Temple University Japan leaders and distinguished guests participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Hillside Center.
- Hillside Center expands Temple University’s presence in Tokyo metropolitan area
- More than 300 guests, including Kawasaki City’s mayor, celebrated the opening
- Hillside showcases new facilities as TUJ enrollment nearly triples in last five years
Temple University Japan (TUJ) has reached another major milestone in its continued growth with the opening of the Hillside Center, its second major location in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Designed primarily to serve first-year students and support general education courses in the liberal arts and STEM fields, the new center further strengthens TUJ’s academic presence and capacity in the region.
More than 300 distinguished guests attended the Hillside Center’s grand opening ceremony on September 4, 2026, at the new 7,000-square-meter academic building in Mizonokuchi, Kawasaki City. The opening marks TUJ’s latest expansion in the Tokyo region, less than two years after the opening of TUJ Kyoto in January 2025. The Hillside Center is easily accessible from TUJ’s City Campus in Setagaya City, creating a closely connected network of facilities to serve Temple University’s growing student community.
The opening ceremony began with remarks from Kacie Levinton, head of the Hillside Center. TUJ President and Dean Matthew Wilson delivered the welcome address. Congratulatory speeches were delivered by distinguished guests, including Norihiko Fukuda, Mayor of Kawasaki; Kaori Furuya, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Division of the Higher Education Bureau at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); and Erik Jacobs, Chief of Staff for the U.S. Ambassador to Japan George E. Glass.
“The Hillside Center marks an exciting new chapter in Temple University’s commitment to providing an exceptional American education in Japan,” Wilson said. “As our newest location, Hillside reflects Temple University Japan’s continued investment in academic excellence, innovation and student success. Building on over four decades as a bridge between Japan and the world, we invite students, families and friends to discover the educational opportunities and global experiences that make our institution a distinctive place to learn, grow and prepare for the future.”
Opening Ceremony Highlights Hillside’s New Facilities
Temple University students led campus tours for guests, showcasing the newly renovated academic facility and its 23 modern classrooms with hybrid learning technology, 300-seat auditorium, multiple study lounges and rooftop gardens. The opening celebration also featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, musical performances and a time capsule ceremony.
Items placed in the time capsule, which will be opened to commemorate TUJ’s 60th anniversary in 2042, included messages written on special postcards created for the event, Philadelphia Phillies items from Temple University’s home city, items commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States from the U.S. Embassy, a soccer kit provided by the mayor of Kawasaki and newspaper articles covering the opening of the Hillside Center.
Temple University’s sustained efforts to advance high-quality English-language international education in Japan have attracted an increasingly diverse student body from Japan, across Asia and from around the world.
Expansion, Enrollment and New Programs
The expansion comes during one of the most dynamic periods in Temple University Japan’s nearly 45-year history in Japan. To accommodate its rapidly growing student body, TUJ has expanded its facilities to support students’ academic and personal well-being while adding faculty and developing new curricula to meet evolving academic needs.
As part of this academic expansion, TUJ began offering two new undergraduate majors — artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — in fall 2026. The new programs, together with the Hillside Center, reflect TUJ’s continued investment in preparing students for emerging fields and expanding opportunities for an increasingly international student population.
Along with enrollment growth, TUJ has continued to expand its partnerships with universities in Japan and overseas, as well as with municipal governments and public organizations. TUJ currently has eight Japanese municipal partnerships and four Japanese university partnerships.
TUJ is a branch campus of Temple University, one of only 21 universities in the U.S. to hold both the highest research rating of Research-1 (R1) status and the Opportunity College and University designation in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications.
The university continues to broaden its undergraduate and graduate offerings. TUJ also offers non-degree programs to more than 2,000 learners of all ages, with a community focus on advancing English-language education from youth through adulthood.
Other related news
- Temple University Japan Further Expands Academic Offerings with Launch of Cybersecurity Major and Data Science Certificate in Fall 2026 (June 11, 2026)
- Temple University Japan Advances Academic Offerings with Launch of Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence for Fall 2026 (April 3, 2026)
- Temple University to Open Second Major Location in Tokyo (March 2, 2026)