National Institutes of Natural Sciences

　The National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) is an inter-university research institute corporation comprised of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, the National Institute for Fusion Science, the National Institute for Basic Biology, the National Institute for Physiological Sciences and the Institute for Molecular Science. An inter-university research institute is a type of world-class organization unique to Japan. In response to the research community, it has been organized as a core base to provide a center for collaboration and external use by researchers across Japan. As an inter-university research institute, in addition to promoting pioneering research in key academic areas, it is anticipated that NINS will serve as a center for cultivating future academic disciplines.
　NINS aims at contributing to the further development of natural science in the five institutes, promoting cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research that makes use of related research fields of expertise. NINS has also been actively involved in cooperation and collaboration with universities and their affiliated research institutes. Furthermore, as a research center for natural science in Japan, through initiatives in exploring and uncovering problems in novel research fields and tasks in natural sciences, NINS is also enhancing human resources in each field through measures such as the education of graduate students.
　In addition, NINS has set up the International Strategy Headquarters as an interdisciplinary research center for natural science. NINS plans to further strengthen the collaboration between Japan and organizations in Europe, the U.S., and East Asian countries. NINS is well positioned to implement the formation of international research centers in which outstanding researchers are organized on a global scale. In this context, NINS has already concluded agreements concerning international joint research with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Princeton University as the first steps towards forming an international research center.
　The world from the economic situation to the structure of society has undergone much change because of globalization. NINS has a good track record in research and in the development of young researchers through cooperation with universities, and for more progress, what is sought is to accelerate our own transformation amidst this big change. NINS has to rise to overcome this situation, see it as an opportunity, and enhance our organization's activities to fulfill our responsibility. Taking advantage of being part of a single corporation, the five institutes can uncover novel fields and new problems in natural science. To concretely put these aims into practice, from two research fields, NINS has established the new Center for Novel Science Initiatives, made up of the Brain Science Division and the Imaging Science Division. Through collaboration and cooperation with the research community, both within and outside our institutes, NINS is undertaking research in these areas. In addition to these, NINS is also considering exploring new areas. I am carrying out a wide variety of reforms through establishing dialogue with executives and young researchers from each research institutes and soliciting their opinions.
　In conclusion, NINS will continue to develop the results of its research endeavors by such reforms. In various areas of the natural sciences, including astronomy, energy science, life sciences, and material science, we are implementing the highest standards of research in the world. At the same time, we are overcoming the barriers that exist between different fields and are nurturing new cutting-edge research areas. Our aims are to create new concepts of academic learning and to contribute to society.
　We are grateful for your continuous support of our vision.

Natural science that aimed to achieve wider and deeper understanding of nature caught up with development during the 20th century, and understanding of humans towards nature improved dramatically. According to the rapid progress in science, borders between various fields of natural science became versatile, and it is becoming increasingly important to make academic studies more comprehensive and create new academic fields.
On the other hand, it is necessary in the 21st century for science to cope with complex and a wide variety of tasks due to expanding human activities. Those who are engaged in natural science studies are expected to tackle these tasks with heightened awareness and contribute to constructing an affluent and steady society.
In a normal situation, development of academic studies is achieved based on unrestrained thinking and autonomy of researchers. Through mutual respect among researchers towards their creative studies and active exchange of opinions and cooperation beyond the border of academic fields, creation of new academic studies that can contribute to society becomes possible.> Based on this principle, this Charter is comprised with the aim of improving understanding of nature and making contributions to the development of society, through collaboration and cooperation among inter-university research institutes that are engaged in studies of various fields in natural science, such as space, matter, energy and life.