Koji Murofushi to assume role as Vice President for Sports Science at Science Tokyo

Science Tokyo, established through the integration of Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Tokyo Institute of Technology as Japan’s new science university aspiring to global excellence, has decided to establish the Global Sports Science Center (tentative name) within the Institute for Global Medical, Engineering, and Social Collaboration in April 2026. As the first step, a preparatory office will be launched on October 1, 2025.

Koji Murofushi, Commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency, is scheduled to assume the role of Vice President for Sports Science and Director of the Preparatory Office for the Global Sports Science Center at Science Tokyo. Having led Japan’s national sports policy, he will complete his term at the end of September and embark on a new challenge at Science Tokyo.
The Global Sports Science Center will build a co-creation platform of “Sports × Science × Society.” It will bring together Science Tokyo’s strengths in medicine, dentistry, engineering, information science, sports medicine, and the humanities and social sciences. to address societal challenges and deliver solutions to society and humanity.

Furthermore, guided by the concept of “Ikki-Tayo”* (One-to-Many Potential) — the idea that a single organ, tool, or space can serve diverse functions depending on environment or perspective — the Center will incorporate cutting-edge fields such as sleep and consciousness studies, organ and metabolic research, and anti-doping science. By doing so, it will advance new interdisciplinary research that transcends conventional boundaries of sports science, aiming to become a world-leading hub in this field.

The Sports Science Center under Institute of Science Tokyo Hospital has contributed to extending athletes' competitive careers by supporting their return to sport, enhancing performance, preventing injuries and impairments, and improving self-management capabilities. By integrating medical and dental expertise with sports science to provide practical, tailored support for individual athletes, it has fulfilled an extremely important role.

To further develop and expand the functions of the existing center, preparations are underway to establish the Global Sports Science Center. As the first step, the Global Sports Science Center Preparatory Office will be established on October 1, 2025. This preparatory office is an organizational foundation aimed at evolving beyond the current role as a “frontline provider of sports medicine and science supporting athletes” towards becoming a “sports science hub creating a better future for society and the world through sport”.

Ahead of the center's formal establishment in April 2026, Science Tokyo will work to develop the organizational framework and finalize the activity plan by bringing together its unique interdisciplinary expertise, particularly in medicine, dentistry, and science and engineering, along with an international perspective.

• Ikki-Tayo: A Japanese concept meaning that one organ, tool, or space can hold multiple potentials depending on environment and perspective — rooted in cultural practices such as multipurpose tatami rooms or tea utensils used in new ways.

• Institute of Biomedical Engineering