Setting measurement standards and developing intellectual techno-infrastructures for measurement, testing, and certification to support technological innovation and a fair and secure society
Measurement is necessary for designing and developing products as well as for testing and certifying their qualities. It serves as a driving force to maintain Japan's industrial competitiveness, and as an intellectual technoinfrastructure for sharing technical policies to maintain the security of society and the lives of individuals, preserve the environment, and maintain energy and resources. AIST develops and maintains national measurement standards in order to ensure global acceptability of consistency, of relevant technologies, and is systematically developing measurement technologies from the standpoint of intellectual infrastructure.
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Metrology Institute of Japan
- Precision measurement technologies and measurement traceability supporting R&D, quality control, and international trade -
URL : http://www.nmij.jp/english/
E-mail :  AIST Tsukuba Central 3, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8563 Japan TEL : 029-861-4120 FAX : 029-861-4099 [ Research Base ] AIST Tsukuba, AIST Kansai |
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[ Director ] Koichi Chiba |
[ Overview ] The Metrology Institute of Japan is engaged in technical development and improvement of national metrology standards, and also calibration and testing services using the developed technologies. Furthermore, we are pioneering in advanced research and development on measurement and analysis technology, which is a common infrastructure for various fields, aiming at world-leading research achievements. Through these activities, we are taking the initiative in implementation and management of domestic metrological system from a technical viewpoint so that anyone can choose and utilize a reliable measurement guaranteed by metrological traceability according to cost and time, thereby contributing to the smooth progress of Japan's economic activities in the global market. |
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| Examples of national standards: national standards for basic units |
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Research Institute of Instrumentation Frontier
- Advancing the frontier of measurement technologies to achieve a sustainable development society -
URL : http://unit.aist.go.jp/riif/eg/index.htm
E-mail :  AIST Tsukuba Central 2, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8568 Japan TEL : 029-861-5300 FAX : 029-861-5881 [ Research Base ] AIST Tsukuba, AIST Chubu |
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[ Director ] Masataka Ohkubo |
[ Overview ] Measurement and analysis instrumentation is indispensable for accelerating Green Innovation, Life Innovation, and Security technologies. The importance of measurement and analysis instrumentation is explicitly mentioned in the Japanese science and technology basic plan. Advanced measurement and analysis instrumentation is not only a source for maintaining the global competitiveness of industrial products in the international market, but is also one of Japan's important export industries. Our research institute contributes to maintain the scientific and technological nation and helps to establish national security through advanced measurement and analysis instruments, advanced techniques, and standardization through ISO/IEC/JIS. The developed advanced instruments are fully open to the public. |
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Measurement Solution Research Center
- Developing measurement technology solutions to improve the productivity, safety and security of industry and society -
URL : http://unit.aist.go.jp/msrc/ci/
E-mail :  870-1 Shuku-machi, Tosu, Saga 841-0052 Japan TEL : 0942-81-3646 FAX : 0942-81-3690 [ Research Base ] AIST Kyushu |
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[ Director ] Michiru Sakamoto |
[ Overview ] We are integrating the research results of measurement, instrumentation and relating technologies in order to provide the solutions on time to various problems arising at production sites and in society. As a means to achieve this, we are promoting the collaboration with “masters” who are the specialists at the production sites in private sectors and well informed about the measurement problems there (we call this approach as “master system”). We also attempt to do this by a consortium-type approach if the problem is relatively common in industry and society. By accumulating and sending information about these achievements as cases, we make an effort to improve the productivity and to contribute to the safety and security of industry and society. |
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| Example of microcracks in the surface of a semiconductor wafer |
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Metrology Management Center
- For establishment and dissemination of measurement standards in Japan -
URL : http://www.nmij.jp/english/info/center/
E-mail :  AIST Tsukuba Central 3, 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8563, Japan TEL : 029-861-4120 FAX : 029-861-4099 [ Research Base ] AIST Tsukuba, AIST Kansai |
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[ Director ] Takashi Usuda |
[ Overview ] Metrology Management Center (MMC) in AIST is responsible for establishment and dissemination of the measurement traceability in Japan. In particular, MMC disseminates national measurement standards to markets and customers via calibration services, legal metrology and reference materials in cooperation with Metrology Institute of Japan (MIJ). One of the MMC's important missions is to design development strategies for measurement standards through a survey and analysis. Another is to maintain appropriate quality systems for the secure dissemination of the standards. MMC makes various efforts to ensure the international equivalence of measurement standards through CIPM under the Metre Convention. Furthermore, under the metrology related laws, MMC is also in charge of training measurement experts and disseminating the outcomes of activities in metrology. |
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