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), 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.

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

Development and promotion

 * Marine Technology and Engineering Center (MARITEC)
 * Planning and Coordination Group
 * 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, RV Kaiyo, RV Kairei, RV Hakuho Maru, RV Tansei Maru, RV Shinsei Maru, and RV Kaimei
 * Support Vessel: RV Yokosuka
 * 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, AUV Yumeiruka, AUV Jinbei, and AUV Otohime
 * Remotely Operated Vehicles: Dolphin-3K, Kaikō ROV, Kaikō 7000 & 7000II, Kaikō Mk-IV, Hyper-Dolphin, ABISMO, MR-X1, PICASSO ROV, HDMROV, and REMUS 6000
 * Deep Ocean Floor Survey System: Deep Tow

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.