Consul General Yamamoto Visits MaRS Discovery District
Consul General Eiji Yamamoto stands with MaRS CEO Ilse Treurnicht
in front of a desk used by Frederick Banting, the discoverer of insulin.
Consul General of Japan Eiji Yamamoto on Sept. 16 visited the MaRS Discovery District and met with its CEO, Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, for a fruitful exchange of information and ideas.
MaRS provides a specialized platform for facilitating the connection of basic research in health-related sciences, information technology and other fields with appropriate business partners. It makes full use of Toronto’s key position in fields such as health care, science, finance and business by providing office space, research facilities, mentorship and seed money to prospective businesses and researchers. In addition to promoting cutting-edge businesses through science, MaRS also uses science to provide opportunities for interactions among different business.
Dr. Treurnicht noted how Japan and Canada shared a common concern over the issue of an aging society, and expressed hope for cooperation with Japan in this regard. For example, she expressed interest in good plastics used in technology related to health and nursing care, such as robotics. Consul General in response said such fields are of paramount interest to Japan, and expressed a desire to explore possibilities for future cooperation.