History | About | National Institute of Polar Research

History of the National Institute of Polar Research

May 1961	The Science Council of Japan advised the creation of the “Institute of Polar Research” (tentative) to the government
(April 1962)	(“Polar Department” of the National Science Museum established)
(April 1970)	(“Polar Department” reorganized as “Polar Research Center”)
September 1973	The National Institute of Polar Research established Four research divisions, two document and data divisions, a management department, and an administrative department
April 1990	Arctic Environment Research Center (Current Arctic Research Center) established Information Science Center (Current Communications and Computing Science Center) established
April 1993	NIPR became a Foundational institution for the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI)
April 1995	Antarctic Environmental Monitoring Research Center established (～March 2004)
April 1998	Antarctic Meteorite Research Center established (Current Polar Science Resources Center SHRIMP Laboratory)
April 2004	NIPR was reorganized as part of Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS) Center for Antarctic Programs established Polar Science Resources Center established
May 2009	NIPR relocated to new campus in Tachikawa
July 2010	NIPR Polar Science Museum opened
April 2014	Ice Core Research Center established
April 2018	Central Administration Department Tachikawa Administration Department established
April 2022	Advanced Radar Research Promotion Center established
April 2023	International Polar and Earth Environmental Research Center established
September 2023	50th anniversary

History of Antarctic Expeditions

January 1912	Nobu Shirase Antarctic Expedition team reached lat. 80º
November 1956	First Antarctic expedition team departed upon the icebreaker ship “Soya”
January 1957	“Syowa Station” established
February 1962	“Syowa Station” closed temporarily
November 1965	Research vessel “Fuji” launched
January 1966	“Syowa Station” reopened
February 1969	Round-trip to the South Pole achieved
December 1969	First Antarctic meteorite discovered
February 1970	Observation by rocket
June 1970	“Mizuho Station” (observation base) established
October 1982	“Ozone hole” observed
November 1983	Research vessel “Shirase” launched
March 1985	“Asuka Station”established
February 1995	“Dome Fuji Station” established
December 1996	Ice core drilled to a depth of 2,503m
February 2002	Specialized ship was added for South Pacific expedition
February 2004	Intelsat satellite communication system activated Obtained consistent Internet connection
January 2005	Aircraft observation base established on the continent of Antarctica
January 2007	Ice core drilled to a depth of 3,035m
November 2009	New “Shirase” launched Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology's training ship "Umitaka-Maru" joined Antarctic research project
April 2010	Over 17,000 Antarctic meteorites collected
March 2011	“PANSY” large-scale atmospheric radar began recording data
April 2016	Japanese Antarctic Research Project Phase IX started (finished on March 2023)
March 2018	Initiated Totten Glacier observation
April 2022	Japanese Antarctic Research Project Phase X started
December 2022	Second deep ice-core drilling site at Dome Fuji area established

History of Arctic Researches

August 1976	Japan-France International Joint Observation in Norway
August 1977	Geomagnetic Conjugate Point Observation in Iceland
August 1984	Bipolar Aurora Conjugate Observation in Iceland started (up to now)
January 1991	Ny-Ålesund Research Station established Joined International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)
April 1996	Joined European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association (EISCAT)
March 1998	Japanese-German airborne Arctic expedition
April 2008	North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling (NEEM) began (finished on 2012)
July 2011	GRENE - Arctic Project started (finished on March 2016)
April 2015	"Arctic Science Summit Week" was held in Toyama
September 2015	ArCS (Arctic Challenge for Sustainability) Project started (finished on March 2020)
April 2016	J-ARCNet started (finished on March 2022)
March 2018	Joined SIOS (Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System)
April 2019	Relocation of Ny-Ålesund NIPR Observatory
September 2019	June 2020 ArCS II (Arctic Challenge for Sustainability II) Project started