NTT Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group seeks to achieve three objectives.

Firstly, we aim to put R&D at the forefront of NTT's business expansion from telephony to multimedia and then on to information sharing. Let me take physical distribution as an example. The most fundamental form of this is transport of goods by trucks and trains. But, that is not enough. Physical distribution also involves other activities, such as storage, processing and packing. The same is true for information distribution. In addition to transporting information, various other technologies and services are needed. We aim to create services for the new information sharing industry, and develop the technologies required.

Secondly, we aim to make an active contribution to solving environmental and energy problems. We will squarely face the challenges of substantially reducing electric power consumption, seeking clean sources of electric power, developing new environmentally-friendly energy sources, rendering toxic materials harmless, and recycling resources in the field of telecommunications technology. By doing so, we will contribute to ensuring that the NTT Group fulfills its responsibilities as a global enterprise in the 21st century.

Thirdly, we will pursue challenging basic research that will have a profound impact on society, turning the world upside down if successful. For instance, quantum mechanics and quantum physics have advanced so much recently that it is possible to verify theory in small laboratories. This ease of experiments holds the possibility that we may be able to develop a quantum computer or quantum encryption, and other technologies that are hitherto unknown and signify a quantum leap both in quantity and quality. Our third objective is to pursue these inspiring research themes.

As you have seen, the NTT Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group is organized to carry out these activities in extremely wide-ranging fields: from science to core technology, from components to systems and networks, and even including software. The five laboratories will work together in a mutually supportive manner so that the results from the individual laboratories are multiplied further through this cooperation.

Kazuo Hagimoto
Executive Director, NTT Science and Core Technology Laboratory Group