Urban Development at the Former Site of Kyushu University's Hakozaki Campus: Official Selection of Land Use Business Operator (Newsletter)
A corporate group of eight companies, led by Sumitomo Corporation, has been officially selected as the land use business operator for the former Kyushu University Hakozaki Campus site. This project, named "HAKOZAKI Green Innovation Campus," aims to create one of Japan's largest smart cities, fostering innovation by merging tradition with advanced technology, including the IOWN initiative, to build a future-proof urban center.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 10:16
We are pleased to announce that on Thursday, March 26, 2026, a corporate group of eight companies, led by Sumitomo Corporation, was officially selected as the land use business operator for the "Kyushu University Hakozaki Campus Former Site Area Land Use Business Operator Recruitment" by Kyushu University and the Urban Renaissance Agency Kyushu Branch.
■ Background of the Project
This project, aimed at realizing the "Kyushu University Hakozaki Campus Former Site Grand Design," leverages the history and vast grounds of Kyushu University to create a hub for innovation where diverse people gather. It is one of Japan's largest smart city developments, based on the principles of "FUKUOKA Smart EAST (*)," merging tradition and innovation.
Industry, government, academia, and citizens will work together, each playing their respective roles, to create and disseminate new industries, realizing a future city that will lead the world as an environmentally advanced metropolis.
* About FUKUOKA Smart EAST
To achieve sustainable development while solving various urban challenges like a declining birthrate and aging population, this initiative aims to create a comfortable, high-quality lifestyle and urban space through the introduction of advanced technologies, building a city to be proud of in the future.
As a forerunner, these efforts will begin with the urban development in Hakozaki, with the goal of expanding throughout the entire city, beyond its borders, to reach an even wider audience.
■ The Vision for the City
Hakozaki, the site of this plan, is a place where tradition and pride have been passed down for over 100 years since the opening of Kyushu Imperial University in 1911. This project leverages its historical background and vast grounds to aim for a hub where diverse people gather to create innovation.
The concept is the "HAKOZAKI Green Innovation Campus".
By incorporating the IOWN initiative (*), a revolutionary technology development project by the government aimed at competing and winning on a global scale, we will build an environment capable of creating new services and updating smart services by constantly incorporating new values and technologies. By integrating and coordinating various smart services, we aim to provide more appropriate services and realize a future smart city model.
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