About Us

Hitachi Research Institute was established in 1973 at the initiative of Kenichiro Komai, who was then- chairman of Hitachi, Ltd., and a member of the Club of Rome - an informal organization of intellectuals and business leaders that discuss pressing global issues. At that time, in the wake of turmoil associated with the Nixon Shock and the first oil crisis, the world order was in flux. The Club of Rome sounded a warning in their 1972 report "The Limits to Growth" regarding human development reaching its limits due to a growing world population, environmental destruction, and the exhaustion of resources. We might say that even today, we are reaching a turning point. As awareness of the global environment, resources, and public safety increases, we also recognize the need for proactive actions on global agendas by governments and companies, where we also see acceleration of geopolitical changes and industry innovation through digitalization. This turning point means that the role of think tanks is becoming more important. With a range of engineering capabilities and knowledge based on the extensive experience of the Hitachi Group, the Hitachi Research Institute focuses on higher-quality research that is useful to management.