Greeting from Director

 As of April 1, 2023, I was appointed as the ninth head of the Research Institute for Geo-resources and Environment, AIST.
 This Institute is the only one research unit that has continued since the establishment of AIST in April 2001. In the 22 years since 2001, we have experienced a variety of major events, including the terrorist attacks in the United States, the financial crisis, the Great East Japan Earthquake, the pandemic of a new type of coronavirus, and the serious problems between Russia and Ukraine. The impact of these events has been enormous, and I believe that the world has completely changed since the establishment of this institute with regard to the issue of underground resources and the environmental aspects that support them.
 In particular, the securing of "mineral resources and energy" is clearly stated in the "National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Law" (the purpose of the Institute), but I fear that our country is quietly but surely encountering a difficult era to navigate, triggered by the Ukraine conflict. In fact, the international environment on which our country was premised is changing at a rapid pace, with the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the rise of the resource-rich BRICS and the Global South, and the increase in resource and energy transactions in non-dollar currencies, and the possibility that simply having money may make it difficult to secure resources We believe that we cannot deny the possibility that simply having money may make it difficult to secure resources, and that we may even lose our country's affluence.
 We believe that the future role of this division is extremely important. I think it is important to accumulate the results (value) of priceless academic research and technological development, and build them up as sincere measures for social implementation, in order to prepare for the stable securing of resources both domestically and internationally. I say "sincere" not simply to maximize the amount of resources acquired, but also to consider environmental conservation and regional development in conjunction with development, which I believe will be Japan's weapon in an increasingly severe international environment.
 Under these three themes, we are promoting a variety of research activities, including participation in projects that integrate all areas of the institute, various research and development related to geo-assessment for industrial use, development of intellectual infrastructure such as basic surface soil assessment maps and hydrological environment maps, and standardization of testing methods for soil contamination assessment and remediation. With only two years remaining in our Fifth-term, we will be required to steadily produce results and to be aware of future developments by the next medium to long-term planning period. As a public research institute, we will continue to catch up with social conditions and changes both domestically and internationally, take the initiative in identifying important social issues in this difficult era to navigate, and create results that will contribute to society as a group of researchers with various abilities and intellectual curiosity.
 We look forward to your continued guidance, encouragement, and cooperation in our various activities.

April 1, 2023
Director, Institute for Geo-resources and Environment

Overview and Research activities

More generally, the aims of AIST in the Fifth-term Plan include:

1. Solving social challenges,
2. Expanding of bridging research,
3. Establishing fundamental scientific information and
4. Pioneering accomplishments of AIST.

Of these aims, GREEN has formed collaborative partnerships with several research departments to address social challenges and to focus on “Environmental evaluation, recovery and management that aims to harmonize environmental preservation and development/utilization”. In particular, the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) is actively involved in this initiative. Moreover, GREEN participates in other collaborative research projects, such as “Development of fundamental techniques for significant reductions in greenhouse gases”, “Development of advanced techniques on mineral resource utilization and system evaluation”, and “Technical development of innovative diagnostic methods for assessing infrastructure integrity and extending infrastructure lifespans to construct sustainable safe-secure society”.

Regarding the aim “Expansion of bridging research”, GREEN has focused on three important research themes in a research project being undertaken by the GSJ titled, “Evaluation of geosphere for aiding industrial utilization”. For the third aim, “Establishment of fundamental scientific information”, GREEN leads “Standardization and implementation of test methods for evaluating contaminated soil” and “Collection and analysis of underground water information and promotion of applications”.

GREEN participates in a variety of other collaborative projects that are outlined in the Fifth-term Plan.

1. Environmental evaluation, recovery and management that aim to harmonize environmental preservation and development/utilization
   In order to harmonize environmental development/utilization and support the activities of industry/society within the context of environmental preservation, and to improve the quality of life of society in general, GREEN has developed a variety of techniques for evaluating, remediating and managing environmental impacts. In this regard, GREEN is focused on research and development in the following areas:
   • Environmental impact assessments associated with the development of natural resources and the recovery and management of contaminated environments in the Geosphere and Biosphere,
   • Preservation of water resources, as well as surveying, analyzing, evaluating and managing environmental impacts associated with the development of natural resources in the marine environment,
   • Environmental monitoring, various kinds of analyses, risk assessments for harmonizing environmental preservation, and resource development/utilization in conjunction with the social sciences.
2. Development of fundamental techniques for significant reductions in greenhouse gases
   In order to achieve the reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, GREEN undertakes fundamental research on innovative environmental techniques with international cooperation, and aims to realize a zero-emissions society through empirical studies on renewable energy.
3. Technical development, including an evaluation system, of a high efficiency material-recycling society
   In order to shift from a society based on material consumption to a society based on material recycling, GREEN conducts research on the development and recycling of functional materials, as well as techniques for recycling and evaluating the CO2, NOx etc. that are produced during the fabrication of these fundamental materials.
4. Technical development of innovative diagnostic methods for assessing infrastructure integrity and extend infrastructure lifespan to construct a sustainable and safe-secure society
   GREEN has undertaken to develop innovative techniques for evaluating the integrity and extending the lifespan of infrastructure. These techniques, which were developed in collaboration with the public and private sectors, have been applied to existing infrastructure to benefit society.

Furthermore, GREEN has supported the activities of the Global Zero Emission Research Center, which was established prior to the Fifth-term Plan, by developing CCU/CCS techniques focused on resolving social challenges.

GREEN participates in research on evaluating the geosphere for industrial applications. Practical research topics include the following:

1. Technical development and preparation of relevant information for evaluating of underground resources, such as conventional/unconventional fuel resources, metal/non-metal mineral resources, minerals, geomicrobiological resources, and deep geothermal resources/ground-source heat-pump systems,
2. Technical development and preparation of relevant information for evaluating and assessing geo-environment utilization applications, such as underground disposal and/or storage, and geo-environment preservation of groundwater or soil,
3. Development of geological survey techniques for investigating physical/chemical properties and dating of underground rocks and soils for industrial applications,
4. Standardization of test methods for evaluating contaminated soils and for promoting rational and minimal-impact environmental assessments of soil and water contamination,
5. Publication of groundwater, geological and geoscience maps for terrestrial and marine areas according to intellectual infrastructure plans of the government.