GREEN（Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment）

The Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment (GREEN) is the only research unit that has continued since the inception of AIST in April 2001. In the 22 years since its establishment, various major events have occurred, including the terrorist attacks in the United States, the Lehman Shock, the Great East Japan Earthquake, the pandemic of a new type of coronavirus, and Russia's invasion of the Ukraine. The impact of these events has been enormous, and the problems of underground resources and the environmental aspects that support them have completely changed since the establishment of this division.
In particular, securing "mineral resources and energy" is clearly stated in the (Purpose of the Institute) of the "National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Law," and I fear that our country is quietly but surely entering an era of upheaval. At the time of my appointment in April 2023, I stated, "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 is not enough to secure resources. We cannot deny that simply having money may make it more difficult to secure resources and even threaten the loss of our country's affluence." I wrote here. Since then, the BRICS resource-rich countries have expanded, and the use of non-dollar currencies is spreading to Southeast Asia.

Recognizing these trends, I still consider the future role of this division to be extremely important. I believe that accumulating the results (value) of priceless academic research and technological development and building them up as sincere measures for social implementation is important as a preparation for securing stable resources both domestically and internationally. I say "sincere" not simply to maximize the number 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. On the other hand, there is a definite trend toward carbon neutrality and an emphasis on natural capital, starting with the G7 countries, and I believe that a balanced development is necessary with an eye to both resources and the environment.

Under the mission, the division promotes a variety of research activities, such as participation in the interdisciplinary projects of the entire institute, various research and development related to geosphere 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. The fifth period of the Firm's research activities was the final year and the first year of the fifth fiscal year. As the fifth and final year of our institute, we are required to steadily produce results and to be conscious of the development of our activities in the next fiscal year. As a public research institute, we will continue to catch up with social conditions and changes at home and abroad, take the initiative in identifying important social issues in these turbulent times, and create results that contribute to society as a group of researchers with a variety of abilities and intellectual curiosity.

We look forward to your continued guidance, encouragement, and cooperation in our activities.

April 1, 2024
Director, Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment
Nobukazu Soma