Construction Begins on Multi-Tenant Life Science R&D Facility by Mitsubishi Estate Urban Development / I-Park Kobe

Nippon Steel Engineering Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Wataru Ishigami, Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter 'the Company') announces the commencement of construction on 'I-Park Kobe' (location: Chuo Ward, Kobe; hereinafter 'the Facility'), a multi-tenant life science research and development facility being developed by Mitsubishi Estate Urban Development Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Kenji Morita, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) in the Minatojima area of Chuo Ward, Kobe.

The Facility is being built under Kobe City's Kobe Medical Industry City Initiative*, aiming to create a multi-tenant life science R&D hub for research institutions, hospitals, and companies in the medical sector. It will be directly connected via a link deck to the 'Computational Science Center' station on the Kobe New Transit Port Liner, offering excellent accessibility—approximately 16 minutes from 'Sannomiya,' Kobe's largest commercial and transportation hub, and about 6 minutes from 'Kobe Airport' station—making it an ideal location for commuting.

The R&D spaces, which occupy most of the building, are equipped with individual air conditioning, water supply and drainage systems, dedicated duct spaces, and chemically resistant raised access flooring, aiming to support high-quality research and development. The facility also features flexible partitioning to accommodate tenant-specific needs for shared equipment. Furthermore, with environmental considerations such as BCP readiness and energy efficiency, the design incorporates large windows that maximize natural light and scenic views, creating open internal corridors (common areas) that encourage communication and collaboration among tenants.

Leveraging its expertise in steel structure engineering and deep knowledge of iron, the Company will continue to strengthen its initiatives in rental laboratory spaces and contribute to the development of resilient and sustainable societies and industries.

* The Kobe Medical Industry City Initiative was launched by Kobe City as part of its recovery efforts following the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Since 1998, under collaboration among industry, academia, government, and medical institutions, Kobe has developed 'Port Island' into a leading hub for advanced medical technology R&D, fostering the clustering of medical-related industries. To date, 333 advanced medical research institutions, specialized hospitals, companies, and universities have gathered, forming Japan's largest biomedical cluster.

[Overview of I-Park Kobe]

Location

6-3-1 Minatojima-minami, Chuo-ku, Kobe

Structure

Steel-frame (seismically resistant), 8 stories above ground, 1 rooftop structure

Total Floor Area

Approx. 12,000㎡

Steel Frame Weight

Approx. 2,000 tonnes

Construction Start

July 2026

Completion

Autumn 2027 (planned)