The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), an independent administrative agency, has decided to renew its memorandum with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) regarding comprehensive research. This is part of its effort to work toward accelerating international cooperation regarding the development of renewable energy. For quite some time now it has had as a major mission the promotion of research and development of renewable energy which is now going on worldwide. Another major mission is to contribute to the restoration going on in the Tohoku Area through a building up of new industry. AIST has also completed work on its Fukushima Renewable Energy Research Center which had been under construction in the city of Kooriyama, Fukushima Prefecture.

This is one aspect of its putting of effort into tackling various areas of research with the purpose of brining in renewable energy on a large scale early on.

The organization of the research center was set up on October 1 of
last year, ahead of the actual opening of the center. Operation began on April 1, and the signing ceremony was held at the center later, on April 19. On the 20th, an international symposium was held to commemorate the opening.