Sega Exec Creates Hi-Tech Future

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced today the establishment of the Okawa Center for Future Children, made possible by a donation of US$27 million by Isao Okawa, chairman of CSK Corp. and Sega Enterprises. The donation is one of the largest in MIT's 137-year history and according to MIT "is the largest gift ever by a Japanese individual to a foreign institution."

"Children are leading the way in creating the information society," Okawa said in a statement. "This new center grows out of my commitment to help current and future children around the world."

Researchers will explore new ways to create and design new technology to educate and meet the needs of kids of the future.

The announcement comes as part of the Junior Summit '98, where children from around the world join together to brainstorm on how to solve major world problems. Mr. Okawa hosted the first such summit in 1995 in Tokyo.