January 23, 2026
The University of Tokyo Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU, WPI)
It is with profound sadness that I inform you of the passing of Professor Kenzo Nakamura, the first Administrative Director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU, WPI), who passed away on December 30, 2025, at the age of 81.
Nakamura joined Kavli IPMU in 2007, after serving as professor at the High Energy Accelerator Research Organization in Tsukuba. He and Kavli IPMU founding Director Hitoshi Murayama made invaluable contributions to build and transform Kavli IPMU into an internationally competitive research institute.
Our thoughts are with Nakamura’s family, friends, and all who were privileged to know and worked alongside him. He leaves a lasting impact on our community, and will be deeply missed.
With deepest condolences,
Jun’ichi Yokoyama
Director, Kavli IPMU
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For a while, Kenzo Nakamura and I were the only two scientists at IPMU after its establishment. To realize our vision of an international institute where half of the researchers were from overseas, we had to negotiate for systemic reforms with the University of Tokyo and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Kenzo taught me everything about how to work with Japanese universities and ministries. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to draw up a personnel system, draft up internal regulations, put together an administrative team, or write up a budget. When IPMU received the highest S rating in the WPI mid-term review, Kenzo was quick to put together a strategy to submit a budget request for the institute that at the time was unthinkable. Thanks to this, IPMU was able to become a permanent institute. Kavli IPMU is a paradise for researchers, and it is his legacy.
With sincere sympathy,
Hitoshi Murayama
Founding Director, Kavli IPMU
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