International Research Activities
1. Mission of international research activities
1.1. Three missions
The NILIM is the country’s only research body inthe housing and public capital fields. As anorganization of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism, its mission is to provide
technical support necessary to more accurately andrapidly plan, propose, and implement policies of theMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport andTourism. Based on this, the NILIM resolutely works
to fulfill the following missions related tointernational research activities.
[1] Improving the quality of policies[2] International harmonization of technical standardsetc.
[3] Extending technical assistanceConcrete examples of its initiatives are described
below.
[1] Improving the quality of policies: Field survey ofHurricane Sandy in the U.S.
In February 2013, with the NILIM Director General
as its leader, a survey team including the members of
the JSCE was formed. The team surveyed damage
caused by Hurricane Sandy in the U.S., the response
to it, and reported its findings to the Minister of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It haspresented the results of the survey at several meetings
held in Japan.
[2] International harmonization of technical standards
etc.: Participation in international conferences
concerning international standards
At the same time as the NILIM works to inform theworld of Japan’s approach to technical standards etc.
it strives to harmonize Japan’s technical standards
with international standards. By participating in many
international conferences such as ISO meetings, wehave made proposals from Japan’s standpoint,collected information about international trends, andadjusted these with concerned parties inside Japan.
[3] Extending technical assistance: Dispatchingexperts and study and training by the JICA, bilateralresearch links
Wide experience and know-how in technicalguidance the NILIM has accumulated throughdomestic dispatch of experts and on-the-job training isalso applied outside of Japan. It provides technicalassistance through the dispatch of experts andon-the-job training by the JICA in response torequests from overseas.
And with priority on the countries of Asia, weconduct bilateral research connections emphasizing themedium to long term. At this time, we have signed
researchconnection
memoranda
concerning
infrastructure provision with India, Indonesia, andVietnam, to provide these countries with technicalassistance. We are now making preparations focused on
the possibility of research connections with Myanmar.
1.2 Exporting technology in conjunction with research
connections
Of the three initiatives of the NILIM discussed
above, it appears that fewer efforts to promote [3]Extending technical assistance were made comparedwith the other two until we formed priority bilateralresearch links. Therefore, to extend technicalassistance effectively and efficiently, joint researchfrom the medium and long term perspectives will be
conducted in the 4 Asian countries mentioned abovein line with the procedure shown in the figure.
Figure. Procedure for spreading adaptive technologies
in Asia

Bilateral medium to long term research connections
and technical assistance are accompanied by a steadily
growing need to provide the outside world withtechnical theories related to the provision of
infrastructure in Japan and written technical standards
based on these technical theories. Technology
assistance, or in other words exporting technologies,
equals exporting concepts and theories of thesetechnologies. Providing technical standards that havesystemized technical theories can be called part oftechnology assistance. The increasing need to provide
these to foreign countries is a result of impetus fromboth inside and outside of Japan: requests for Japanesetechnology from overseas along with pressure inside
Japan to export infrastructure overseas.
Providing technical theories or technology
standards to foreign countries naturally makes aninternational contribution by spreading infrastructuretechnologies and preventing disasters, and it also
introduces foreign countries to technical theories andtechnology standards familiar to Japanese companies,establishing the infrastructure simplifying Japanesecompanies advance into these countries, or in otherwords, ensuring overseas markets.
Below specific examples in the road field are cited
following the procedure in the figure.
2. Survey analysis (preparation) to clarify researchneeds of other countries
We are now making preparations to support
technical standards and form research connections
with Myanmar.
In 2013, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism and the Minister ofConstruction of the Republic of the Union ofMyanmar signed a memorandum of cooperation in theroad field. In response, the NILIM and Public Works
Research Institute studied the support system, andexchanged information with JICA experts.
In the future, we will visit and tour the region tospecify the object technologies and study performing
a survey to clarify technology assistance and researchneeds.

Photo 1. View of a road in Myanmar
Because water gathers on roads when rain falls,
neighboring farmers who received commissions
from the government are digging ditches beside
the road to drain the water.
3. Specifying the object technologies
In June 2012, road interim report workshops were
held in three countries, Japan, Indonesia, andVietnam.
And research connections operate in six fields withboth Indonesia and Vietnam. And as candidates for
JICA project cases in particular, surveys and research
have been conducted in the paving field (naturalasphalt material (AsButon)) with Indonesia, and in thepaving, bridge (restoring the paving on the ThangLong Bridge) and tunnel fields (Hai Van Tunnelmaintenance) with Vietnam.
Workshops were held, specifying technology to be
the topic of joint research in various research linkedfields.
4. Performing joint research and supporting theenactment of technical standards
Based on bilateral research links with Indonesia, aguideline to traffic volume measurement methods inIndonesia was prepared last year (FY2012). Thisearned an award at the REAAA in March 2013.
In addition, in cooperation with the PWRI, theNILIM formed research connections to develop
practical pavements made of new materials (naturalasphalt material (AsButon) in Indonesia), andconducted joint research to propose utilization
methods and to enact technology standards.
5. Spreading technologies to Asia and project
assistance
We are now responding to a request from theGovernment of Vietnam by giving consultation
services on the repair of the paving on the ThangLong Bridge, which is a key point linking Noi Bai
Airport with downtown Hanoi in Vietnam, and undera memorandum signed with the Institute of Transport,
Science, and Technology of the Ministry of Transportof Vietnam, we are establishing research connections
in cooperation with the PWRI.
In October 2012, we discussed the Thang Long
Bridge pavement repair project, visited the site, andprovided technical advice.
And we gave overall cooperation and assistancewith technological aspects of the project to the local
JICA office and embassy.
In the future, we will support this project toestablish it as a JICA loan assistance case and at thesame time study giving technical assistance toencourage Japanese owned companies to advance into
overseas markets, and provide information about roadenvironment technology standards.

Photo 2. Technicians from the NILIM and PWRI
etc. Inspecting Pavement at the Thang Long Bridge in
Vietnam
In response to a request from the Government of Vietnam, Japanesetechnicians are examining the pavement and looking for the causes ofdamage to it in order to repair the paving on the Thang Long Bridge,
which is a key point linking Noi Bai Airport with downtown Hanoi in
Vietnam6. Conclusions
Although brief, the above describes ourinternational research activities. We wish to continue
to provide research assistance in the future whilehearing the views of concerned scholars etc.
concerning how we ought to conduct international
research activities.