Looking back the history of IPNS
Before the start of the new KEK in 1997, there had been long discussions for the future of acceleratorbased fundamental science among various participating groups. A clear conclusion was reached on the form and operation of the new organization. Having taken a part in the decision, I always felt like sharing the responsibility to make the discussed ideas real.
The largest objective was the start of the construction of high-intensity proton facility that had already been striven for over a decade and was the major motivation for the INS of Univ. of Tokyo to get together with the former KEK. On the other hand there were many exciting experiments and projects to be conducted by the newly formed Institute of Particle and Nuclear Study. For instance, both the Belle and K2K experiments were about to be constructed. Other experiments at the 12-GeV PS and several international collaborations abroad were running. A new large-scale international cooperation for ATLAS had to be started. The new fortified Institute was expected to carry these programs, providing good opportunities for university groups to conduct exciting researches, without being affected from the organizational change. The new KEK also wished to make itself more open and visible to the world community and measures were taken for this purpose.
Looking back, I find most of the wishes are being realized in a marvelous way. Now the J-PARC project, including the 50-GeV PS, is under construction in cooperation with JAERI. Both Belle and K2K experiments are showing wonderful outputs that attract world-wide interests. The theory group is also enriched attracting many young theorists. These productive programs invited more physicists from abroad. By now most of the research projects at the Institute are carried out by international groups. It was a great pleasure to see everybody who came to KEK enjoy working on frontier physics that made her/his long trip worthy.
Shortly before my term ended, a colleague asked me if there was any lingering concern left. My immediate answer was "No". Many things went very well and I was really pleased to be able to pass on the responsibility to Kobayashi-san when the IPNS is in such a good shape. Clearly there were plans not yet realized and much improvement are needed to support users from abroad. Our successful years could not come without the hard working researchers and supportive administration people. I was a new comer to Tsukuba and the helps from other leaders in the management were indispensable for me to get through the years. Yet, I think I did my best, too. The success of the Institute owes much to the Accelerator Laboratory and the Applied Research laboratory as well. I see a bright future for KEK, even when the surrounding environment may be changing drastically, as long as such a good spirit is kept.
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