Three years have passed since the inauguration of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), an Independent Administrative Institute. The FY 2004 counts for the final year of the first interim-plan period. In this period, AIST has been evaluated twice by the Independent Administrative Institute Evaluation Committee. The evaluation on activities for FY2002, which was carried out in 2003, was focused particularly on the research achievements on FY 2002. The evaluation found that the research based in the "Full Research" concept was performed under the top management with advantages of independent administration system, which AIST was trying to promote since the inauguration. Consequently, AIST was highly evaluated the profession from the viewpoints of both quality and quantity (evaluated by indexes such as number of published papaers, contracted amounts based on the patents, etc.) for steady growth and progress.

In FY 2004, accomplishing the final goal of the first interim plan, AIST will promote to make rules and schemes for further development of AIST toward the second interim plan. The details are described as follows;

By increasing the amounts of budgets and internal grants for full research, as well as expanding the system to encourage the acquisition of more patents, more contracted researches, more joint researches, etc., with the private sector, AIST will proceed to advance the qualities of researches furthermore under the global competition. In embracing these aspects, AIST believes to achieve the goal of the first interim plan. Consequently, the organization and management of Research Units and Research Related Administrative Divisions should be reviewed in order to seek further efficiency of the performance and administration toward the second interim plan. To be more specific, AIST will make the administration more efficient to advance entire performance of AIST, though the establishment of the well-defined personnel who may be able to carry out the mission, in charge of his/her responsibility. AIST also performs the dissemination and advertisement of research achievements of AIST by showing them in EXPO 2005 AICHI as straightforward approach to the public. AIST tries to provide the intelligence to be widely shared with the public in easily understandable way.

It is declared that the administration of Independent Administrative Institute including AIST, shall be directed by the state minister in charge (the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry for AIST), according to the interim goals of the period (that holds for four years between FY2001 and FY2004 for AIST). Each Independent Administrative Institute prepares an interim plan to engage in its respective achievements. In the meanwhile, an annual plan of the administration for the institution must be filed prior to the new fiscal year.

Here we introduce a summary of an annual plan for FY 2004, with focuses to research plan. For more information, please refer to AIST official website. (http://www.aist.go.jp/)

In the field of life science and technology, AIST has been engaged in research and development drives aimed at bringing gains in human health and contributing to the realization of recycling-driven society through the industrial application of bionomics. In particular, it will pursue the development of a range of applied biotechnologies for utilization in the post-genomic era, including bioinformatics for industrial applications of gene information, glycotechnology, RNA engineering, and aging technologies. Work will also proceed on cross-disciplinary projects for research and development, including brain-machine interfacing systems, regenerative medical engineering, and nanobio machines. As a leading center for the promotion of advanced research on biotechnology, the institute will implement researches on the establishment of intellectual infrastructure, advanced bio-processing and other themes to meet society's expectations in the areas of environmental measurement, purification, protection, and waste disposal.

In a part of the Basic Biotechnology Research Program for Health Maintenance and Improvement, FY 2004 researches will be continued on the analysis of protein structures and functions. AIST will also launch a variety of new projects on the following themes: glyco-science engineering; R&D on profile diagnosis systems based on genome-proteome; the development of protein system tips for protein isolation; the development of multidimensional protein analyzers that harness information technology; and advanced nano-bio devices. In the Creative Program for recycling manufacturing systems with biological features, various green biotechnology programs are also scheduled to proceed. Further, under the framework of advanced programs for medical appliances that will enable to prolong health and longevity, research works will be pursued on regenerative medical engineering and the development of new devices with medical and welfare applications (Table 1).

TIn the information technology field, AIST will work to help build a information society in which information technologies pervade our lives and allow anyone to create, distribute, and share information as the need arises: in other words, a society with a ubiquitously integrated information/communication network combined with easy-to-use and secure information network interface that allows digital content and other information to be accessed and utilized without the usual constraints of time or location. To this end, AIST will enlist its comprehensive strengths for research covering a broad array of technological issues on both the hardware and software fronts.

To guarantee that our information-oriented society enjoys security and reliability, AIST will build information security architectures that prevent unauthorized access over the internet and allow safe and secure communications and authentication. Also, the institute will develop and test technologies to evaluate whether software is actually designed in accordance with specifications. Additionally, desktop computers running open-source software will be tested for their practical viability. On top of this, AIST will pursue the development of appliances and robots with improved human-machine interfaces for the support of human intellectual activities as well as the functions of society at large.

To reinforce the information-oriented society's high-speed, high-capacity information lifelines, the institute will pursue work on the core technologies for high-density optical discs and ultra-fast optical communication, with an emphasis on projects for the development of high-capacity optical disc storage and femtosecond technology. It will also conduct research on grid-computing technologies whereby networks with many client computers can be operated as though they were a single computer for large-scale information transfer and processing applications.

To encourage the development of information and communication devices that boast higher performance with lower power consumption requirements, AIST will pursue the development of standardized processes and materials for next-generation semiconductors. In that undertaking, the focus will be on the MIRAI Project, part of a national strategy aimed at developing next-generation semiconductor materials and fabrication processes. Efforts will also be devoted to the development of energy-efficient, low-power semiconductor devices that incorporate innovative new circuit technologies, nonvolatile functional devices that harness spintronics technologies, and high-efficiency organic devices.

Driven by the goal of contributing to the establishment of a sustainable recycling-oriented society in the environmental and energy fields, AIST will conduct research and development to solve issues in global warming and environmental pollution as well as to secure stable energy resources. As a step to alleviate global warming, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted at the Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) in 1997. Under the first phase of that protocol, from 2008 to 2012, Japan is obligated to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent compared to 1990 levels. This goal will demand enormous technological advances in energy conservation and other fields. In addition, there has been a strong surge in support for research and development work on technologies to assess and reduce the risks associated with chemicals in the environment, as exemplified by the environmental endocrine disrupters that have been in the news in recent years. The depletion of fossil fuels also remains a critical issue. The crucial challenge for the medium and longer term will be to shift the structure of society's primary energy dependence from oil to natural gas, and ultimately to renewable energy resources, while continuing to curb CO₂ emissions.

In view of current conditions and trends, AIST has focused its research priorities as follows. With regard to (1) technologies to fight global warming, emphasis will be on technologies that reduce the causative agents of the greenhouse effect, technologies for energy systems of high efficiency and distributed energy Systems, and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. With regard to (2) regional environmental issues, attention will be devoted to technologies for the management and reduction of risk associated with chemical substances. With regard to (3) the goal of securing stable energy resources, research will be focused on cleaner and more diversified energy sources. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and other technologies for the integrated assessment of environmental and energy systems will be another priority research area (Table 3).

In FY 2004, AIST will utilize contract funding for new research undertakings in the following five areas. (1) Core research on information infrastructure for petroleum and natural gas resources and the development of high-precision mass analysis technologies as aids to oil and natural gas exploration; (2) core research on standards of measurement, and R&D on flow-meter quality control technologies for streamlined petroleum distribution; (3) R&D on core energy-saving technologies for information appliances; (4) core research on standards of measurement and R&D on technologies for precision flow measurement at nuclear power generating plants; and (5) core research on energy and environmental technology standards for the establishment of standard technologies required for the society-wide popularization of new energy technologies.

AIST will also participate in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's research and development program. Development efforts will focus specifically on chemical risk assessment methods, ultra low-loss power device technologies, proton-exchange membrane fuel cell system technologies, superconducting technologies, and other areas. To promote LCA methods, AIST will launch research into regional environmental issues in cooperation with local municipalities. Other collaborative projects will focus on the development and assessment of alternative fuels such as methane hydrate and biomass resources, substitutes for fluorine compounds, and diesel exhaust control technologies.

In the highly industrialized society, technologies are required that satisfy conservation of limited natural resources and the living environment as well as consumer demands for a more comfortable lifestyle.

In addition, a new technology is generally accepted in a society when the costs associated with the manufacture, use, and disposal of a product is reasonably reduced.

The nanotechnology, materials, and manufacturing field is challenging to solve the above requirements through the innovation of materials and manufacturing technologies, and establish the technological infrastructure assuring a secure, peaceful life in a demographically aging society and at the same time, realizing an advanced information society, and a society that is sustainable and environmentally sound.

AIST has drastically reorganized its framework for the practical pursuit of these challenges. In (1) the priority field of advanced materials, it has assigned four research centers to undertakings concerned with nano-carbons, diamonds, strongly correlated electron systems, and functional molecules. In (2) the arena of full-scale systematization research aimed at overcoming the weaknesses of sporadic research on elemental technologies, it has assigned three research institute and one research laboratory to projects dealing with advanced manufacturing processes, energy-conserving materials, and nanotechnology. And finally (3) to make contributions to the industrial technology base, it has assigned one research institute and one research center to projects focused in materials design and simulation and the compilation of databases of ultra-precision control, processing, and measurement technologies.

As a shared strategic objective to be pursued through this new framework for FY 2004, AIST drafted its plan for "minimal manufacturing" technologies.

The goal is to establish key manufacturing process technologies that realize "the manufacture of optimally performing products" through "minimal resource input" and "minimal energy use (in terms of manufacturing cost and environmental load)," while maintaining "minimal environmental load at the disposal stage." Research and development for this goal will be pursued in two priority domains: "green integration," for the development of manufacturing processes that hold energy consumption and environmental loads to minimal levels; and "nano integration," which harnesses nanotechnology to revolutionize the manufacture industry, featuring "on-demand" technologies for the fabrication of required goods only in required volume as designed positions. As shown in Table 4, in FY 2004 AIST will implement an array of research projects under the nanotechnology program and the programs for advanced materials and industrial technologies.

AIST will conduct geological surveys for collecting and sharing basic geoscientific data, and perform studies on marine geology, environment, and natural resources. The ultimate goal of these activities is to contribute to public safety and the utilization of national land resources for sustainable social development, environmental conservation, and the exploitation of mineral and energy resources. From a public safety perspective, it will conduct research into the geological disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Also, in the interests of environmental conservation, it will pursue a broad range of research on environments from local to global scale. The data obtained by the geological surveys will be shared with society at large, e.g., in the form of geological maps, geo-science maps, and databases.

In FY 2004, the institute will continue to publish geological maps (1:50,000 scale), compiled geological maps (1:200,000 scale), and digital seamless geological maps and digitize geological maps. In addition, it will release geoscience maps, ground shaking maps, geological maps of volcanoes, and other maps devoted to geophysical themes. In addition to land-based surveys, the institute will survey ocean with geological research vessels, and will prepare maps on marine geology and superficial deposits. It will also update its geological databases with the findings obtained from these undertakings.

AIST is planning to compile pre-existing data on active faults in Japan, and construct a database; in addition, it will propose a preliminary evaluation of activity of major active faults. In the arena of volcano-related research, it will proceed with studies on the Unzen and Satsuma-Iwojima volcanoes and strive for better understanding of the structure and evolution of volcanoes.

The institute is conducting study and research on deep geological environments in order to contribute to the safety of the underground disposal of radioactive waste. It will construct three-dimensional geological models and perform research into chemical reactions, rock properties, and numerical modeling techniques so that it can perform numerical analyses of radionuclide transitions.

In the field of resource-related search, AIST will move forward with research on technologies for the exploration, evaluation, development, and mining of energy resources and other natural resources in the Earth's crust, oceanic sediments, and ocean water. Furthermore, it will launch surveys concerned with the mineral and biomass resources in ocean water.

AIST proceeds with geological research for environmental problems. In particular, it will reveal the past changes of the Earth’s environment with paleo-magnetic measurements and other geochemical techniques. Additionally, it will pursue research on coastal environmental themes and coordinate with other countries in the environmental research field.

Among new themes in applied geological research, the institute will continue a comprehensive geological study for mitigating damage from geological disasters in metropolitan areas. Further, it will develop new methods for the investigation, assessment, and management of soil pollution.

Measurement standards are essential for the technical evaluation of services and products destined for the international market, improvements in the reliability and efficiency of inspections and tests, and sustained and strengthened competitiveness within domestic industrial sectors. Furthermore, mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) on the standards and certification are premised on the existence of measurement standards that have guaranteed international equivalence. To ensure companies with the business climate and technological prowess that will allow them to succeed in the years ahead as frontrunners in the hotly competitive fields of international commerce and research and development, it will be essential to establish frameworks for the swift provision of high-quality standards of measurement to all industrial sectors nationwide. AIST aims to establish a basic standards accreditation framework of world-class scale and quality by the year 2010. To that end, it has formulated a detailed plan for framework development with the needs and expectations of the industrial community and society in mind, and has been moving forward with refinements through annual revisions.

As of the FY 2000 year-end, Japan had a total of around 140 different categories in effect for measurement standards. AIST's goal is to add 200 new standards categories by the end of its first medium-term plan. To achieve this goal, AIST plans to issue at least 15 new physical standards and 11 new reference materials, for a combined total of at least 26 new standards, in FY 2004. In particular, AIST has revised significantly upward its plans to issue new electrical standards, an area where Japan had significantly lagged behind the international community. By the end of its first medium-term plan, AIST is scheduled to issue at least 20 new electrical standards.

The world economy has been caught in a whirlwind of globalization for some years now, to the extent that many activities are now tightly integrated on a global scale. To eliminate technical barriers to trade and commerce at this historic juncture, more and more countries are forging ahead with mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) that mutually certify the equivalence of their tests and measurements, and that reduce the redundancy of testing in general. MRAs are global arrangements that measuring societies have devises for mutual certifications on an open and comprehensive scale. MRAs for measurement standards require two conditions for recognition: (1) verification of the equivalency of national standards through international comparisons; and (2) verification of the ability to implement calibrations on a continuous basis through the development of a quality control system. To date, AIST has performed 205 international comparisons, established quality control systems for 84 types of measurement standards, and obtained third-party certifications through reviews by experts based overseas. As an outgrowth of that effort, Japan has witnessed sharp growth in the number of its standards categories accepted under the terms of MRAs. To build a framework for the sustained and steady issuance of new standards, and to ensure compliance with international standards, in FY 2004 AIST will begin operating a quality control system for at least 30 new categories of physical standards. Further, with regard to ISO/IEC 17025 compliance, AIST intends to complete ASNITE-NMI accreditation in at least 10 categories by the end of FY 2004.