The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) is the biggest national research institute in Japan for conducting research and development on agriculture and food. Our overall mission is to contribute to the development of society through innovations in agriculture and food, by promoting pioneering and fundamental R&D. We conduct technological development to make agriculture a competitive and attractive industry, and contribute to increasing the nation's food self-sufficiency rate. To this end, we conduct R&D to increase the productivity and safety of agriculture, and lessen production costs; and to promote new markets and future industries by developing value-added agricultural products, through incorporating market needs into respective products. In addition, we conduct R&D regarding global issues such as climate change, and the utilization of local agricultural resources to maximize the multi-functionality of agriculture.