About
About us
【Social issues】
We aim to ensure sustainable circular economy (CE) from the perspectives of global environmental conservation, resource conservation, and economic growth
Message
AIST has established seven new "Integrated Research Centers" to bring together the research institute's comprehensive capabilities and integrated technologies necessary to solve social issues. "Integrated Research Center for Circular Technology" aims to ensure sustainable
circular economy (CE) from the perspectives of global environmental conservation, resource conservation, and economic growth.
We are promoting implementation of new resource circulation systems through physical sorting, recovery, and recycling technologies, grading, life cycle assessment, data sharing platforms, and CE index development, by integrating AIST's resource circulation technologies.
Toward economic resource circulation, we are building a new circular value chain network that combines arterial and venous industries by increasing the added value of recycled materials, improving resource utilization rates, building inventory data linked to arterial and venous
resources, and developing a support system for optimizing recycled material use according to application.
In collaboration with AIST Solutions, an AIST group company, we are building "strong alliances" with companies committed to realizing a circular economy. We are leading the world in solving social issues and strengthening Japan's industrial competitiveness.
Director,
Research Center
Sato Hiroaki
Organization chart
Team list
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Director, Research Center
Sato Hiroaki
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 1
- Advanced Physical Sorting Research Team - 6 people
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Senior Researcher
Ohko Yoshihisa
Work place
AIST Tsukuba West -
Concurrent Researcher
Oki Tatsuya
Work place
AIST Tsukuba West
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- Light Metal Recycling Research Team - 3 people
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Team Leader
Omura Naoki
Work place
AIST Chubu
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Senior Researcher
Murakami Yuichiro
Work place
AIST Chubu
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- Plastic Chemical Recycling Research Team - 9 people
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- Plastic Mechanical Recycling Research Team - 12 people
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Team Leader
Watanabe Hirohmi
Work place
AIST Chugoku
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Senior Researcher
Takahashi Yuusuke
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Senior Researcher
Takenaka Yoshiko
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 5 -
Senior Researcher
Hikima Yuta
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Senior Researcher
Hanaoka Toshiaki
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Senior Researcher
Fujimoto Shinji
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Senior Researcher
Ito Shotaro
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Senior Researcher
Watanabe Ryota
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 5 -
Researcher
Togou Azusa
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 5 -
Concurrent Researcher
Mizukado Junji
Work place
AIST Chugoku -
Concurrent Researcher
Matsuzawa Yoko
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 5 -
Concurrent Researcher
Nagatani Asahiro
Work place
AIST Chugoku
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- Indicator Development and Data Infrastructure Research Team - 9 people
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Concurrent Researcher
Genchi Yutaka
Work place
AIST Tsukuba Central 1 -
Concurrent Researcher
Kraines Steven
Work place
AIST Tsukuba West -
Concurrent Researcher
Tsukahara Kenichiro
Work place
AIST Tsukuba West -
Concurrent Researcher
Tahara Kiyotaka
Work place
AIST Tsukuba West -
Concurrent Researcher
Ozawa Jun
Work place
AIST Tokyo Waterfront
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All data is as of October 2025