https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/25/08/09/13627/
https://bprc.aist.go.jp/en/bprc
On August 5, 2025, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) held the opening ceremony of the Biomanufacturing Research Building within the institute’s Tsukuba Center. The Center is meant as a microbial exploration base to develop untapped biological resources, houses specialised equipment and AIST researchers and features four dedicated labs for outside companies (“Collaborative Laboratories”). Formally, collaborative laboratories are research centers established on the AIST campus under the company’s name. Corporate personnel hold the title of AIST employees, can utilize AIST’s facilities, and, as AIST employees, can fully access AIST’s research and development information. Intellectual property developed in collaborative laboratories will belong to the company, and have the additional benefit to develop human resources with specialized skills. While not all are bio-related, companies having established collaborative laboratories include NEC (two laboratories), Sumitomo Electric Industries, Zeon Corporation, Toyota Industries Corporation, Panasonic, NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd. (two laboratories), Yazaki Corporation (Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Riku Yazaki), UACJ, Shimizu Corporation, JTEKT Corporation, Valqua Corporation, DIC Corporation, Canadavia Corporation, Komatsu, Sumitomo Riko, Horiba, Ltd., JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation, SoftBank Corp., Sompo Holdings, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Toho Holdings, NOF Corp., Shimadzu Corporation, Asahi Kasei Corporation, IHI Corporation, and Ricoh.
