Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and a delegation from Portugal Republic, including Minister of State and Foreign Affairs Rui Machete and Minister for Economy António Pires de Lima visited Kyoto University on 26 March 2015.
The Portuguese delegation was welcomed at the main entrance of the Clock Tower Centennial Hall by Prof Kayo Inaba, executive vice-president for gender equality, international affairs, and public relations, Mr Shinji Asonuma, executive vice-president for industry-government-academia collaboration, and Prof Junichi Mori, director-general of the Organization for the Promotion of International Relations (OPIR). A welcome ceremony was then held in the Clock Tower guest room.
Like Japan, Portugal is currently facing the issue of an aging society, and during their visit, the Portuguese delegation was given demonstrations of robotic technologies for the support of the elderly, which are currently being developed by Kyoto University's The Last 5X Innovation R&D Center for a Smart, Happy, and Resilient Society. The demonstrations were given to Prime Minister Coelho by the scientists developing the technologies, including Prof Hiroo Iwata, manager of the Strategy Support Section of the Research Promotion Institution for COI Site. Throughout the demonstrations, Prime Minister Coelho had many questions for the Kyoto scientists about measures to tackle the aging issues faced by Portugal, and about providing care, support, and an enhanced quality of life for the elderly.
The welcome ceremony
Prof Iwata gives a demonstration
From left: Prime Minister Coelho, Director-General Mori, and Executive Vice-President Inaba
