About GSJ

2009.04.01

	Establishment of the new GSJ
	Policy / Mission
	Organization Chart
	Members of the Liaison Committee
	History

Establishment of the new GSJ

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) was established as an Independent Administrative Organization by reorganizing 15 research institutes of the former Agency of Industrial Science and Technology in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METl) on April 1, 2001. It consists of more than 60 research units to work as the core of research and development, research support departments to facilitate efficient and effective activities on research and developments and administrative departments in charge of management. It is one of the Japan's largest public research organizations with many research facilities and around 3,200 employees.

Defined by the Establishment of the New AIST Law, the AIST shall carry out activities related to: (1) research and development for industrial science and technology, (2) geological survey, (3) measurement standards and (4) technology transfer to the private sectors.

To carry out the above "geological survey", four geoscientific research units, two collaborative research teams, related service divisions/offices and Geological Museum are engaged in research activities on the mission, which had been conducted by the former Geological Survey of Japan as a national research institute. Now this group of organizations is generally referred to as the "Geological Survey of Japan". "Research Coordinator for Geology" is appointed and he coordinates the GSJ.

To promote activities on geological survey, the liaison committee which is composed of representatives of the organizational units and presided by Research Coordinator for Geology is working on the strategy for the GSJ. The secretariat of the liaison committee and several committees under it facilitate the coordination and communication on various research activities of GSJ.

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Policy / Mission

Policy:
The GSJ, as the research constituent of the AIST, contributes to the economic developments of our country and foreign countries and improves in the quality of life through geoscientific research activities.

The mission of the GSJ is to:
provide useful and impartial geoscientific information to the public for effective utilization of our lands and offshore area, resources development, and managing the environment by systematic surveying and fundamental and applied research.

advance innovative, reliable science to help reduce losses from future earthquakes and eruptions of volcanoes

promote the international cooperative activities concerning geological surveys

disseminate the research data and results to society, enhancing the public understanding of geoscientific issues.

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Members of the Liaison Committee

Director	Hirokazu KATO
Research Coordinator	Eikichi TSUKUDA
Research Promotion
Geoinformation Center	Kojo WAKITA
[ Research Centers ]
Active Fault and Earthquake Research Center	Yukinobu OKAMURA
[ Research Institutes ]
Institute of Geology and Geoinfomation	Chikao KURIMOTO
Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment	Yusaku YANO
[ Research Core ]
Research Core for Deep Geological Environments	Yoshio Watanabe
[ Manegement for System Support ]
Geological Museum	Seiichi TOSHIMITSU
[ Collaboration Promotion Department ]
Collaboration Coordinator	Ryoichi KOUDA
Collaboration Coordinator (Hokkaido Center)	Eijun OHTA
Hokkaido Collaborative Research Team of GSJ	Mitsuru NAKAGAWA

Secretariat of the committee	Makoto Yuasa

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History

1882: The Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) was established in the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce with the goals to make geological maps of the country, undertake research related to soils for agriculture and explore mineral resources.

1923: The GSJ office building was burnt in the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1st, which registered a magnitude of 7.9 on Richter scale. Most data, books and specimens of the GSJ were lost.

1948: The GSJ was restructured into the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (former AIST) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

1950's: GSJ contributed to the rapid progress in geophysical and geochemical exploration methods for minerals.

1970's: In response to changing social needs, the GSJ expanded its scientific activities into the fields of marine geology, geothermal energy, local and global environmental issues and prediction and prevention of natural hazards.

1979: The GSJ and eight AIST institutes distributed in Tokyo were moved to Tsukuba Science City to be assembled on the same premises. Geological Museum was opened the next year.

1992: The 29th International Geological Congress was held in Kyoto. The GSJ contributed much to the planning, arrangements and execution of the congress.

2001: The GSJ was merged into the new AIST on April 1st due to the central government reform on January 6th.

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