Japanese
NMIJ Newsletter
Japanese
AIST

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
National Metrology Institute of Japan

International Technical Cooperation

With the globalization of the current market, international trade is becoming more active, and quality control and quality assurance of products are highly desired. These quality control and quality assurance are retained by use of various fields of metrology and measurement technologies. Dealing with the high quality control and assurance, NMIJ offers technical trainings to the NMIs or DIs in foreign countries as requested, providing group training, technical support and dispatch experts to meet the needs. These activities are carried out through some systems such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

A brief explanation of the main international cooperation conducted by NMIJ is provided below.

1. Technical Support to the National Institute of Metrology (Thailand)

(1) NIMT Project supported by JBIC and JICA ( 2002 ~ 2008 ) The National Institute of Metrology (Thailand) in the Kingdom of Thailand was established in June 1998. The Japanese government launched the JICA/NIMT Project under the auspices of JBIC and JICA upon the Thai government’s request.

NMIJ mainly fostered the experts of NIMT in each field through the project. This JICA/NIMT Project was accomplished successfully with cooperation from Japan Quality Assurance (JQA), Japan Electric Meters Inspection Corporation (JEMIC), Chemicals Evaluation and Research Institute, Japan (CERI) and National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE). Over 30 experts of NIMT took trainings in Japan during this project to gain the advanced knowledge and technologies. About 60 NMIJ experts provided technical assistance and guideline at NIMT. 42 quantities of technology transfers were completed as the standard setting, the standard supply and the calibration procedure by NMIJ and some other Japanese organizations.

Measurement Standard Fields
The number of transferred standards
Length
8
Mass Related Quantities
7
Time and Frequency
1
Electromagnetic
12
Thermometry
3
Chemicals
6
Photometry
2
Acoustics and Vibrations
3
Total
42

Total of 35 quantities of standard supply techniques were accredited by ASNITE* and the technical revel is well known and recognized as the substantially equal level to an international one by October 2008.

*ASNITE: Accreditation program for the conformity assessment that is compliant with ISO 17025, which requires that the competence of applicant laboratories be assessed by NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation). By passing this assessment, the international equivalency of calibration result with their standard facilities is proved by ILAC-MRA (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation-Mutual Recognition Arrangement). Holding this certificate may provide one-stop-testing without calibration and test in each country every export and import.

NIMT
NIMT
Some of the adjusted equipment in NIMT

(2) Technical Support after JICA/NIMT Project ( 2008~) Technical support is still continuing even after the project in way that dispatching of technical advisors on accreditation assessment in NIMT (4 experts in 2009 FY) and providing technical trainings in NMIJ for NIMT researchers (4 researchers in 2009 FY). As part of the JICA “The Program on Strengthening of Measurement Standards Institutes of Asia Pacific Countries”, some NMIJ experts have dispatched as instructors to the technical workshops held in Thailand intended NMIs in Asia Pacific region.

*Please refer to the AIST Today “Series: NIMT Project” as details
[ the 1st series ], [ the 2nd series ], [ the 3rd series ], [ the 4th series ], [ the 5th series ]

2. JICA Group Training “Social and Industrial Infrastructure in Legal Metrology”(2008-2010)

International Metrology Cooperation Office (IMCO) of NMIJ implements technical support in metrology standards and legal metrology fields under the framework of JICA programs. In the legal metrology field, IMCO has conducted the “Social and Industrial Infrastructure in Legal Metrology” training since 2008, and 4~8 trainees have participated in this training program every year.

This training program aims to develop core personnel in charge of legal metrology to the officials of government organizations or national metrology institutes in respective countries, and the participants have opportunities to learn and identify approaches and strategies to improve organizational viability through governmental system and enforcement system in Japan. Additionally, individual training is offered upon request as follow-up activity.

3. General Technical Cooperation (individual training)

NMIJ receives requests from South-East Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia and accepts about 10 trainees in a year. NMIJ does not routinely provide scheduled trainings for international visitors. However, as requested, specific technical trainings may be coordinated according to the interest of visitors. IMCO serves as the primary point of contact for these visitors. The trainings are carried out for technically qualified individuals with periods ranging from 1 week to 4 weeks, depending on the training. Technical trainings and trainings for the quality system are provided depending on their own area of expertise of metrology standards.

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