JAPAN
     

News Release

Satake Memorial Hall is Completed

May 31, 2003

May 31, 2003

Satake Memorial Hall is Completed

Hall Designed to Bring Culture and International Conferences to the Community.

An opening ceremony was held May 31, 2003 for Satake Memorial Hall, a space designed to hold concerts, theater productions and international conferences.

Total project cost was 1.5 billion yen. Toshiko Satake personally donated 0.7 billion yen.

Robert Satoru Satake, the former Chairperson and CEO of Satake Corporation, believed that "nurturing brain resources -- intelligent and highly skilled personnel -- is especially important for resource-poor Japan" and "it is our responsibility to grow highly skilled personnel." Dr. Yasuo Harada, President of Hiroshima University, had the same idea. As a result, a "Satake Fund" was established and granted to Hiroshima University in 1996 to commemorate the centennial of Satake’s founding.

Toshiko Satake, the current Chairperson and CEO of Satake Corporation, followed through on Robert Satoru Satake’s intention and cooperated with the University’s 50th anniversary project to build a hall on the campus. Toshiko Satake’s contributions were highly appreciated, and the hall is named "Satake Memorial Hall" to in honor of the late Robert Satake.

The total floor area of the hall is 3,532m2 across 3 stories, and the hall seats 1,000. The hall features an orchestra pit and fully-fledged acoustic facilities, a first among the national universities. The exterior of the hall is designed to resemble a grand piano.

Satake’s contribution was given to the University on the condition that they keep the hall open to the community. The hall is expected to be used for conferences, symposiums, concerts and other events.

* Please note descriptions in news releases are accurate as of the date of release and may differ from the most up-to-date information.

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