The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) started the implementation of the four major research programs under the 4th Mid-term Plan on April 1, 2016, with the aim to maximize the achievements derived from various research and development efforts on agriculture and food, focusing on 1) strengthening the operations and management of agricultural production; 2) realizing a strong agricultural sector and creation of new industries; 3) promoting the safety and reliability of high-value agricultural products; and 4) addressing environmental challenges and utilization of local agricultural resources.
On April 1, 2016, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) started the implementation of the four major research approaches under the 4th Mid-term Plan for a five-year period from FY2016 until FY2020. The major objectives of the research approaches are as follows:
- Research and development to strengthen the operations and management of agricultural production. Implementation of research programs to respond to issues facing the agricultural sector such as the continuous decrease and aging of the population in the agricultural sector, expansion of farm management through innovative technology, revitalization of paddy and dry field farming, and the livestock industry by taking advantage of regional conditions.
- Research and development to towards the realization of a strong agricultural sector and creation new industries. Development and cultivation of new cultivars of various crops to strengthen the Japanese agriculture, innovative biological materials such as silk products that lead to the creation of new industries, that will eventually benefit the producers, users and consumers.
- Research and development to ensure the safety and reliability of high-value agricultural products. Various research initiatives aimed at bringing delicious, healthier, safe, and reliable agricultural products to the consumers.
- Research and development to address environmental challenges and utilization of local agricultural resources. Research programs aimed at developing the technology to protect the nation’s natural environment against problems such as climate change, counter measures against natural calamities etc. and to promote sustainable agriculture through the utilization of local agricultural resources.
The new organizational structure of NARO consists of about 3,400 staff members (including 1,900 research staff) and 15 executive members with a total budget of approximately 61.3 billion yen.
NARO Executive Board
- President
- Tokio IMBE
- Senior Vice-President
- Akihiro SASAKI
- Vice-President (Strategy・Evaluation)
- Tsukasa NAGAMINE
- Vice-President (General Affairs)
- Tomoji NAGATA
- Vice-President (Research Management)
- Yuriko MURAKAMI
- Vice-President (Research Promotion I)
- Kazuo TERASHIMA
- Vice-President (Research Promotion II)
- Nori KURATA
- Vice-President (Research Promotion III)
- Toshio OHTANI
- Vice-President (Research Promotion IV)
- Akira HASEBE
- Vice-President (Research Collaboration)
- Kazumasa SHIOYA
- Vice-President (Risk Management)
- Hirotoshi MAEJIMA
- Vice-President (Seed・Seedling Management)
- Eiji SHINMOTO
- Corporate Auditor
- Kazunari KOBAYASHI
- Corporate Auditor
- Sunao HIRATA
- Corporate Auditor
- Hidetaka KOBAYASHI
