The International Linear Collider (ILC) and Ichinoseki City

Aimi Bell
Sep 2
4 min read

Updated: Sep 4

As a local, you’ve probably spotted the"We are Ready for the ILC" banners, flags, and posters throughout the city. And if you’re arriving as a visitor, please check out the large ILC display right as you get down the escalator from the bullet train tracks at Ichinoseki Station.

What is the ILC?

The ILC is somewhat challenging to explain, but let's give it a go. The International Linear Collider (ILC) is a proposed next-generation particle accelerator that would collide electrons and positrons at almost the speed of light.

By smashing these particles together, scientists hope to learn more about the universe, such as the characteristics of the Higgs boson and dark matter.

Unlike circular accelerators (like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN), the ILC is linear and produces cleaner, more precise collisions by accelerating elementary particles. As an international or global project, the ILC is more than just a scientific machine, it would bring people from all nationalities together with the same aim, to push the frontiers of knowledge to benefit humanity.

Why Ichinoseki and the ILC?

The search for a suitable site for the ILC in Japan began in 1999. By 2003, over ten potential sites were identified. In 2010, the list was narrowed down to the Kitakami Mountains in the Tōhoku region (Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures) and the Sefuri Mountains in Kyushu.

In January 2013, a Site Evaluation Committee was established and in early July 2013, the committee tentatively favored the Kitakami site, submitting it for international review.

On August 23, 2013, the committee unanimously recommended the Kitakami Mountains as Japan’s candidate site for the ILC.

The Kitakami site was chosen due to its:

Stable, homogeneous granite bedrock extending about 50 km, with no active seismic faults, crucial for precise particle collisions
Strong infrastructure and transport access, including proximity to Sendai (major city), Shinkansen, airports, and ports
Importance in regional recovery—the Tōhoku area had been significantly affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and locals saw the ILC as a potential catalyst for revitalization

The Kitakami Mountains pass through Ichinoseki, where the ILC would mainly be built, and it has been actively involved in local promotion and engagement. The city anticipates that the ILC will attract a young, diverse population of researchers, engineers, and their families, revitalizing the area.

In addition to welcoming new residents, Ichinoseki expects the ILC to stimulate economic growth by encouraging the development of spin-off businesses in technology, hospitality, education, and services.

Local Initiatives

Community Outreach and Education

Public Seminars

Regular "Ichinoseki Science Cafés" have been held since 2015.
Researchers discuss topics like the local geology of the Kitakami Mountains, safety, and the underground placement of the collider at "ILC Informative seminars".
The city hosts public ILC seminars, attended by hundreds of locals.

Student Engagement

Junior high school students from Ichinoseki participate in study tours to KEK, Japan’s major particle physics lab, to learn about accelerator science.
Elementary students enjoy hands-on workshops, science crafts, and even themed card games to spark interest in science.
High school students are also involved through ILC special classes which also touch on multicultural symbiosis.

Communication & Promotion Efforts

Distribution of custom ILC merchandise such as pins, fans, stationery and brochures to raise awareness across the city.
Ichinoseki regularly publishes an “ILC News” newsletter to inform residents of project developments.
Ichinoseki ILC has an X, FB and websites both in English and Japanese to transmit information locally and globally.
Promotion at community events and festivals.

Government and International Collaboration

Ichinoseki has been actively involved in national and international conversations about the ILC.
The city sends representatives to scientific workshops and symposiums, including international conferences like LCWS.
Ichinoseki's efforts have also been covered in multilingual publications to connect with international researchers and visitors.
Delegations, which include the Mayor of Ichinoseki, have formally requested Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to take decisive steps to advance the International Linear Collider (ILC) project.

Promotion of Cultural Exchange

Through the ILC initiative, Ichinoseki promotes the region as a welcoming place for international residents, including long-term scientists and their families. Ichinoseki views the ILC as more than just a scientific project, it's a means to transform the region into a hub of international science, culture, and cooperation.
The city has begun exploring possibilities for future international housing, bilingual education, and support systems in anticipation of a global research community potentially settling in.
Ichinoseki Life was originally created to highlight what the city has to offer to researchers considering a move to the area!

Regardless of whether Japan eventually hosts the ILC, the city's initiatives have helped create new pathways to science education, civic involvement, and international openness. If successful, Ichinoseki could emerge as a global center for scientific innovation.