Message from the President
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The National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), which is the largest agricultural research institute of basic life science in Japan, was established on 1 April 2001 as an independent administrative institution of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries and a center for basic studies to develop innovative agricultural biotechnologies and new bio-industries. The Second Five-year Plan started on 1 April 2006. During the next five years, the Institute willadvance the technologies developed in the First Five-year Plan. These include sequencing of the entire rice genome; sequencing of the silkworm genome and recombination of livestock and silkworm genes; and bioscience research that will help to improve human nutrition and promote the creation of new bioindustries. In the Second Five-year Plan, the Institute will focus on (1) sophistication of agrobiological resources: we will utilize those resources that we have built up in the course of research on the genes of rice, silkworms, and pigs and will secure other genetic resources; (2) research on, and development of, innovative agricultural technologies using biological and genome information: we will study organisms with a view to their ability to adapt their environments, generate and differentiate, and interact with other organisms; and (3) research and development aimed at create new biotechnology-based industries: we will develop biotechnologies to produce useful materials, such as silk-based products that can be used in everyday items and in medical practice. There is an urgent need to develop technologies in these three subject areas, because each of them is important and is expected to contribute greatly to society. The Institute will make further efforts to realize a biotechnology-based advanced society. One of the major biotechnologies in which the Institute is involved is the recombination of genes of crops, insects (silkworms), and animals. This technology is based on basic principles related to the building blocks of life: DNA provides the templates for building amino acids into proteins. The principles are essentially the same as those on which conventional breeding technologies are based. However, such biotechnologies are developing rapidly, and their high level of sophistication may make them difficult for the general public to understand. In addition, the media is now reporting on the potential risks of using biotechnology. Since the development of basic gene recombination technologies in the 1970s, these technologies have been used to develop a number of drugs to help patients with diseases such as diabetes, and to improve human health. Agricultural plants developed using these new technologies are now widely cultivated in many countries and are consumed in Japan and elsewhere in foods for humans and in animal feeds. Gene-recombination technology is spreading widely because it offers the high level of convenience made possible by scientific advances. In addition, few concerns have arisen in regard to its influence on the environment and the safety of its use in food production, because due consideration has been given to securing safety in both the research and development of gene-recombination technology and its application. Biotechnologies have great potential, and there is fierce global competition to lead in these fields. Advanced biotechnologies are indispensable in helping to solve problems in the areas of global food supply, the environment, and medicine. We believe that biotechnology research will contribute to the well-being of the human race. Thus there is a need for the public to gain an understanding of the importance of the wise use of biotechnology for the future good of humankind. As part of the Second Five-year Plan, all the staff at NIAS are determined to make a concerted effort to achieve more great results like the sequencing of the entire rice genome achieved under the First Five-year Plan. We thank all of those involved for their cooperation, and we look forward to your continuous support, understanding, and collaboration.  President of NIAS |