Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/38479

The 21st Century Center of Excellence (COE) Program for the "Neo-Science of Natural History" was launched in 2003 as a 5-year-long, grant-in-aid program awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology (MEXT). The 21st Century COE Program is an initiative by MEXT to further strengthen education and research activities at Japanese universities. The acceptance of applications for proposed COE programs by MEXT started in 2002 and has continued for 3 consecutive years. Of the 611 applications submitted in FY2003, when we applied, a total of 133 applications were approved together with this COE Program entitled as the "Neo-Science of Natural History - Origin and Evolution of Natural Diversity". Our program is one of 25 programs selected in the research field of "Interdisciplinary, Combined Fields, and New Disciplines".