Centers・Institutes

Core Research Institutes

Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, NARO

The Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology is pursuing research using artificial intelligence (AI) and the agricultural data collaboration platform, to facilitate the realization of smart agriculture, and contribute in the realization of a super-smart society, "Society 5.0", in the field of agriculture and food.

Research Center for Agricultural Robotics, NARO

Under Construction

Research Center of Genetic Resources, NARO

Research Center of Genetic Resources, NARO (NGRC) is in-charge of collecting and introducing valuable genetic resources from domestic and overseas sources, maintaining passport and evaluation data, and to providing access to these resources for research and development for food and agriculture. The center also carries out diversity studies and develops preservation technology to conserve genetic resources, and creates new genetic and breeding materials using irradiation mutagenesis and other methods. To date, the conserved genetic resources include about 215,000 plant accessions, about 28,000 microorganism accessions, and about 1,000 animal accessions.

Research Center for Advanced Analysis, NARO

The Research Center for Advanced Analysis, NARO (NAAC) provides essential analytical technologies and data management system to support initiatives on agriculture, food and the environment.

Segment I Research Institutes

Institute of Food Research, NARO

The Institute of Food Research, NARO (NFRI) aims to promote a healthy and rich diet for consumers and to address the country's food supply issues through scientific analysis on food and health, development of technology to ensure the safety of food, and development of innovative distribution and processing technologies.

Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO

The Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO (NILGS) is the Japanese research institution for livestock and grassland. They promote the technical developments that integrate studies on grassland, animal feed production, livestock production and animal waste treatment and reuse. NILGS's mission is to contribute to increasing the production of safe and high-quality animal products and improving the self-sufficiency rate of feed by utilizing land resources effectively. They develop technologies that benefit both present and future livestock production, support our plentiful diet, and finally, contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of national land through development of the livestock industry.

National Institute of Animal Health, NARO

Livestocks play an important role in our lives. Animal products such as milk, meat, and eggs supply the proteins we need to stay healthy and build strong bodies. Safe, high quality animal products are produced from healthy livestocks. Animals also contribute to the advancement of biotechnology and life sciences. The preservation of animal health through the implementation of preventive measures to contain various diseases is an important goal. The National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH) covers basic research to diagnosis and contributes to support animal health.

Segment II Regional Agricultural Research Centers

Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, NARO

The Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center (HARC) aims to develop new agricultural techniques particularly adapted to cold regions in order to provide a stable supply of safe food. It was originally established in 1901 as part of Sapporo Agricultural College. It underwent various changes as a research organization and became part of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organizaion (NARO) in 2006. With the reorganisation of NARO on April 2016, HARC will continue to pursue R&D aimed at solving various problems for agriculture, conducting basic and leading edge research on areas including development of new cultivars adapted to cold regions, farm work, animal feed production, and creation of functional food products.

Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, NARO

Tohoku Agricultural Research Center (TARC) aims to promote technological development for the advancements in agriculture and food industry taking full advantage of the abundant natural resources of the Tohoku region, constituting the northern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The center promotes research and technological innovations focusing on the establishment of highly productive paddy field farming, coping with and utilizing cold climate, enforcing the circulatory functions of the agriculture and livestock industries, and enhancing health functionality and attaining safety and security.

Central Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO

The Central Region Agricultural Research Center (CARC) is one of five core research institute of NARO, which works in farm management research, crop production systems especially in lowland farming, soil science & plant nutrition, plant disease management, applied entomology and zoology, and breeding in rice and barley. CARC lays emphasis on the technology for low-cost, stable and high-yield production systems of crop rotation on paddy field with rice, wheat and soybean. Environmentally friendly farming using integrated control system of pests, diseases and weeds is also a major research focus. CARC is mainly resolving domestic agricultural problems in the Kanto, Tokai and Hokuriku areas, located in the central region of Honshu island.

Western Region Agricultural Research Center, NARO

The Western Region Agricultural Research Center, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization (WARC/NARO) is determined to engage in research and development to solve various problems facing agriculture in hilly and semi-mountainous areas, which are characteristic of the Western Region of Japan, and to revitalize its rural areas.

Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO

The Kyushu Okinawa Agricultural Research Center, NARO is one of the R&D regional agricultural centers of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organisation (NARO) that serves as the frontline in bringing the technology developed by NARO. The center aims to contribute to the development of agricultural technologies, promote related industries and create new food cultures for the Kyushu-Okinawa region. Research activities focus on contributing to the development of stable food resources, improvement of food safety and consumer confidence, development of global warming measures and promotion of biomass use, creation of new demands, and other goals set forth in the 4th mid-term plan of NARO. The KARC/NARO facilitates local agricultural research through the establishment of crop development and utilization, livestock and grassland, production environment, rice cultivation and horticulture, and upland farming.

Institute of Agricultural Machinery, NARO

The Institute of Agricultural Machinery, NARO (IAM/NARO) concentrates on applying robotics and ICT to agricultural work by focusing on collaborations with different research fields. Our goal is to achieve improving productivity, labor-saving, reduction of environmental burdens, and commonizing safe agricultural work by R&D of leading edge agricultural machinery and technology.

Segment III Research Institutes

Institute of Crop Science, NARO

The Institute of Crop Science, NARO (NICS) is the core research institute of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) for conducting research on the breeding of crops such as rice, wheat, barley, soybean, etc. using advances in genomics, with the ultimate goal of improving the self-sufficiency ratio of agricultural crop production in Japan. Research activities also cover the understanding of basic mechanism of agronomic and physiological traits regarding crop-quality and productivity, and the development of efficient technologies for innovations in crop breeding.

Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, NARO

Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, NARO (NIFTS) conducts basic and innovative research in fruit tree and tea science in order to respond to the needs of consumers, producers and people involved in related industries, and contributes to the advancement of fruit and tea production and the enrichment of dietary life in Japan.

Institute of Vegetable and Floriculture Science, NARO

The Institute of Vegetable and Floriculture Science, NARO (NIVFS) conducts basic and innovative research to support the breeding and cultivation of vegetables and ornamental plants, reduction of environmental impact, and development of technologies for sustainable production, improvement of quality, and efficient distribution etc.

Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO

The Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO (NIAS) focuses on understanding the biological phenomena of agriculturally important plants, insects, microbes and animals to create innovative technologies, and eventually contribute to the solution of global issues such as food shortage due to rapid population growth and environmental problems due to climate change. NIAS is doing research and development to create new industries and new demands in the field of agricultural and medicinal industries by applying genetic engineering technologies to plants, insects and animals.

Segment IV Research Institutes

Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO

The Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, NARO (NIAES) is the core institute of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) which emphasizes basic studies and research meant to ensure the safety of agricultural production environments. Research focuses on assessing risk in agricultural environments and developing risk management technologies, elucidating the structure of agricultural ecosystems in order to develop technologies to manage natural cycles, and fundamental studies to help elucidate the functions of agricultural ecosystems.

Institute for Rural Engineering, NARO

The Institute for Rural Engineering, NARO (NIRE) aims to promote agricultural innovations with the development of technology that contributes to the achievement of a policy of "rural promotion" through prudent management of agricultural water and soil. Their recent research focuses on the development of technology that contributes to strategic renewal and management of agricultural irrigation facilities, disaster prevention and reduction in rural areas, preservation of regional resources for agricultural production, advanced paddy field management, biomass utilization, measures against the effects of climate change on farmland and water resources, and sophisticated environmental control of agricultural structures as well as many other areas.

Institute for Plant Protection

Under Construction

Center for Seeds and Seedlings, NARO

Seeds and seedlings are one of the most important materials for agricultual production. In order to ensure sustainable development of agriculture,it is important to promote production and distribution of quality seeds and seedlings. The Center for Seeds and Seedlings, NARO (NCSS) aims to operate variety registration system and inspection system of seeds and seedlings based on the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, and produces foundation seeds and seedlings of potato and sugarcane.

Centers・Institutes