Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, Kokuritsu-Kenkyū-Kaihatsu-Hōjin Kaiyō Kenkyū Kaihatsu Kikō; lit. "National Research and Development Legal Entity: Oceanic Research and Development Institute"), or JAMSTEC (海洋機構), is a Japanese national research institute for marine-earth science and technology. It was founded as Japan Marine Science and Technology Center (海洋科学技術センター) in October 1971, and became an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in April 2004.

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構

JAMSTEC headquarters in Yokosuka

Predecessor	Japan Marine Science and Technology Center
Established	1 October 1971; 54 years ago (1971-10-01) (as Japan Marine Science and Technology Center)
Purpose	Japanese national research institute for marine-earth science and technology
Headquarters	Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Membership	1026 people (2016 (fiscal year))
Owner	MEXT
Leader	Taira Asahiko
Budget	¥33.9 billion / $304 million (FY2016)
Website	www.jamstec.go.jp

Projects

International projects

The Array for Real Time Geostrophic Oceanography (ARGO)
The Climate Variability and Predictability Programme (CLIVAR)
Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP)
The International Margins Program (InterMARGINS)
An initiative for international cooperation in ridge-crest studies (InterRidge)
Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP)
North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES)

Organization

JAMSTEC is organized into three sections: Research, Development and Promotion, and Management.

Research

Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC)
- Ocean Climate Change Research Program
- Tropical Climate Variability Research Program
- Northern Hemisphere Cryosphere Program
- Environmental Biogeochemical Cycle Research Program
- Global Change Projection Research Program
- Climate Variation Predictability and Applicability Research Program
- Advanced Atmosphere-Ocean-Land Modeling Program
Institute for Research on Earth Evolution (IFREE)
- Plate Dynamics Research Program
- Solid Earth Dynamics Research Program
- Deep Earth Dynamics Research Program
- Geochemical Evolution Research Program
Institute of Biogeosciences (Biogeos)
- Marine Biodiversity Research Program
- Extremobiosphere Research Program
- Earth and Life History Research Program
Leading Project
- Earthquake and Tsunami Research Project for Disaster Prevention
- Global Warming Research Project for IPCC – AR5
- Submarine Resources Research Project
Laboratory System
- Laboratory for Earth Systems Science
  - Precambrian Ecosystem Laboratory Unit
  - Space and Earth System Modeling Research Lab. Unit
- Application Laboratory
  - Climate Variations Research Laboratory Unit
Mutsu Institute for Oceanography (MIO)
- Research Group
- Research Promotion Group
- General Affairs Division, MIO
Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research (KOCHI)
- Research Group
- Science Services Group
- General Affairs Division, KOCHI
Research Support Department
- Research Support Division I
- Research Support Division II
Marine Technology Development Department
Research Fleet Department
Research Vessel Construction Department

Earth Simulator Center (ESC)

Information Systems Department
Advanced Simulation and Technology Development Program
Simulation Application Research and Development Program

Data Research Center for Marine-Earth Sciences (DrC)

Data Management and Engineering Department (DMED)
Global Oceanographic Data Center (GODAC)

Center for Deep Earth Exploration (CDEX)

Planning and Coordination Department, CDEX
Operations Department
Technology Development Group
Science Promotion Group
HSE Group

Advanced Research and Technology Promotion Department

Research Advancement Division
International Affairs Division
Public Relations Division
Library Division

Observing System Research and Technological Development Laboratory

Southern Ocean Buoy Laboratory Unit
Autonomous Profiling Shuttle Development Laboratory Unit

Management

Planning Department
- Planning Division
- Technology Planning Office
- Press Office
Administration Department
- Administration Division
- Personnel Division
- Facility Management Division
- Employee Support Division
- YES General Affairs Division
- Tokyo Office
- Legal Affairs Office
Finance and Contracts Department
- Finance and Accounting Division
- Accounting Division
- Contracts Division I
- Contracts Division II
Safety and Environment Management Office
Audit Office

Equipment

JAMSTEC owned or currently owns the following vessels and vehicles for marine research:

Research Vessels: RV Natsushima (jp; fr), RV Kaiyo (jp; fr), RV Kairei (ja; fr), RV Hakuho Maru (jp), RV Tansei Maru (jp), RV Shinsei Maru (ja; fr), and RV Kaimei (ja; fr)
Support Vessel: RV Yokosuka (jp; fr)
Manned Research Deep Submergence Vehicles: DSV Shinkai 2000 and DSV Shinkai 6500
Oceanographic Research Vessel: RV Mirai
Deep Sea Drilling Vessel: Chikyū
Deep Sea Cruising Autonomous Underwater Vehicle: AUV Urashima (ja), AUV Yumeiruka (ja), AUV Jinbei (ja), and AUV Otohime (ja)
Remotely Operated Vehicles: Dolphin-3K (ja; fr), Kaikō ROV, Kaikō 7000 (ja; fr) & 7000II, Kaikō Mk-IV (ja; fr), Hyper-Dolphin (ja; fr), ABISMO, MR-X1 (ja), PICASSO ROV (ja), MROV (ja), and REMUS 6000
Deep Ocean Floor Survey System: Deep Tow (ja)

RV Natsushima
RV Kaiyo
RV Hakuho Maru
RV Tansei Maru
RV Yokosuka
DSV Shinkai 6500
Chikyū
ROV Hyper-Dolphin
Kaikō ROV
RV Kaimei

Facilities

JAMSTEC is headquartered in Yokosuka and based in five other locations:

Yokohama Institute for Earth Sciences (YES) in Yokohama.
Mutsu Institute for Oceanography (MIO) in Mutsu, Aomori.
Kochi Institute for Core Sample Research (KOCHI) in Kōchi.
Global Oceanographic Data Center (GODAC) in Nago, Okinawa.
Tokyo Office.