of unique industrial zones due to the large number of R&D interests and related businesses. As a consequence, facilities engaged in research and development are rapidly becoming the epicenters of new communities.

Kobe City began developing KBIC in 1998 to promote an accumulation of medical care-related entities, including R&D facilities, hospitals and private enterprises. Now boasting more than 350 resident organizations, KBIC has grown into one of the largest medical care industrial clusters in Japan, making it a leading example of MC's mission to position advanced industries at the core of its urban development work.

The land-purchase agreement was reached due to KBIC being the ideal location for the first "iPark" drug-discovery and bioresearch facility to be established outside Japan's Shonan region. MC, MCUD and iPi all have strong track records when it comes to advanced-industry facilities.

MCUD has a wealth of expertise in developing high-performance distribution warehouses and shared manufacturing and R&D centers, while iPi has demonstrated its management capabilities in operating the Shonan iPark science park.

Our three companies look forward to combining our respective know-how and networks to develop and manage iPark Kobe in ways that will help Kobe City achieve its community-building mission in KBIC. We are committed to exploring ideas that can drive further innovation and lead to more large-scale urban development projects that are built around R&D facilities.

Outline of the Project Site

The site is located in Kobe Medical Industry City, the second phase of Kobe Port Island, and will be directly connected to Kobe New Transit Port Liner Keisan Kagaku Center Station by a connecting deck. It is accessible in about 16 minutes from Sannomiya Station, which is the city's largest shopping district and transportation node, and in about 6 minutes from Kobe Airport Station.

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