Okayama University: Kagawa University and Okayama University's Institute for Planetary Materials Begin Phase 1 of Helium Recovery for the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet" Regional Core/Distinctive Research University Initiative
Okayama University has commenced Phase 1 of helium gas recovery for the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet" initiative at Kagawa University and its own Institute for Planetary Materials. This marks the start of helium recycling at six regional institutions, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on research institutions due to rising liquid helium prices and ensure a stable supply of the resource.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 3, 2026 at 22:50
- 🔍 Collected: May 3, 2026 at 14:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 3, 2026 at 14:03 (1 min after Collected)
May 3, 2026 (Reiwa 8)
National University Corporation Okayama University
https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/
◆ Overview
The Task Force for Promoting the Shared Use and Maintenance of Research Equipment at the National University Corporation Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) visited Kagawa University (Miki-cho Faculty of Agriculture Campus), a collaborating institution of the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima Helium Recycling Network (commonly known as Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet)" on March 23 and 24, 2026, and the Institute for Planetary Materials (Misasa-cho, Tohaku-gun, Tottori Prefecture), one of the university's Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, on March 27. To promote this project, they commenced the recovery of helium gas (Phase 1) from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) devices.
From Okayama University, Vice Task Force Leader and Head of Institutional Collaboration Division (Chief URA) Koji Hatanaka, Manager Makoto Ishii, Technical Specialist Hisayuki Uragami, Technical Staff Satoshi Hirota, Technical Staff Haruna Ando from the General Technology Department, Specialist Hideaki Yamazaki, Administrative Staff Ryota Tomosada from the Research Cooperation Division, and Coordinator Zihuan Peng from the Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization participated.
From Kagawa University, Professor Masashi Sato and Technical Staff Misa Teraoka from the Faculty of Agriculture participated. From the Institute for Planetary Materials, Professor Xianyu Xue, Chief Shinsuke Sone, and Chief Shota Ochi participated.
Okayama University had previously delivered one helium gas recovery compressor and ten 1m³ helium gas recovery bags to each institution. On the day of the visit, after connecting the NMR device and gas bags with dedicated hoses and test-running the recovery compressor, they began recovering helium gas from the NMR device into the gas bags.
Once the gas bags connected to the NMR device are full of helium gas, staff from each institution will use the recovery compressor to compress and recover the helium gas into gas cylinders. With Kagawa University and the Institute for Planetary Materials starting helium gas recovery, a total of six institutions in the Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet (Tottori University, Tokushima University, Yonago National College of Technology, Okayama University of Science, Kagawa University, and the Institute for Planetary Materials) have now begun helium gas recovery. The HeReNet project is progressing significantly faster than anticipated for Phase 1, thanks to the cooperation of all involved parties.
Professor Masashi Sato of Kagawa University stated, "For regional universities like ours, which cover a large portion of the maintenance costs for large equipment through user fees from faculty members, the recent surge in liquid helium prices is an extremely serious problem. We hear that wide-area helium recycling initiatives like this project are rare globally, and we strongly hope that the success of this project will lead to a reduction in the financial burden on regional universities." Professor Xianyu Xue of the Institute for Planetary Materials also commented, "Helium is a finite and rare resource on Earth, and we rely 100% on imports. It is wasteful not to reuse the evaporated portion from equipment. Furthermore, the rising price of helium and the instability of supply due to international affairs are major concerns for the maintenance of NMR devices. Therefore, with the start of recycling at this NMR facility, which is far from our Tsushima Campus, through this HeReNet project, we expect stable maintenance of NMR to be realized."
As an open core regional and distinctive research university, Okayama University aims to greatly expand the scope of research and development using liquid helium by supplying it not only within the university but also to neighboring universities, research institutions, national colleges of technology, and companies through the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet" and "HeliGet" (recovering liquid helium from used equipment).
Furthermore, as Japan is 100% dependent on overseas sources for helium, this initiative is extremely important from the perspective of economic security. Okayama University is also developing and implementing a helium-related human resource development program (HeliSET) aimed at fostering the next generation of helium users and stabilizing helium prices. The university will continue to promote "HeReNet," "HeliGet," and "HeliSET" collectively as the "He3 Project."
Please look forward to the continued efforts of Okayama University, an open core regional and distinctive research university, and its participating institutions, in enhancing Japan's research capabilities, fostering innovation, and tackling important initiatives within the framework of economic security.
This matter was released on May 3, 2026.
Helium gas recovery at Kagawa University
Helium gas recovery at Kagawa University
Helium gas recovery at Okayama University's Institute for Planetary Materials
Helium gas recovery at Okayama University's Institute for Planetary Materials
Overview of the initiative
◆ References
・Kagawa University
https://www.kagawa-u.ac.jp/
・Okayama University Institute for Planetary Materials
https://www.misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp/
・Okayama University Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization
https://
National University Corporation Okayama University
https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/
◆ Overview
The Task Force for Promoting the Shared Use and Maintenance of Research Equipment at the National University Corporation Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) visited Kagawa University (Miki-cho Faculty of Agriculture Campus), a collaborating institution of the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima Helium Recycling Network (commonly known as Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet)" on March 23 and 24, 2026, and the Institute for Planetary Materials (Misasa-cho, Tohaku-gun, Tottori Prefecture), one of the university's Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, on March 27. To promote this project, they commenced the recovery of helium gas (Phase 1) from Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) devices.
From Okayama University, Vice Task Force Leader and Head of Institutional Collaboration Division (Chief URA) Koji Hatanaka, Manager Makoto Ishii, Technical Specialist Hisayuki Uragami, Technical Staff Satoshi Hirota, Technical Staff Haruna Ando from the General Technology Department, Specialist Hideaki Yamazaki, Administrative Staff Ryota Tomosada from the Research Cooperation Division, and Coordinator Zihuan Peng from the Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization participated.
From Kagawa University, Professor Masashi Sato and Technical Staff Misa Teraoka from the Faculty of Agriculture participated. From the Institute for Planetary Materials, Professor Xianyu Xue, Chief Shinsuke Sone, and Chief Shota Ochi participated.
Okayama University had previously delivered one helium gas recovery compressor and ten 1m³ helium gas recovery bags to each institution. On the day of the visit, after connecting the NMR device and gas bags with dedicated hoses and test-running the recovery compressor, they began recovering helium gas from the NMR device into the gas bags.
Once the gas bags connected to the NMR device are full of helium gas, staff from each institution will use the recovery compressor to compress and recover the helium gas into gas cylinders. With Kagawa University and the Institute for Planetary Materials starting helium gas recovery, a total of six institutions in the Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet (Tottori University, Tokushima University, Yonago National College of Technology, Okayama University of Science, Kagawa University, and the Institute for Planetary Materials) have now begun helium gas recovery. The HeReNet project is progressing significantly faster than anticipated for Phase 1, thanks to the cooperation of all involved parties.
Professor Masashi Sato of Kagawa University stated, "For regional universities like ours, which cover a large portion of the maintenance costs for large equipment through user fees from faculty members, the recent surge in liquid helium prices is an extremely serious problem. We hear that wide-area helium recycling initiatives like this project are rare globally, and we strongly hope that the success of this project will lead to a reduction in the financial burden on regional universities." Professor Xianyu Xue of the Institute for Planetary Materials also commented, "Helium is a finite and rare resource on Earth, and we rely 100% on imports. It is wasteful not to reuse the evaporated portion from equipment. Furthermore, the rising price of helium and the instability of supply due to international affairs are major concerns for the maintenance of NMR devices. Therefore, with the start of recycling at this NMR facility, which is far from our Tsushima Campus, through this HeReNet project, we expect stable maintenance of NMR to be realized."
As an open core regional and distinctive research university, Okayama University aims to greatly expand the scope of research and development using liquid helium by supplying it not only within the university but also to neighboring universities, research institutions, national colleges of technology, and companies through the "Chugoku-Shikoku-Harima HeReNet" and "HeliGet" (recovering liquid helium from used equipment).
Furthermore, as Japan is 100% dependent on overseas sources for helium, this initiative is extremely important from the perspective of economic security. Okayama University is also developing and implementing a helium-related human resource development program (HeliSET) aimed at fostering the next generation of helium users and stabilizing helium prices. The university will continue to promote "HeReNet," "HeliGet," and "HeliSET" collectively as the "He3 Project."
Please look forward to the continued efforts of Okayama University, an open core regional and distinctive research university, and its participating institutions, in enhancing Japan's research capabilities, fostering innovation, and tackling important initiatives within the framework of economic security.
This matter was released on May 3, 2026.
Helium gas recovery at Kagawa University
Helium gas recovery at Kagawa University
Helium gas recovery at Okayama University's Institute for Planetary Materials
Helium gas recovery at Okayama University's Institute for Planetary Materials
Overview of the initiative
◆ References
・Kagawa University
https://www.kagawa-u.ac.jp/
・Okayama University Institute for Planetary Materials
https://www.misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp/
・Okayama University Research and Innovation Co-creation Organization
https://