Summary of Research Center Project* Compile in English withinA4 3 pages.

Center name: Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)
Host institution 1: Tohoku University
Head of host institution 1: Hideo Ohno, President
Host institution 2: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Head of host institution 2: Hiroyuki Yamato, President
Prospective Center director: Toshio Suga, Professor, Tohoku University
Prospective Administrative director: Kentaro Ando, Director, JAMSTEC(1) Overall Framework of the Center Project
Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have expanded to the extent that they significantly impact every
subsystem that constitutes the Earth system, which manifestations include global warming, ocean acidification,
biodiversity loss, and ecosystem collapse. In the face of this crisis, understanding the mechanisms of change in the
Earth-Human system and projecting them is the most crucial challenge for the sustainability of human society.
The mission of the WPI-Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC) is to unravel the primary
question, “What are the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems to Earth-Human system
dynamics?” With a specific focus on marine ecosystems, which have lagged significantly behind terrestrial
ecosystems in terms of understanding, we aim to create and lead globally a new interdisciplinary academic field
called “ Ocean-Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS)” for sustainability by integrating marine physics,
ecology, and mathematical and data science. Through these efforts, we will significantly deepen our understandingof connectivity, stability, and adaptability, which are indispensable for the sustainability of marine ecosystems,
achieve projective modeling of marine ecosystem changes, including both positive and negative feedback that affects“ecosystem services”, and contribute to proactive restoration and recovery of the ocean and ecosystems.
The WPI-AIMEC fosters an environment that pursues scientific understanding of the relationships among data ofdifferent natures from the stage of creating fundamental datasets for integrated research. Leveraging Japan’s
geographical location and research accumulation, we plan to focus first on the Northwestern Pacific, a region withsignificant spatiotemporal variations in the marine environment and globally high biodiversity. Subsequently, we
will incorporate options for global deployment into the data integration products generated, and promote international
data utilization beyond the scope of the main target region.
Under the strong institutional collaboration between Tohoku University, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth
Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), and the University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, AIMEC will bring together
approximately 90 world-class researchers and outstanding young scientists. By linking (i) Tohoku University’s
academic strengths and higher education functions, (ii) JAMSTEC’s marine research and computational platforms,
and (iii) the University of Hawai‘i’s environmental
observation capabilities, we will establish the WPI
alliance that focuses on the Northwestern Pacific as apriority region for interdisciplinary research, effective
international brain circulation and higher education(Fig. A). Furthermore, we will leverage theinternational networks to enhance the level of integrated
research and higher education, and strongly promote thepublic relations, outreach, and digital transformation(DX) capabilities to provide beneficial information to
UNs’ agencies, policymakers, and the general public.
Through these efforts, we will maximize the synergy
generated by this WPI alliance and contribute to
Fig. A. Conceptual diagram of the WPI-AIMEC .
“Planetary Stewardship” for sustainability.
(2) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition
1) Research content
As one of the key transdisciplinary and integrative research targets constituting the response and adaptation
mechanisms of marine ecosystems to environmental changes, we focus on the mystery of “regime shifts,” which arewidespread and rapid large-scale transformations in climate and ecosystems. Deepening our understanding of regime
shifts will expand our understanding of the “tipping points” associated with global warming. Here, we describe thesummary of research themes (I-III) that form the axis of the WPI-AIMEC’s integrated research:
I. Deciphering Climate-Ocean-Ecosystem Interactions and Regime Shift: The decadal-scale variations in thestability of the Kuroshio Current, which are linked to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, affect short-period variations

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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

such as seasonal cycles and daily fluctuations, as well as medium-scale variations such as front waves and ocean
eddies. Over the past 30 years, multiple observation projects have been conducted to comprehensively understandthe Northwest Pacific, making it one of the most advanced regions in the world for understanding environmental
field variations from decadal to seasonal scales. Combining this knowledge with the latest autonomous platform(Argo floats, ocean gliders, etc.) and seafloor cable observation data will enable us to understand variability across awide range of spatiotemporal scales. Furthermore, the detailed information on environmental variability can beeffectively integrated with environmental genome (eDNA) information, biogeochemical data, genomic-level
plasticity, and adaptive evolutionary process data. Through statistical methods and machine learning, we will
hierarchically extract temporal and spatial patterns of variations in marine environmental disciplines and lower
trophic level ecosystems, ranging from coastal to open ocean, surface to mesopelagic depths, and from daily to
decadal changes, revealing the interconnections among different time and variable scales.
II. Ecosystem Response, Adaptation, and Evolution Mechanisms to Environmental Changes: To understandthe response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems, it is essential to comprehensively understandbiological responses from the individual and population to the community level. Marine microbial ecosystems
support primary production in surface waters and directly influence the diversity, abundance, and movement of higher
trophic-level organisms in the food web. Ecological theory suggests that changes in species interactions occur onmuch shorter timescales than intergenerational scales and that the accumulation of these change impacts ecosystem
dynamics at the large-scale community level. To understand non-equilibrium and nonlinear species interactions withdynamic stability indicators of ecosystems, the WPI-AIMEC will maximize opportunities provided by JAMSTEC
and the University of Hawai‘i’s observation stations, marine surveys, and in situ eDNA/RNA surveys with new
sampling and analytical devices to expand the application of spatiotemporal eDNA analysis to the Northwestern
Pacific region. We will also use “culturomics” approaches, including in situ and in vitro experiments withenvironmental stressors, to elucidate the potential responses, adaptability, and limits of marine ecosystems to periodic
behavior modes of physical environments, at the gene expression-, isotopic fractionation-, and metabolite-levels.
III. Projection of Marine Ecosystem Changes: To quantitatively capture the relationship between environmental
changes and productivity for future projections, it is necessary to understand and accurately reproduce themechanisms by which disturbances in the physical environment affect the marine ecosystem and lead to themaintenance or changes of productivity. The ocean general circulation model developed by JAMSTEC has ahorizontal resolution of approximately 10 km and reproduces the marine physical environment, covering the entire
ocean and representing medium-scale eddies to some extent. The marine ecosystem modules, which parameterizes
and incorporates the connectivity among variables in I and the response and adaptability at the gene expression andmetabolic levels in II, are installed in the model to validate and improve the marine ecosystem modules byassimilating observed data. In addition, we will develop methods to convert biological distributions into functions
for material cycling and climate formation. Furthermore, we will leverage machine learning and AI-based approaches
to improve our understanding and projecting of changes and their feedback mechanisms on the marine environmentand human activities.
2) Interdisciplinary research
To elucidate the ecological response and adaptation mechanisms, including the mystery of “regime shifts”,
observations of a wide range of physical and biological phenomena with high spatiotemporal resolutions andnumerical modeling to reproduce them are essential. By utilizing satellite, advanced biogeochemical Argo float, andsubmarine cable observation networks, we will conduct high spatiotemporal resolution observations in the dynamic
Kuroshio region and coastal areas in Theme I. By integrating these observation data with the numerical models ofIII, we will achieve a comprehensive understanding and reproduction of the phenomena with high spatiotemporal
resolution. Furthermore, through mathematical and data sciences that incorporate machine learning and AI, we will
analyze the correlations between the short-term variability patterns revealed in Theme I and the dynamic stability
indicators of biodiversity and functionality elucidated in Theme II to achieve both high-resolution comprehensionsof spatiotemporal dynamics and high-resolution understanding of biological response processes. This will allow us
to holistically elucidate the stability and adaptability of marine ecosystems and potential feedback mechanisms fromthe ecosystem to the Earth’s environment. Combining the results of Themes I, II, and III and assimilating observationand experimental data, the system can be validated by reproducing environmental fields in the context of real decadalscale marine environmental and ecosystem changes. In addition, our efforts will be made to project variables related
to human activities, such as fishing, to achieve dynamic predictions of systems in which the environment andhumanity mutually interact with each other. We will compile a database of the results and intermediate products ofthemes I-III and their fusion research, create a prototype of a generative AI for marine ecosystems based on the
database, and utilize it in further interdisciplinary research, aiming to build a generative AI that can be made available
to the public in 10 years.
(3) Global Research Environment and System Reform
1) International research environment
Approximately 4,000 m2 of common space owned by Tohoku University will be used to launch the WPI-AIMEC.
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Within 3 years, a new building will be established to serve as the main base of this center, creating an “under one
roof” fusion research environment. The main base will provide advanced laboratory spaces for PIs and otherresearchers and facilitate an open laboratory space to promote international brain circulation. Tohoku University
established the “International Support Center” in 2022, which functions as a research reception center with staff who
provide high-quality support in English, regarding their accommodation, daily lives, and research collaboration, asestablished based on the expertise of the WPI-Academy AIMR. JAMSTEC also has long-term experience accepting
many foreign scientists since establishing the Frontier Research System. In addition, the international “JAMSTEC
Young Research Fellowship Program” has been started since 2014, and a total of 40 early-carrier scientists havespent their research lives in JAMSTEC. Through the infrastructure of Tohoku University, JAMSTEC, University of
Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, and other international partners, this WPI alliance will have an international research environmentthat maximizes human interactions and joint trans-dimensional research activities from the center’s launch. In
addition, by participating in international programs and projects related to marine ecosystems, such as Decade Action
Programme/Projects of UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, in cooperation with the UnitedStates, Europe, and other major institutions around the world, we will build mutually beneficial relationships withthese institutions.
2) Center management and system reform
The prospective AIMEC Director will oversee and supervise the entire research organization and be responsible
for all decision-making regarding this center’s operation. The prospective Administrative Director will elevateinternational brain circulation to the highest level in the world. English will be the working language. DedicatedUniversity Research Administrators, International Coordinators, and Science Communicators will be appointed. The
Fusion Research Division will consist of approximately 110 scientists and support staffs, and the Administrative
Division around 40, resulting in a total of approximately 150 staff members, with a commitment to maintaining aforeign and female representation ratio of over 30% each. The International Science Advisory Board (SAB),
composed of eminent scientists and experts, will be established to provide advice scientific and operational advice.
The WPI-AIMEC will be positioned within the “Research Innovation System” as the top layer of the “Advanced
Research Institutes” under “Tohoku University Global Gateway Strategy” and will collaborate with the “Frontier
Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences (FRIS)” and other research facilities. JAMSTEC will also establish
a new research system that utilizes advanced oceanographic research and computational capabilities, aiming toenhance the integrated and flexible operation of the WPI-AIMEC in tight collaboration with Tohoku University.
(4) Values for the Future1) Generating and disseminating the societal value of basic research
Following the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, initiatives related to “Carbon Neutrality” and “Nature Positive” havebeen progressing, including the IPCC and UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development since 2021.
At the COP15 in 2022, countries shared their efforts toward the long-term goal of achieving a “Harmonious World
with Nature” by 2050. In March 2023, the G-Science Committee proposed “Regeneration and Restoration of the
Ocean and its Ecosystems” as a key theme. Very recently, the G7 Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting
declared the strengthening of marine ecosystem observation. However, there is a significant gap between time-series
studies of mobile ecosystems and physical studies of their habitats, hindering the accurate projection of marine
ecosystem change. AIMEC aims to address such bottlenecks in fundamental science and achieve more accurate
projection of marine ecosystem dynamics. With 41% of the world’s ocean area impacted by human activities such as
shipping and fishing, many countries, including Japan, benefit from marine ecosystems (i.e., ecosystem services).
Therefore, our interdisciplinary evidence-based information will provide scientific guidance to stakeholders such as
marine industries and policymakers, contributing to improving human well-being and prosperity. The research results
and the integrated findings obtained from the research will be disseminated in an effective and timely manner todiverse stakeholders through regular roundtable meetings with the general public and policy makers, information
dissemination via SNS and websites, and the establishment of our own video distribution channel, while making
maximum use of relevant organizations and international programs, such as the United Nations.
2) Fostering next-generation human resources linked with higher education
The WPI-AIMEC will establish an environment where young researchers can actively participate in doctoral
programs in relevant departments and receive guidance from world-class researchers at institutions such as
JAMSTEC. Through international open recruitment, young researchers will be actively employed, with 6
postdoctoral fellows in the first year and 18 per year thereafter. Support will be provided to over 54 postdoctoral
fellows over a period of 10 years. Outstanding young researchers who achieve excellent results will be designated as“Rising STAR Researchers.” To foster international and interdisciplinary graduate students, Tohoku University has
collaborated with the University of Hawaii at Manoa through the International Joint Graduate Program, producing 5
joint-degree recipients since 2018. In addition to this program, AIMEC will establish the new “WPI-AIMECInternational Joint Graduate Program” in close collaboration with Tohoku University, JAMSTEC, and the
University of Hawai‘i, expanding its scope and implementing a robust higher education program in which worldclass researchers from AIMEC will be involved in the education and training of graduate students. Students will takecross-disciplinary lectures from the second year of master course after learning the basics of each specialized field,
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participate in summer schools, etc. at overseas partner institutions, and practice research activities at overseas partner
institutions for six months or more during the doctoral course. In addition, we will promote overseas participation inthis program by utilizing the mechanisms for accepting international students at each graduate school. As a result,
this program will employ 33 doctoral students annually, with a goal of producing more than 120 PhD recipients in
10 years.
3) Self-sufficient and sustainable center development
The “Tohoku University Global Gateway Strategy” under the 4th Medium-Term Plan aims to establish and expand
research and support systems of the highest international standards, and promote system reforms to strengthen its
independent and strategic management. Tohoku University has pledged its commitment to providing utmost support
to continue the WPI-AIMEC with JAMSTEC beyond the 10-year funding period (see form5). The AIMEC’s decadalplan includes the establishment of a robust collaborative framework in research and administrative aspects, including
personnel, administrative structure, research and support system, and joint guidance in higher education programs.
In addition, we will support and clarify career paths for young and mid-career researchers by coordinating with thetenure-track systems at Tohoku University and JAMSTEC. Through such integrated system reforms andcollaboration between Tohoku University and JAMSTEC, the WPI-AIMEC will develop into a self-sustaining andsustainable entity even after the 10-year grant period, generating powerful synergies that will enhance academic
excellence, international higher education, integrated knowledge co-production and mobilization, and sustainability.

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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Research Center Project* Compile in English within 25 A4 pages.

Center name: Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)
Host institution 1: Tohoku University
Head of host institution 1: Hideo Ohno, President
Host institution 2: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
Head of host institution 2: Hiroyuki Yamato, President
Prospective center director: Toshio Suga, Professor, Department of Geophysics, Tohoku University
Appendix 1: “Biographical Sketch of Prospective Center Director” (to be attached)
Appendix 2: “Reference (recommendation) for prospective center director by world’s distinguished researcher(s) in thecenter’s target field” (to be attached)

Prospective administrative director: Kentaro Ando, Director, JAMSTEC
Appendix 3: “Biographical Sketch of Prospective Administrative Director” (to be attached)

1) Overall Framework of the Center Project* Cleary and concisely describe your center’s mission statement as a WPI center, its identity, and its goals towardachieving the objectives of the WPI program.

The mission of this institute is to answer the primary question:

What are the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems
to Earth-Human system dynamics?
In the WPI Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC), we will focus on marine ecosystems, which
are poorly understood compared to terrestrial ecosystems, and create and globally lead “Ocean-Ecosystem Change
Systematics (OECS)” as a new academic field that integrates marine physics, ecology, and mathematical and data science.
This will enable a much deeper understanding of stability, connectivity, and adaptability of marine ecosystems, an endeavorthat is essential for establishing sustainability and projecting change. By doing so, we will contribute from the fundamental
science standpoint toward realizing the “regeneration and restoration of the oceans and ecosystems”.
In the current Earth-Human system, humanity has expanded to the point where it significantly impacts all subsystems.
Consequently, the effects of global warming, ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, and collapse of ecosystem functions
have already been tangible (see ref. 1 in Appendix 4). As a result, understanding the mechanisms of and predicting change
in the Earth-Human system is the most crucial issue for the sustainability of human society and out planet. So far, researchand development have progressed to measure and evaluate the current conditions of the various Earth’s subsystems in asnapshot manner. Individual and regional studies have also been conducted on how changes in the global environment,
including the effects of human activities, affect biodiversity and the functionality of ecosystems. However, theinterlinkages among biotic and abiotic factors and the mechanisms by which bi-directional feedback in changing
marine ecosystems alters the global environment and affects human sustainability remain poorly understood.
To address these globally significant issues, our strategy proposes the utilization of existing big data from satellite andin-situ observation networks coupled with the acquisition of new (meta)data corresponding to environmental DNA/RNA(eDNA/RNA), isotope (bio)geochemistry, ex situ “culturomics” towards integration and centralization of these data into a
repository equipped with a graphical user interface (GUI) permitting users to conduct base-line and predictive assessments
using an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-guided search engine and model builder developed by our team. The WPI-AIMEC willbring together leading researchers in the fields of climate physics, ocean physics, ecology, biology, microbiology, isotope(bio)geochemistry, and mathematical and data science, who have been brought together “under one roof” to collaborate
from the stage of creating basic data sets for integrated research, and to develop scientific interactions on the relationships
among data of different natures. At the center’s start, taking full advantage of Japan’s geographical location, we will focus
on the Northwest Pacific, which has the greatest temporal and spatial variability in the marine environment and the richest
biodiversity worldwide, to conduct effective fusion research. At the same time, by incorporating the option of global
deployment into the data integration products created as our research progresses, we will promote international datautilization that transcends the boundaries of the target area and build a WPI alliance that will have a global impact.

Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -1
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)To pursue our challenging mission, we will gather~100 world-class researchers and excellent early
carrier researchers under the strong inter-institutional
collaboration between Tohoku University, Japan
Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology(JAMSTEC) and the University of Hawai‘i atMãnoa (Fig. 1). By linking (1) Tohoku University’s
basic academic strengths and higher education
functions, (2) JAMSTEC’s oceanographic researchand computing platform functions, and (3) the
University of Hawai‘i’s environmental observation
functions, the WPI-AIMEC will effectively implement
Fig. 1. International networks and partnerships of WPI-AIMEC.
interdisciplinary research by utilizing the shared open
laboratories, international vigorous scientific and educational exchanges. The proposed WPI alliance is unprecedented
worldwide as a flexible international marine research center that strategically defines the Northwest Pacific region as apriority ocean area and has a global human resource development function. AIMEC will also collaborate with world-leading
researchers from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO),
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), andNanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU), and we will also establish a partnership with the Canadian-based
global research organization CIFAR to advance fusion research and higher education (Fig. 1). Furthermore, the domestic
and international public relations, outreach, and digital transformation (DX) functions will be enhanced to provide
information to relevant UN agencies and disseminate information to the public in a continuous and effective manner.
Through these efforts, we will maximize the synergies created by this international WPI alliance while contributing to“Planetary Stewardship”, which will lead the Earth-Human system towards sustainability.

2) World-Leading Scientific Excellence and Recognition2) -1 Research fields* Write in your target research field(s)* Describe the importance of the target research field(s), including the domestic and international R&D trends in that
research domain and neighboring field(s), and describe the scientific and/or social significance of the field(s).
* Describe the value of carrying out research in the field(s) as a WPI center (e.g., Japan’s advantages in the subject
fields, the project’s international appeal as an initiative that challenges world-level science issues, and the future
prospects of the research)* List up to 5 centers either in Japan or overseas that are advancing research in fields similar to the center’s field(s),and evaluate research levels between your center and those centers.
* Appendix 4: “Up to 10 English-written papers (review papers are also acceptable) closely related to the center’s
project and their list” (to be attached)

Elucidating and predicting the mechanisms of change in the Earth-Human system, arguably the most critical issue forthe sustainability of human society, has been the subject of much research and development, both domestically andinternationally. However, measuring and evaluating the current status of the various subsystem elements that make up the
Earth-Human system have thus far proceeded in a piecemeal and snapshot fashion, separately rather than in integrated
manner. Individual and regional studies have investigated how changes in the global environment, including thosestemming from human activities, affect ecosystem diversity and functionality. Nevertheless, our understanding remains
limited and partial as to how macroscopic global environmental changes alter ecosystems through interactions among
subsystem elements, including microscopic processes, and how ecosystem changes alter the global environment andaffect human sustainability.
The WPI-AIMEC will accelerate our efforts to address these issues by focusing on marine ecosystems, which are
overwhelmingly poorly understood compared to terrestrial ecosystems, even though they are responsible for about half ofglobal primary production (i.e., photosynthesis) and their products feed about 80% of all animal life on Earth. Over the past
30 years, the focus area Northwest Pacific has become the most advanced region in the world in terms of understanding
the actual conditions and mechanisms of changes in the physical environment due to the accumulation of scientific data
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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

and results from several large international joint research projects and, in particular, the World Ocean Circulation
Experiment (WOCE), in which Japan has played a significant role. By transdimensionally designating this focus area, we
can effectively and efficiently combine data on eDNA/RNA information, isotope (bio)geochemistry, gene expression-level
plasticity, and adaptive evolutionary processes, all increasingly being used, with information and intelligence elucidating
marine environmental change processes. Our efforts will culminate in the establishment of a new academic field, “OceanEcosystem Change Systematics (OECS)”, based on the fusion of cutting-edge marine physics, ecology, andmathematics and data science (but not limited to), and will lead the field worldwide while fostering global human resources.
Major overseas research institutes on marine ecosystem change include the University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, SIO, MIT,AWI, Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) at NTU, and world-reading researchers from these institutes are existing
contributors on this WPI-AIMEC initiative. Other choice institutes relevant to this scope include; e.g., the Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), French National Institute for Ocean Science (IFREMER), Helmholtz Centre for Ocean
Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), and Atmosphere and Ocean Research Instituteof the University of Tokyo (AORI), with which we have solid cooperative relationships for enhanced collaborations. These
institutes are generally comparable in their respective marine ecology or physics disciplines, despite differences specific toindividual research subjects. However, in promoting the transdimensional fusion research centered on the Northwest Pacificto the global environment, the AIMEC’s WPI alliance initiative surpasses other individual research institutes in termsof its collective capacity to conduct leading-edge research and distinguishes itself by establishing an environment tofoster systematic fusion research cooperatively, reflecting the scientific excellence of the solid internationalframework comprising two hosts and a satellite institution.

2) -2 Research objectives and plans* Describe in a clear and easy-to-understand manner by the general public the research objectives that your projectseeks to achieve by the end of its grant period (in 10 years). In that process, describe what world-level scientificand/or technological issues are sought to be solved, and what will be the expected impact of the scientific advances
you aim to achieve on society in the future.
* Describe concretely your research plan to achieve these objectives and any past achievements related to yourapplication.

Theme I: Deciphering Climate-Ocean-Ecosystem Interactions and Regime Shift
Climate phenomena cover a wide range of time scales. Climate fluctuates around its mean in a self-excited oscillations
over time scales from a few days to several decades (climate variability). Contrarily, and due to external forcing of theclimate system, the mean state itself is also changing on time scales longer than a few decades to astronomical time scales
associated with Milankovitch cycles (climate change). Global warming due to human activities is not only associated withclimate change but also alters climate variability, and both combined drive the on-going ecosystem degradation andbiodiversity crisis (Appendix 4, ref. 1). Accordingly, an insightful grasp of how marine ecosystems respond to global
warming is required to forecast and mitigate this crisis.

What is the nature of the present climate-ocean-ecosystem complex andhow is the complex integrally linked and driven?
Oceans moderate global warming effects on ecosystems in many ways. Oceans are major determinants of climate
variability and climate change, and of their interlinkages. Oceans have a heat capacity of about 1,000 times greater thanthat of the atmosphere and store about 50 times more carbon than is present in the atmosphere and, thus, constitute major
sinks of anthropogenically released greenhouse gases. In addition, changes in marine ecosystems feed back into theatmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems through material circulation, radiative processes, and changes in food webs andelemental cycling (Fig. 2). We tackle these issues by combining advanced monitoring with state-of-the-art data-driven
modeling and hypothesis-driven empirical and experimental research in the fields of ocean and climate physics, ecology,(micro)biology (bio)geochemistry, and mathematical and data sciences. The resulting holistic interpretation will
facilitate forecasting and mitigation of latent ecosystem degradation due to global warming and human activities.
As a critical target of transdisciplinary and integrated research on the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine
ecosystems to environmental change, we specifically focus on “regime shifts”, which are broad, abrupt, and extensive
structural shifts in climate and ecosystems. Currently, detailed mechanisms underlying the regime shifts remain unclear;
however, studies suggest that they are considered to result from the linkage between different spatiotemporal scales ofvariability in the marine environment and the strong non-linear nature of interactions and ecosystem responses.
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Understanding the mechanisms of marine ecosystem change through the elucidation of regime shifts is expected to lead toa breakthrough of the understanding of tipping points in Earth-Human system, including global warming, ocean
acidification, and anthropogenic nutrient inputs. We believe that a key to understanding global warming impacts on
ecosystems and achieving a sustainable Earth-Human system lies in understanding how oceans, climate, and ecosystems,
including human societies, are linked at different spatiotemporal scales.

Fig. 2. Climate-ocean physical processes at various scales (left) and marine biogeochemical and ecologicalprocesses that are shaped by physical processes and interact with the human societies (right).

I-1. Connectivity and non-linear interactions across spatiotemporal scales of variability
The physical and chemical environments interact with the ocean ecosystem through property distribution and fluxes (Fig.
2). A cursory look at snapshots or time series of Northwest Pacific sea-surface temperature or biological variability, forexample, chlorophyll measured by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s MODIS (Moderate
Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite, reveals variations on a multitude of time and space scales, including theseasonal cycle, the ocean circulation and eddy field, and indications of spatially heterogeneous vertical fluxes. These areforced by the atmosphere and internal ocean dynamics, coupled by non-linear processes, and stirred and mixed by ocean
motions. Important time scales are the mean and seasonal cycle, interannual and decadal variations associated with climate
models, such as El Niño, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and global change. The underlying physical processes
depend on time and spatial scales from basin-wide gyres with strong and narrow western boundary currents, such as theKuroshio current, ocean mesoscale eddies and fronts, and the submesoscale, ocean waves, and horizontal and threedimensional turbulence (refs. 1-3 in Appendix 4).
The characterization of the Northwest Pacific physical environment at basin scales has dramatically progressed in recent
decades, with great strides made in understanding large-scale and low-frequency variations of the physical environment,
including the distribution of upper ocean water masses (Oka & Qiu, J. Oceanogr., 2012; Sugimoto et al, Nature, 2017), El
Niño (Timmermann et al., Nature, 2018) and decadal variations such as PDO (ref. 2 in Appendix 4). The current Pacificobserving system and advances in coverage and technology expected in the decadal WPI-AIMEC’s research activity will
enable investigations of processes on eddy scales that have been challenging for decades, interacting with the coupling to
the atmosphere in the extratropics, and the coupling of geophysics and biogeochemistry. New satellite missions, long-term
station time series, and expansion and new developments of robotic platforms will reveal processes at unprecedented scales
and cover new variables. These include proposed concurrent satellite observations of surface currents, winds, air-sea fluxesof heat, and in situ observations from fixed and drifting platforms such as the Kuroshio Extension Observatory (Cronin etal., IEEE Systems J., 2008), the Hawai‘i Ocean Time Series (HOT; Karl et al., Nat. Rev. Microbiol., 2014), biogeochemicalvariables of extended Argo array, and observations of eDNA/RNA in situ and ex situ (see Theme II). The vast and disparate
data set will be challenging to characterize, understand and interpret, and an opportunity for deep interdisciplinary
collaborations that AIMEC seeks to embrace. We proposed to jointly analyze these unprecedented observations with theory
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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

and high-resolution advanced Earth System Model
simulations (ESMs; see Theme III) to investigate
Northwest Pacific ecosystem dynamics, consideringvarious processes and spatiotemporal scales (Fig. 3).
To this end, we will bring to bear the latest insights
through our team of experts in ocean physics,
ecosystem, and computational approaches.
Coupled physical-ecosystem dynamics combine thecomplexities of each subsystem. The proposed
analyses commence with the basic statisticaldescriptions, such as linear covariance structure,
spectra, and coherences in time and space, then expand
to consider nonlinear processes. Two dynamical
endpoints are linear responses to stochastic forcing due
to the chaotic evolution of atmospheric weather, ocean
eddies, and multiple steady states that enable rapid
regime shifts, with stochastic, nonlinear processes in
between (Fig. 2). For example, interannual and decadal
variability result from the ocean-atmosphereinteractions in different regions coupled by oceanic andatmospheric Rossby waves. Tropical areas, especiallyFig. 3. The multitude of time and space scales of phenomena in
the climate system. Time and space scales of oceanic phenomena
the Pacific El Niño phenomenon, take center stage duein the North Pacific, with the red box outlining the approximate
to the strong coupling of ocean and atmosphere. This
scales targeted by the WPI-AIMEC. The simulation of sea
process is usefully described to leading order by thesurface height (see Fig. 10, Theme III) shows the multitude ofocean and coupled ocean-atmosphere system responses
spatial scales ranging from entire basins, narrow boundary
currents, and fronts to vigorous eddies.
to stochastic forcing and remote forcing associatedwith El Niño/Southern Oscillation in the low latitude Pacific (Schneider & Cornuelle, J. Climate, 2005). This linear
stochastic framework is then expanded to consider nonlinearity. For example, El Niño shows a pronounced seasonal phaselocking, with peak variance in boreal winter. This effect is explained by the non-linear interaction between the seasonal
cycle and the inter-annual variability (Stuecker et al., PNAS, 2015). The underlying theoretical framework is widely
applicable to other such couplings, such as prominent seasonal variations of the Northwest Pacific mixed layer depth andtheir impacts on variance and spectra of sea surface temperatures and upper ocean biogeochemistry. On a smaller scale,ocean eddies result from instabilities of ocean thermal stratification and current shear, in turn resulting from large-scale
forcing by the atmosphere. Variance spreads across scales via non-linear energy and entropy cascades. Through associatedsea surface temperature and surface current fields, these ocean eddies and fronts impact the winds resulting in a coupled
ocean-atmosphere process. This coupling revealed from satellite-borne scatterometers (Chelton et al., Science, 2004), hasbeen investigated using numerical models and non-local statistics, such as transfer and impulse response functions. These
revealed the underlying dynamics as inertial lee wave interacting with sea surface temperature-induced modulation of
atmospheric boundary layer vertical mixing and hydrostatic pressures (Schneider, J. Atmos. Sci., 2020; also see ref. 3 inAppendix 4).
PI Schneider at the University of Hawai‘i has extensively used this suite of analytical techniques which will be employedon existing and new observations of the physical and biogeochemical environment of the Northwest Pacific. We will
explore linkages among concurrent satellite observations of ocean color (chlorophyll), sea level (as a measure for surface
currents and thermocline depth), sea surface temperature and salinity, and subsurface temperature and salinity observed by
the Argo array of drifting buoys. On a larger scale, principal component analysis of ocean color will be used to establish
patterns in time and space of the individual variables and across variations. For scales of ocean eddies and fronts, the ocean
mesoscale, we will explore linkages through impulse response functions (essentially lagged regressions) in space, andexpanded to time lags and relate evolutions of ocean color, temperature and salinity to the ocean eddy field and thermocline
depth, as indexed by sea surface height. Conditioning the analysis will identify the dependence on wind speeds, as a measure
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -5
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

for ocean mixing, and start to explore nonlinear modifications. Similar approaches can be used to relate ocean time seriesof surface fluxes at the Kuroshio Extension Observatory and the Hawai‘i Ocean Time (HOT) Series to surrounding sea
surface temperature, sea level and surface winds, to explore connections between the ocean mesoscale and the atmosphere.
These analyses will be expanded to AI-driven techniques, such as neural nets, applied to new subsurface biogeochemistryobservations and compared with the output of advanced Earth System Models (ESM: see Theme III). Formulating
hypotheses, selecting techniques, and interpreting will take full advantage of the AIMEC collaborations and exchanges
between experts in ocean physics, ecology, and data sciences.

I-2. Exploring the missing link in marine ecosystems through advanced biogeochemical (BGC)
Argo and seafloor-cable observations
The Northwest Pacific is one
Turbulence in surface waterof the most well-studied areas
Euphotic
DCM
in the world ocean, regarding
layerInternal
wave
the upper ocean physicalenvironment and its seasonal tointerannual/decadal variability
STMW
interactingwiththeatmosphere. For example, in its
subtropical gyre and the
Pycnocline
subtropical-subarctic transition
Fig. 4. Ocean eddies in the Kuroshio Extension region reproduced by a high-resolutionzone, Subtropical Mode Water,
ocean model by JAMSTEC (left). Eddies modulate mixing processes, which transfer
Central Mode Water (STMW),
nutrients from the subsurface layer (STMW) to the surface layer (euphotic layer). Windinduced internal wave energy is a source of vertical mixing, which causes upward
and Transition Region Modenutrient flux and maintains deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) (right).
Water are dominant upper ocean
water masses, which have been well documented in terms of their seasonal evolution
and interannual-to-decadal variability (Suga et al., J. Phys. Oceanogr., 2004; Toyama etal, J. Phys. Oeanogr., 2015). These mode waters characterize density stratification
between the surface mixed layer and the permanent pycnocline and, therefore, likely
control nutrient supply to the euphotic zone (Fig. 4: Sukigara et al., J. Oceanogr., 2013).
We will use a physical basis to conduct super-multiparameter high-frequency timeseries measurements at several focused sites representing tropics, subtropics, subpolar,
and their transition regions. Temporal variations in biogeochemical and biologicalparameters will be relatively easy compared to known physical environmental
variability. The time-series measurements will accompany additional ad hoc
observations, including an underwater vison profiler (UVP: see Fig. 5), autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV) or research/commercial vessel-based innovative
eDNA/RNA sampling from the sea-surface down to the seafloor sediment. PI Ohta will
utilize bottom pressure measurements along sea cables to depict high-resolution ocean
Fig. 5. Biogeochemical (BGC)
flow fields near the coasts that are not resolved by traditional satellite measurements.
profiling float with a UVP(underwater vision profiler)
All the data will be analyzed by a transdisciplinary team with various methods, frommeasuring vertical profiles of
traditional time-series/statistical analyses to AI-based innovative techniques withsinking particles and plankton
broad-scale observation data by existing in situ (including advanced BGC Argo: Fig.
species.
5) and satellite observation networks.

I-3. Understanding of “regime shift” mechanisms
Many complicated and non-linear interactions among the various spatial and temporal time scales and the variables (seeFigs. 2, 3) can cause an abrupt change from one stable state to another in the climate system, which is called a “regime
shift” (Lorentz, Qua tern. Res., 1976). The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, closely related to the global ocean
circulation and thus to the global climate, moves back and forth between distinct stable states with the stochastic forcing of
freshwater input/transport (Stommel, Tellus, 1961). During the past century, the North Pacific surface temperature has
experienced several regime shifts, with a warming in 1945/46 and a cooling in 1976/77 (Yasunaka & Hanawa, JMSJ, 2002).
Because ecosystems are more strongly non-linear than physical circulation, regime shifts in the ecosystem are more drastic.
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -6
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)In fact, the fish caught in the North Pacific can be A
Ecosystem (Fish catch off Peru)
Climate (PacificDecadal Oscillation)3
10 or 100 times larger/smaller depending on the1228
decadal-scale variation in the marine
140
environment (Yatsu, Fisheries Sci., 2019).
043−1Regime ShiftRegime Shift2
Furthermore, global warming and human impact
−2
1
−3
0
would not only act as the forcing to induce the1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20151950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
regime shifts but also change the stable states Bb
Climate variability
themselves. For example, global warminga(Stochastic)
Potential
intensifies ocean stratification and prevents
Forcingc
mixing, which results in nutrient depletion near
the surface and deoxygenation deeper down
Global warming/
SystemChange
human impact(Keeling et al., Annu. Rev. Mar. Sci., 2010;
Yasunaka et al., GRL, 2016). However, theFig. 6. Examples of “regime shifts” in climate systems and ecosystems(A) and their mechanisms (B). Each regime is considered stable at the
explicit mechanisms underlying regime shifts,
minimum of the potential field. Stochastic climate forcing can shift theespecially in the biogeochemical states andstate to another regime centered on another minimum (a→b). Climate
ecosystems, remains unclear. Equally unresolved
change/human impact may change the potential field, creating a new
are the linkages among climate, physicalregime and forcing the state into another regime (a→c).
circulation, and ecosystems also remain elusive.
WPI-AIMEC aims to achieve an integrated understanding of climate, physical and biogeochemical ocean environment,
and marine ecosystem regime shifts to contribute to the “regeneration and recovery of oceans and ecosystems”. By
integrating data obtained by the innovative observation technologies, such as advanced BGC-Argo floats, super highresolution satellite images, and eDNA/RNA analyses (Theme II) with numerical models (Theme III), we will elucidate
details of the stable states in the climate and ecosystem, and the particulars of past and/or latent regime shifts. The proposedadvanced ESMs (see Theme III) will also reveal how future global warming will alter the regime shifts and stable states.
Careful bias adjustment and quality assessment will be conducted from the expert’s point of view for the observations andmodels, which produce data of very different quality and resolution. Subsequently, a combination of machine learning(CPU) and/or deep learning (GPU) techniques (AI) will be implemented to make linear, non-linear, or complex correlations
from data sets to achieve specific tasks.

Theme II: Ecosystem Response, Adaptation, and Evolution Mechanisms toEnvironmental Changes
Ecosystems provide a wide range of essential services for supporting human well-being. Considering only the economic
aspect, it has been estimated that approximately 50% of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) relies on nature. Basedon the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s Ocean Economy Database, the ocean
economy’s output for 2010 (as the base year) has been estimated at 1.5 trillion US Dollars and projected to potentiallydouble by 2030, with the value-added contributions of aquaculture and capture fisheries projected to grow even faster than
the world economy overall. Healthy ecosystems are thus regarded as critical natural capital for society’s development andsurvival. However, biodiversity is declining, and ecosystem functions are deteriorating due to global climate change andincreasing human activities. With natural capital decreasing by 20% over the past two decades, the World Economic Forumhas highlighted that challenges to restoring and conserving biodiversity to achieve maximum sustainable utilization of
ecosystems are among the most significant societal issues confronting humanity today.
Achieving efficient restoration, conservation, and sustainable utilization of ecosystems necessitates a much deeper
scientific comprehension of ecosystems, which embody natural capital in their structure, functions, and interrelationships.
Comprehending the determinants (interlinkages) and limits of ecological responses is vital for assessing adaptability andresilience toward mitigating disruption or loss of ecosystem functions in response to environmental disturbances. Thisscientific endeavor is crucial for grasping the intricacies of global changes in the marine environment.
Ecosystems are dynamic systems propelled by condition-dependent interactions that are non-linear and involve countlessinterlinking biotic and abiotic elements. The environmental responses and adaptability of ecosystems result from at least
three distinct mechanisms operating at different biological levels:
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -7
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)1. The organism (individual), a biological unit with a degree of independence and integration: Individuals change
their traits and acclimate to the environment via physiological responses, such as exhibiting changes in gene
expression and protein synthesis in response to environmental factors.
2. The population, a collection of individuals of the same species: Populations of multiple individuals with different
gene sets change the population-level traits through an evolutionary process involving changes in gene frequency
in response to environmental changes, thereby adapting to the changing environment.
3. The community composed of multiple species: Changes in community composition are believed to sustain
ecosystem-level functions, such as material production under environmental variability.
Moreover, adaptive responses at each of these three levels alter interactions, changing ecosystem structure at other levels
and impacting overall ecosystem functions. For instance, acclimation at the individual level (phenotypic plasticity) changes
the selection pressure on individual genes, affecting the evolution of the population and community levels. Evolutionarychanges in the traits of a species affect the dynamics and structure of communities, by altering interspecific interactions. To
comprehend how ecosystems respond to changing environments, it is crucial to fully understand the relevant mechanisms
at the individual, population, and community levels, as well as their interrelationships.
Theme II aims to scientifically elucidate the processes by which ecosystems respond and adapt to environmental changes
by assembling a multi-disciplinary team of researchers who will coordinate the application of an unprecedented
combination of leading-edge theoretical and empirical approaches to understand interconnectivity within marine
ecosystems.

II-1. Discovery-based approach using large-scale data
The hallmark of this project is its data-driven methodology that employs extensive large-scale data on both biotic andabiotic elements. Marine ecosystems are vast and intricate systems, lacking fundamental equations to explain theirdynamics. Consequently, this research will require a model-free approach, which does not presuppose the existence of apriori equations, applied to big data (large-scale data of high quality and in large quantity) to elucidate both their intricacy
and plasticity.
To attain this goal, the project integrates data derived from monitoring different abiotic and biotic factors into astandardized data repository equipped with tools and a public user interface. These efforts promise to fill a significant gap
in the scientific community in terms of basic research, applications that address changing coasts, and educational/training
opportunities. Some examples of publicly available relevant data include those measuring:
1. Physical and chemical parameters (e.g., light, nutrients, temperature, salinity, turbulence) to assess ecologicalniches and 3D spaces;
2. Bio-indicators of the ecosystem threats at various levels (primary productivity of carbon and oxygen, light energy
absorbed by primary producers (chlorophyll), biomass);
3. Bio-monitors of ecosystem sustainability (biodiversity, growth and maturity of species, gene expression(individual), gene frequency (population)).
Based on the projected comprehensive repository, the project seeks to establish condition-dependent correlations andcausations between and among fluctuating abiotic and biotic parameters. This approach deviates significantly from thetraditional method, which tries to parameterize a model based on limited data quantities and frequently unsupported
assumptions. This discovery-based approach aims to uncover ecological principles, such as how complexity and resiliencegenerate environmental responsiveness and adaptability and the general patterns that emerge as a result.
A key contribution to understanding how marine ecosystems respond to environmental changes has been made by PIs
Kondoh, Obayashi, and Inagaki using biodiversity monitoring based on environmental DNA (eDNA; refs. 7-9 in Appendix
4). eDNA is a rapidly developing technique that enables the surveying of organismal distributions, relative biomass, anddiversity at spatiotemporal scales and taxonomic resolutions not possible with conventional survey methods relying on
species capture. For example, PI Kondoh established the eDNA-based biodiversity observation network ANEMONE (All
Nippon eDNA Monitoring Network) in 2019 through collaboration with industry and local governments. This network
spans >77 stations, involves >200 citizen volunteers, and continues to expand annually (ref. 8 in Appendix 4; Fig. 7). An
ecosystem is a system in which species that are living in different temporal or spatial scales coexist and interact with eachother and their environment. If climate variability and climate change overlap and fluctuate at various spatiotemporal scales,
ranging from a few days to several decades, from kilometer to global scale, the responses would vary between and among
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -8
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

species. Also, a change caused to a species is
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
transmitted to other coexisting species via diverse
interspecific interactions, such as prey-predator andcompetitive ones, to shape the entire system’s
responses at varying scales.
Global eDNA monitoring × Global oceanographic monitoring
New technologies often lead to new discoveries.
Building on the existing concept of nucleotide andprotein sequence repositories (e.g., GenBank,
UniProt), we will build a central global repository
eDNA/RNAfor eDNA (including eRNA) sequence data forwhich there is currently no single repository publicaccess and analysis. Our team has strengths indeveloping new rapid aquatic eDNA and eRNAdetection kits (PI Ames, National ScienceFig. 7. Big data from Argo (physical and biogeochemical observations)Foundation [NSF]-funded international project; PI
and eDNA/RNA (including ANEMONE and its extension to the global
ocean) will be analyzed in an integrated manner to clarify the climateKondoh ANEMONE DB project) that can beocean-ecosystem complex and its dynamics. The bottom left figure
deployed by students and “community scientists”
components are modified from Chavez et al., Oceanography, 2021.
(i.e., via public outreach and educational programs,
K-12 and undergraduate) to generate base-line assessments of biodiversity and functional ecology and add to global
databases and repositories. The bulk of the initial eDNA data for Japan can be sourced from the ANEMONE database (Fig.
7) and a multitude of other repositories (e.g., GitHub) either through APIs or direct networking (NCBI), as well as fromfieldwork conducted at the WPI-AIMEC. This central repository will be networked into a portal with a public user interface
for personalized analysis that is updated in real-time, with ongoing data accession, to conduct analyses and predictions ofbiotic and abiotic interlinkages (Fig. 8). The basic service (such as analysis, predictions of distributions andinterconnections, visualization, and mapping) will be free to the public and educational/research facilities, and offered as apaid plan to businesses desiring advanced access. The wealth of data amassed through public sources and generated in situ
and in vitro (i.e., “culturomics”; see Fig. 8) at AIMEC and by our partners will provide the basis for theoretical modelingof eco-physiology and ecological interactions developed by PIs Smith and Kondoh. In addition, PI Smith has extensive
experience developing and applying models of plankton eco-physiology (reviewed by Smith et al., Limnol. Oceanogr.,2011) and development and testing of algorithms/equations suitable for advanced ESMs (see Theme III).
The integration of eDNA/RNA-based monitoring to the open ocean, and enabling these data to be linked to the Argobased oceanographic parameters (see Theme I) offers a tractable method to decipher how ecosystem and climate-ocean
components are interrelated and what patterns emerge from their interrelations. Consequently, the “big data” natureof our proposed basic research necessitates expertise in AI and machine learning skills. JAMSTEC and Tohoku University
are equipped with High-Performance Computer Cluster facilities to efficiently perform tasks (assisted or unassisted) vast
data sets to identify patterns and make confident predictions, requiring analytical, computational, and data storage capacity.
Ultimately, data assimilation led by PIs Kawamiya and Koketsu will permit model parameterization optimization andtesting of models for an advanced Earth-Human system, generating inaugural high-resolution models of the Northwest
Pacific and consistent monitoring of ecosystem variability (see Theme III).
© Argo International

Chavez et al., Oceanography, 2021.

© Argo International

II-2. Integration of species-oriented and location-oriented approaches
Ecological theory provides explanations and predictions of observed patterns in the interactions between individuals with
distinct physiological characteristics and between species with different traits, in response to environmental fluctuations,
across different biological hierarchies such as individuals, populations, and communities. For example, the relationshipbetween ecosystem complexity (often evaluated by the number of elements and density of interactions) and dynamic
stability is a major unresolved topic in ecology, which is strongly related to catastrophes and regime shifts. Many open
questions also remain as to the time and spatial mechanisms by which biodiversity enhances ecosystem functioning. It isnoted that over the past 20 years, several mechanisms have been hypothesized (e.g., for phytoplankton communities in the
North Pacific; Chen et al., Ecol. Lett., 2019). However, most studies have focused on either species or functional diversity,
leaving the interaction between genetic diversity and physiological complexity within species, and their influence on
ecosystem functioning, and their interactions with biogeochemistry, still largely unknown. Although multifaceted
ecosystem function (e.g., considering simultaneously production, trophic transfer, and carbon sequestration) is a critical
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -9
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Environmental stresses

Integration to advanced Earth system models

feature, few studies have evaluated theIntegrated Data Analyses
relationships between multiple functions andbiodiversity. Thus, it is essential to analyze dataon all biological hierarchies and environmental
eDNA
Community network
Proteomics
data comprehensively to update ecological theory.
eRNA
Metabolomics
Seawater
To achieve this goal, we propose tosampleIn Situ Community
revolutionize our understanding of marine
Gene Sequencing
Gene Quantification
ecology and resource management by establishing
Gene regulatory networks“Culturomics”
a large-scale marine genomic database built on the
integration of state-of-the-art metabarcoding
Isotope Geochemistry
Experimental Nano-Level Analysis
technologies (encompassing eDNA/RNA) anddata
long-read metagenomics “skimming” (Nanopore
Response & adaptation mechanisms
In Vitro Community
technology). By creating a common foundation
Fig. 8. Integrated physico-ecological approaches with eDNA/RNA samples.
for species ecology and community ecology fromthis rich trove of genomic data, we will deepen our understanding of marine environments and open new paths to sustainablemarine resource management. Metabarcoding of molecular samples from the environment as a novel approach to studying
geophysical ecology will allow for the detection of species present in the ecological niche of a target physical environmental
space. This eDNA/RNA and “culturomics” technologies, when paired with isotope (bio)geochemistry analyses (e.g.,hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron), offer a high-spatiotemporal resolution, while the integration of long-readmetagenomics introduces the possibility of determining the whole genomes of marine species within these environments(Fig. 8). We aim to build a large-scale marine database based on marine samples and high-throughput sequencing
technologies.
This proposed database that includes accessioning of high accuracy genomes “skimmed” from long-read sequencing of
metagenomic samples will be powerful for two primary reasons. First, individual genomes contain rich information about
kinship, allowing for the accurate estimation of degrees of genetic relationships among individuals, which can illuminate
spatiotemporal dynamics of marine species across generations. Second, whole genomes encompass all genetic informationof a species, and in combination with gene network analysis, can help to elucidate the ecological significance of minor
mutations scattered throughout the genome (i.e., network genome-wide association studies [GWAS]). This proposed
repository facilitates estimates of the ecological functions of regional differences within target species and derive
environmental conditions acting as selective pressures in different regions by comparing the whole genomes of populationgroups from numerous locations.
Spontaneous ecosystem changes represented by “regime shifts” (Fig. 6; see Theme I) are challenging to predict;however, a system nearing the brink of major change may present “warning signals”, e.g., change in community structureor slow recovery from small perturbations. Coastal ecosystems bearing tell-tale signs of loss of resilience due tounprecedented acute or long-term stresses are priority areas to tackle. From the perspective of biota, human activities along
coasts are linked to a reduction in the abundance of endemic species, i.e., possible extirpation/extinction of key species (ref.
5 in Appendix 4). While alterations in biodiversity (variety of species) are considered significant signs of stress, changes
in the abundance of endemics (local species) shift the balance of coastal ecosystems, leading to interruption anddestabilization of ecosystem functioning. Marine-derived eDNA/RNA represents a “barometer of disturbance” given its
potential to assess anthropogenic effects on ecosystems (refs. 8-9). By integrating legacy data from traditional marine
censuses with molecular data from a combined use of eDNA/RNA, biogeochemistry, and culturomics approaches, bothpre- and post-disaster, e.g., the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in 2010 (Nizinski & Ames, U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report, 2012) and Tohoku Great East Earthquake and Tsunami in 2011 (Adriansyah, Hydrobiology, 2022), we
have been able to assess baseline biodiversity and endemism on local scales.
Linking each molecular data type with the evolutionary pressures exerted by environmental conditions creates further
value. This opens the way for enhanced exploration of functional genes and functional species, with potential applications
ranging from the discovery of organisms for environmental restoration and recovery. Subsequently, WPI-AIMEC will
merge vast whole-genome-based (species- and/or community-level) ecological studies to promote the analysis ofinterdependencies between marine communities and marine physicochemical parameters.

II-3. Advancing practical ecology: Developing sustainable ecosystem management techniques
The primary goal of this sub-theme is to advance practical ecology by leveraging knowledge gained from investigation
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -10
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

into marine and coastal ecosystems. The marine realm is critical to the wellbeing of humankind, and there is a pressing
need to develop sustainable ecosystem management techniques (ref. 1). However, large-scale ecosystem assessment,
prediction, and control have not been successfully implemented in the Northwest Pacific (refs. 4 and 6 in Appendix 4). This
shortcoming in practical ecology can be attributed to the complexity of ecosystems and the human activity within them,which are both vast and poorly understood. Moreover, critical variables remain obscure, precluding scientists’ ability to
predict environmental responses accurately, promote natural regeneration, or increase “ecosystem use” value. Fortunately,
there is great scientific potential in developing control theory to predict ecosystem responses, forecast the future of thetarget ecosystem, and assist in promoting natural regeneration. The primary aims of this sub-theme are:
1. To leverage large-scale ecological data and advanced machine learning techniques to develop more scalable andaccurate methodologies for processing ecological data. The project seeks to establish a two-way causal link
between human activities and ecosystems, with a long-term emphasis on assessing feedback between humansocio-economic activities and ecosystem services, as mediated by biodiversity and ecological complexity;
2. To develop practical ecosystem change prediction models to forecast negative events, including harmful algal
blooms linked to shellfish poisoning, jellyfish swarms causing human envenomation, and rapid detection systems
for fisheries species. By enhancing the ability to predict such ecological responses, this research will help tomitigate business risks associated with complex ecosystem fluctuations and increase the value of natural capitalindustries, such as fisheries; and3. To display the aptitude to implement ecosystem control technologies that can direct ecosystems towards moredesirable conditions, ultimately promoting natural regeneration.
For example, seafood provides 19% of the global population’s animal protein, but overfishing, inequality and lack ofsustainable practices threaten fisheries resources, ecosystems and human well-being (FAO, 2020). Through collaborations
with Tohoku fishing coops PI Ames deploys mobile eDNA kits (Ames et al., Front. Mar. Sci., 2021) to identify species atthe source, and genomic tools to assess stock abundance and dynamics thus addressing concurrent global challenges ofmarine bioresource conservation, food security, and sustainable fisheries for a “Blue Economy”. These newinterdisciplinary technologies, as well as novel sampling and experimental opportunities coupled with the advanced ESM
will be developed and introduced for further discovery in this WPI-AIMEC initiative.
This new and important research activity is in line with the objectives of the “Task Force on Nature-related Financial
Disclosures (TNFD)” mechanism. The TNFD aims to encourage businesses to operate in a nature-positive manner bydisclosing information about the risks and opportunities associated with their activities based on a scientific evaluation of
their positive and negative impacts on the environment. This project’s goal of advancing practical ecology will contributeto sustainable ecosystem use, environmental protection, and the enhancement of economic activities that rely on natural
capital. By promoting sustainable practices that balance economic growth with environmental protection, this project will
support the objectives of the TNFD mechanism.

Theme III: Projection of Marine Ecosystem Changes
Theme III addresses the understanding and prediction of the ocean using numerical models as tools. Breaking away fromconventional ecosystem models that tend to focus on the species composition of marine lower-order ecosystems, we willdevelop a novel ecosystem model that focuses upon key traits and ecosystem functions for the ocean biogeochemical cycles,
as obtained from eDNA/RNA, isotope (bio)geochemistry, and culturomics approaches (Theme II). This will contribute to
the interpretation of observation data, construction of observation networks, and the projection of future changes (Fig. 9).

III-1. Development of the advanced Earth System Models (ESMs)
A quantitative perspective on the relationship between ocean environmental changes and productivity is becoming
increasingly important. For example, the recent spate of poor catches of Pacific saury has been attributed to the occurrenceof warm water masses off the Sanriku coast, and there are concerns about the effects of global warming as a background.
However, the details have not yet been clarified on how such environmental changes affect the planktonic growth and otherdietary conditions, the environment for the growth and migration of saury itself, leading to changes in catches. It is also
unclear which of these changes in the marine environment are long-term trends caused by anthropogenic climate change or
short-term events that occur within the range of natural variabilities.
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -11
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Ocean current, density, andpressure

Observation Data:

Observation Data:

Ocean Environment

Ocean Ecosystem

Primary production(Chlorophyll-a)

Elucidating response and adaptation
mechanisms of ocean ecosystems toclimate-ocean variations
Temperature and salinity

pH and pCO2

Inorganicand organic
chemical components

Advanced version of
integrated Earth System Model

Biodiversity, distribution of
specified species(eDNA)

Fig. 9. Conceptual diagram of Theme 3.

Diverse classes of data ranging from satellite
and ship observations to in-vitro data,
covering physical, chemical and biologicalproperties of the ocean, are utilized todevelop a novel type of an Earth System
Model (ESM). The ESM is then applied toproject the future of the ocean. The dataconsidered include those obtained from
eDNA studies so the ESM can accommodate
functional aspects of the ocean ecosystemrather than its details of species composition.

Projecting ocean ecosystem changes

It is essential to understand and predict how the marine ecosystems are affected for their maintenance and changes in
productivity by disturbances in the physical environment, such as the generations and changes in mesoscale eddies found
not only off Sanriku but also throughout the ocean, typhoons and ocean heat waves that have been occurring frequently inrecent years, and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO, a group of giant cumulus clouds with horizontal scales of several
thousand kilometers that occur mainly in the Indian Ocean and move eastward). Comprehension of the mechanisms behind
this would lead to confident prediction of relevant changes and, thereby, help society enjoy the bounty of the ocean and tofurther enrich our lives in the future. Furthermore, in clarifying the feedback of the cycling and emissions of various
greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, etc.) and aerosols that are exchanged with the atmosphere mediated by the ocean
ecosystems we will respond to this urgent issue for maintaining a favorable global environment, the common foundationof human existence.
To address these issues, WPI-AIMEC adopts the tools of ahigh-resolution ocean general circulation model (OGCM) andan Earth System Model (ESM), the latter of which is a climate
model that includes both land and sea ecosystems (ref. 10).
Although an OGCM with a sufficiently high resolution torepresent short-term physical disturbances requires huge
computing power to cover a wide-enough area of the ocean,recent advances in high-performance computing have made it
possible to perform such simulations over a long timescale.
JAMSTEC has developed an OGCM with a horizontal
Fig. 10. Sea surface height distribution reproduced by an
resolution of 0.1° (approximately 10 km) for the global ocean
ocean general circulation model with 0.1° (about 10 km)
that resolves mesoscale eddies, which operates on the Earthresolution over the entire ocean.
Simulator, a supercomputer run by JAMSTEC (Fig. 10).
By incorporating the latest marine ecosystem module into such a high-resolution OGCM and coupling it with anatmospheric model to create an ESM as needed, a comprehensive understanding of the physical environment and ecosystemof the ocean and their relationships with biogeochemical cycles becomes possible (Fig. 9; ref. 10 in Appendix 4). Previous
ocean ecosystem models, have typically assumed a constant (empirically-based) elemental composition ratio for both
zooplankton and phytoplankton, called the Redfield ratio. However, it has become clear in recent years that assuming a
constant composition for plankton under-estimates observed variability, and it is only by considering the dynamics ofphytoplankton composition that we can understand fundamental features in ocean ecosystems such as phytoplankton
distributions (Masuda et al., Commun. Earth & Environ., 2021) and the closely related cycling of nutrients and carbon in
the ocean (Masuda et al., Limnol. Oceanogr. Lett., 2023).
PI Smith and PIs at other international research institutes have developed a novel ocean ecosystem model that considers
the variability of the Redfield ratio and shown that it agrees with the global scale pattern of oceanic chlorophyll observations(Fig. 11). This model also captures observed variations in the C:N ratio of oceanic phytoplankton, which is a key
biogeochemical parameter linking phytoplankton and the ocean carbon cycle (Masuda et al., Limnol. Oceanogr. Lett., 2023),
and as such it has the potential to improve the way that large scale models represent the biological uptake of CO 2 and the
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -12
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

storage of carbon. However,attempts to apply the OGCM
coupled with such an ecosystemmodel on a large spatial scale
and understand the functional
aspects
controllingthebiogeochemical
cycles,productivity, and their variations
from a global perspective are notyet complete. In this regard,
Fig. 11. Comparison of observed (a, b) and simulated (c, d) surface chlorophyllfurther progress can be expectedconcentrations in the North Pacific (a, c) and Atlantic (b, d) (Masuda et al., Commun. Earthby incorporating the connectivity& Environ., 2021). The simulation results are from the FlexPFT model (Smith et al. J.
among variables in Theme I and
Plankton Res., 2016) embedded in a coarse (1-degree horizontal) resolution ocean model
information from studies based
considers variable Redfield ratio and captures the large scale pattern of subsurface
chlorophyll maxima as observed in the ocean. More recently, preliminary coupling of theon eDNA/RNA and culturomics
FlexPFT model with higher resolution ocean models has already shown the potential for(Theme II), which has beeneven better reproduction of observed patterns (Masuda et al., personal communication).
rapidly developing in recent
years as addressed in Theme II, into the model using AI machine learning techniques (see III-3). To achieve the major goalof understanding the factors and dynamics replenishing the ocean, the reproducibility of the high-resolution OGCM underdevelopment should be further improved, and OGCM and ESM equipped with a state-of-the-art marine ecosystem module
will be used as tools to elucidate climate-ocean-ecosystem system changes, the subject of Theme I.

III-2. Verification of consistency between real and virtual digital spheres
Data assimilation methods are used to integrate actual observation data with the system developed under this project tounderstand the real changes and to evaluate its functionality as a common research tool for the community of the project.
It is known that numerical models that combine a high-resolution ocean circulation model with an ocean ecosystem model
may reproduce many strong non-linear phenomena and that data assimilation is difficult (e.g., Forget et al., Ocean Sci.,
2015; Park e al., Earth Syst., 2018).
Ultimately, the ESM that solves for the Earth’s state using the outer boundary to be set at the top of the atmosphere (ref.
10) is necessary to represent phenomena more fully than in an individual system (experimenting only with the ocean
circulation model), because biases that exist in the model with reality cannot be imposed on the boundaries within othersystems. The key to resolving this lies in the improvement of the ESM itself (Moore et al, Front. Mar. Sci., 2019). In Theme
III, we especially focus on the coupling of ecosystems and marine environments to evaluate whether parameterization
focusing on the functions of ecosystems on material cycles can efficiently reduce the bias of marine ecosystem models andmaterial cycle models with respect to real ocean, and to find optimal parameters that can reduce the bias. This will improve
the reliability of the earth system model prediction.
Another major challenge in data integration is to assimilate data in a way that adequately handles non-linearities in thesystem. Most modern data assimilation methods assume linearity only in a narrow frequency band and simple statistical
relationships between model results and observations, and it is not clear whether they can adequately handle a wide
frequency-band of nonlinear phenomena, such as those addressed in this research project. For methods that handle theinherent nonlinearity in the data, one should incorporate mathematical findings in collaboration with mathematical scientists.
For example, data assimilation using path-signature transformation, which is currently underway in the EDDA project
under JST AIP Trilateral AI Research (Grant number JPMJCR20G5), can be used to utilize information on nonlinearities
inherent in observed data for data assimilation in this area. Path signature transformations are a powerful method in thatthey represent the features of the series data without losing their nonlinearity and can represent the non-linear function of
the original path by the path signatures’ linear combination. This can be also applied to machine learning methods in
Themes I and II. Another approach is to incorporate transformations/functions using neural networks (deep learning) andother methods used in the research field of AI into data assimilation (Storto et al., Mon. Weath. Rev., 2021), which canmodel complex function forms in parameterizations to represent the actual relationships in the system while preserving thedegree of freedom of their forms. Again, this approach can be adapted from the machine learning methods used in otherTohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -13
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

themes. Starting from the current cutting-edge methodologies, we will further establish a more robust method and explore
its application to complex models by conducting large iterations and ensemble experiments, as is done in machine learning,
using ideal and comparative models.
More practically, the initial phase of this study will use both 1) a relatively low-resolution system that is good atreproducing long-term variability and 2) a high-resolution model that reproduces coastal variability and requires highfrequency, high-density observations to integrate data, observations, and theoretical considerations for wide-area
application, forecasting, and experiments will be conducted.
By using a relatively low-resolution (1-0.25° model), we will reproduce the decadal variability on a 100-year scale andconduct experiments that match the phases of real-world phenomena (Theme I). We have successfully estimated physicaland well-known geochemical parameters to meet observations (Osafune et al., Ocean Model., 2022; Doi et al., JAMES,
2015), and in this study, will incorporate parameterization to quantitatively new reproduce the climate and ecosystemvariability assumed from past ecosystem changes. We will work to reproduce real ocean by only changing parameters
within this model. This allows us to evaluate the optimal values and reliability of the key parameters (suggested in ThemeII) in the parameterization focused on ecosystem functions from the perspective of wide-area data. The key parameters
themselves represent the essence of ecosystem diversity and merit comparison with those (Theme II) as parameter estimates
for the global ocean ecosystem consistent with broader observations through the model. In addition, the key parameters
will be used for future projections and retrospective experiments to clarify the relationship between ecosystems andenvironmental change more generally in the global environment. In particular, large regime shifts that are estimated to haveoccurred in the past or are predicted to occur in the future can be used to study the prediction of ecosystem change.
Furthermore, models that reproduce coastal changes at high resolution can be used to evaluate how coastal ecosystems
change as a result of inflow to ocean coasts, primarily from rivers, using the results of the comparative low-resolution model
described above (ref. 4). As the part of coastal water is distributed broadly, it is also important to understand the broad
influences in the ocean. To ensure data integration using higher-resolution models, substantial high-density data is required.
In addition to primary, high-density data such as satellite data, AI-based spatial mapping information obtained through
Theme I can be used as secondary observation data to accumulate knowledge in this area and test whether it can function
as a social infrastructure by conducting biodiversity assessment targeting specific coastal areas (ref. 6). In both cases, it isimportant to successfully handle non-linearity in ecological and environmental fields, and basically a large number ofensemble experiments will be conducted in conjunction with data integration. The most basic data integration will present
a representation of the many states in this ensemble but will focus on whether less frequent phenomena in the ensemble
experiments cause systematic changes, which can be understood through model equations for regime shifts.

III-3. AI-driven approaches
The field of atmosphere and ocean science has also seen
strong and rapid adoption of AI technologies in recent years,
although its number of adoptions is still limited. Current
applications of AI in this area are broadly classified into fourtypes (Reichstein et al., Nature, 2019):

Observations
Learning data for AI

Learning data for AI
eDNA/RNA
Satellite

OSSimulation

OSSimulation
BGCArgoExpedition
Downscaling

Northwest PacificDriving[1] Detection of specific patterns (e.g., extreme weather
detection and ocean heat wave)[2] Resolution enhancement (e.g., statistical downscaling)[3] Short-term forecasts (e.g., El Niño forecasts)[4] Time series modeling (e.g., model parameter tuning).
All these types will be utilized in this proposal. For example,
Type [1] will be used to detect ocean heat waves, which haveattracted attention in recent years, and to assess their impact
on ecosystems; Type [2] will be used as a surrogate for model
nesting technology, or for red tide forecasting combined with
[3] through higher resolution in coastal areas; Type [4] will
be used for model parameter optimization based on

Regional model

Plankton model

Learning data for AI

Global model

Sub-models

Fig. 12. Earth system modeling framework integrated with theObserving System (OS) using artificial intelligence techniques(Adapted from Schneider et al., 2017). Observations canprovide training data to improve performance of the ESM andprocess models through AI techniques, which can then be
applied to construct an efficient observation network again with
AI. It will also facilitate the development parameterization
schemes of used in a coarse-resolution global ESM based
results from high-resolution models. Activities across a wide
range of oceanographic disciplines can be optimized by the
proposed approach.

Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -14
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

information obtained from observations including geophysical, molecular ecological, and biogeochemical approaches (Fig.
8; see Theme II).
For a new utilization of AI, it is also possible to apply AI-based technologies towards the optimization of observation
networks, which has long been addressed using data assimilation techniques. Such applications can be viewed as a variant
form of Types [3] and [4], since the degree of improvement in forecast accuracy and the degree of modification of model
parameters are used as indicators of optimization. More recently, an approach has been advocated to advance the wholeprocess of model development which considers the entire cycle of “observation data acquisition”, “model
improvement”, and “optimization of the observation plan using the model” as a single system (Schneider et al., GRL,
2017; see Fig. 12) while possibly integrating the four types of AI-driven applications.
While the establishment of such a system is conceptually possible by integrating traditional efforts such as data
assimilation techniques and the application of high-resolution models, the use of AI would greatly facilitate its
implementation by significantly reducing the computation load. Nevertheless, there are many challenges that must be
overcome. For example, for a model to be used with observational data assimilated, the model’s reproducibility itself must
be of sufficient quality. Even today’s state-of-the-art models are at a stage where further performance improvement isdesirable, especially for the ecosystem part. In this regard, the results of Theme III-1 will be fully utilized. In addition,
when “optimization of observation planning using models” is conducted, it is essential to ensure flexibility in observation
planning. The experience accumulated by JAMSTEC, one of the world’s leading organizations specializing inoceanographic observations, is expected to provide valuable knowledge for the management of observations.
The efforts to realize the system depicted in Fig. 12 can be seen as an attempt to optimize a substantial part of the research
activities in the field of ocean science itself, and we are approaching a time when we can expect a renewal of the researchdomain thanks to technological developments such as AI, computational power, satellite observations, and the accumulationof scientific knowledge such as eDNA/RNA and improved model performance (ref. 10 in Appendix 4).

■ An iterative approach to achieve holistic understanding
This proposed project aims to overcome the limitations of conventional ecological theories, which lack generality, by
combining large-scale data on all biological and non-biological elements with innovative modeling techniques that identify
common principles across many ecosystems. Conventional theories have typically been based on theoretical predictions
derived from a priori assumptions, embodied in simplistic mathematical models. For example, to explain and predict the
dynamics of a community, multi-species individual population dynamics models, assuming fixed-strength inter-specificinteractions (such as the generalized Lotka-Volterra model) have typically been used. This simplification was often due tothe lack of sufficient data or evidence to adopt more complex processes, rather than supporting empirical data. By contrast,
we propose to adopt an approach based on large-scale data acquired at multiple sites, in order to discover yet unknown
general patterns in the structure of ecosystems. Based on these newly discovered patterns, we aim to construct new models,
formulate new hypotheses, and develop and test, via targeted observations, a new high-level theory beyond the reach of
conventional marine physics and ecology (Fig. 13). The aim is to make new theoretical predictions that will guide new andmore informative empirical research, which will in turn enhance the ability to make predictions, and thus generate a positiveand productive feedback between the three themes within the WPI-AIMEC.
Fig. 13. A schematic of the specific yet partially overlapping
components proposed to catalyze fusion research. (A)Assess and monitor fluctuations in genetic biodiversity andfunctional ecology by newly acquiring eDNA/RNA andmulti-omics techniques; provide training (K-12) andcommunityscience
opportunities;
develop/patentproduct/services for low-cost, rapid detection of aquaticbiota connectivity. (B) Develop repositories for eDNA andmetabarcoding data; build a portal operated by AI andmachine learning as a search engine for sequence matching
and taxonomic identification. (C) Theoretical modeling of
eco-physiology and ecological interactions and optimization
with D. (D) Build an interactive model of “Ecosystem
Response, Adaptation, and Evolution Mechanisms toEnvironmental Changes”.
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -15
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

2) -3 System for advancing the research* Describe the center’s research organization (including its research, support and administrative components) and yourconcept for building and staffing the organization. Regarding the composition of the center’s personnel, describe
measures to obtain diversity such as gender balance.
* Describe your concrete plan for achieving the center’s final staffing goal, including steps and timetables.
* In establishing a research collaboration system at the center organization level with overseas institutions (Section
5.(8) of the Call for Proposals FY2023), provide the name(s) of the partner institution(s), and describe their roles,
personnel composition and structure, and the collaborative framework between host institution and partner
institution (e.g., contracts to be concluded, schemes for resource transfer). Also, if the center will form linkage withother institutions, domestic and/or foreign, by establishing satellite functions, describe in the same manner as theabove.
* If the center will form linkage with other institutions, domestic and/or foreign, without establishing satellite functions,provide the names of the partner institutions and describe their roles and linkages within the center project.
* Appendix 5: “List of Principal Investigators” (If there are changes from the PI list in the first screening application documents,
describe the points changed and reasons.) (to be attached)* Appendix 6: “Biographical sketch of principal investigator” (to be attached)* Appendix 7: “Composition of personnel in center” (to be attached)* Appendix 8: “Letters from researchers invited from abroad or other Japanese institutions expressing their intent to participate in thecenter project” (to be attached)

Center’s research organization
This center will establish a global network of multidisciplinary scientists that realizes an ideal international andmultidisciplinary research environment, including free and active exchanges of research ideas. We will focus on diversity,
higher education, and training of exceptional young researchers, and promote international brain circulation. The total of
PIs is 17, and among them, 10 PIs are faculty members of Tohoku University or tenured scientists of JAMSTEC (58.8 %),including 2 overseas researchers. Among all 17 PIs, 7 are non-Japanese (41.2%) and 4 PIs are female (23.5%) (Appendix
7). We will establish the “Fusion Research Division”, where each PI will work with a senior scientist (equivalent to
Associate Professor), a staff scientist (equivalent to Assistant Professor), one or a few early-career researcher (postdocs
and/or graduate students; see Fig. 14). A total of 12 support staff will also be hired according to the research environmentof three themes. The recruitment of the AIMEC postdocs will be conducted through 9 times of international open calls,
accounting for 18 postdocs per year (ca. 54 postdocs for FY2023-2032). The recruitment guidelines will be published in・Overall m anag em ent & decision m aking
・Scientific achievem ents & value creation
・Coord in a tion of im p orta n t m a tters
・Con sen su s b u ild in g

To h o k u U n i v e r si ty

Ad m in istrative d irector ・Esta b lish m en t of in tern a tion al b ra n e
circu lation system

Cross-m entoring systemFu sion resea rch
Stren g th en in g of p rom otion

Assista n t of a d m in istra tive d irector

PI

:

:

PI

Coord in a tion of h ost an d sa tellite in stitu tion s
colla b oration , Prom ote d o m estic an din tern ation a l resea rch

URA, I n tern a tion a l coord in a tion ,Scien tific com m u n ica tion ,Sa fety a n d la b . Ma n a g em en t,
Pu b lic rela tion s & ou trea ch ,eva lu a tion su p p ort

Person n el exch a n g e

Lo ca ti o n s i n
JA M STEC

Assista n t ofa d m in istra tive
d irector,
Resea rch er
su p p ort

Gen era l a ffa irs an d p la n n in g d ep artm en t
Accou n tin g a n d extern a l fu n d s, Person n el a n dla b or rela tion s, Con tra cts, Secreta ria l, Aca d em ic
exch a n g e, I n tellectu a l Prop erty & Cyb er secu rity
m a n a g em en t

Ad m in istra tive d ivision
I n tern a tion a l coop era tion

Resea rch su p p ort

Pa rtn ersh ip a g reem en t

I n te r n a tio n a l sa te llite ce n te r

I n tern a tion a l Join t
Gra d u a te Prog ra mn University of Haw aii at Manoa, I nternational Pacific Research Center ( I PRC）

Related Cooperating I nstitutes and Partnershipsn Overseas︓Massachusetts I nstitute of Technolog y, USA; University of California,
San Dieg o, USA; Alfred W eg ener I nstitute for Polar and Marine Research,
Germ any; Nanyang Technolog ical University, Sing aporen Dom estic︓Japan Aerospace Exploration Ag ency（ JAXA)n I nternational partnership︓CI FAR, Canadian-based g lobal research org anization

Com m itm ent adjustm ent

Senior research fellow

Researcher ( Rising STAR)

Extern a lly Fu n d ed Postd octoral Fellow

Postdoctoral fellow

Support Staff

Senior research fellow

Researcher

Support Staff

Postdoctoral fellow

Scien ce strateg y d ep a rtm en tFu sion Resea rch d ivision
Colla b ora tive resea rch

Rela ted fu n ctio n s o f th e h o st
in stitu tio n s・Gen eral m a n ag er of a d m in istra tive d ivision

D ep u ty d irector

Colla b ora tion w ith
b a se fu n ction s,
Ma x im ize syn erg y

JAM STEC

・Scien ce & m an a g em en t a d vice to d irector & a d m in istra tive d irectors
・Ad vice for w orld -cla ss scien ce p rod u ction & scien ce p olicy

Ma n ag em en t MTG

・Assistan t of d irector
・Prom otion of in tern a tion a l j oin t research &h ig h er ed u ca tion

I n tern a tion a l scien tific a d visory b oa rd ( SAB)

D ir e cto r•••Stren g th en in g th e
I n tern a tion a l Bra in
Circu lation
Fosterin g th e n ext
g en eration of lea d ers
D issem in atin g va lu e
to th e w orld

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Tohoku University
Org a n iza tion for Ad van ced Stu d ies
AI MR W PI acad em y
Toh oku Foru m for Crea tivity
I n tern a tion a l Join t Grad u ate Prog ra m
I n tern a tion a l Su p p ort Cen ter
Cen ter for th e Ad va n cem en t of Op en On lin e
Ed u ca tion
I n tern a tion a l Join t La b ora tory Cen ter
Toh oku Un iversity Glob a l Gatew ay Stra teg y
Cen ter for Gen d er Eq u ality Prom otion
I n tern a tion a l Research I n stitu te of D isa ster
Scien ce
Next-Gen era tion Syn ch rotron Ra d ia tion
Facilities
Cen ter for North ea st Asia n Stu d ies
Toh oku Un iversity Lia ison Office ( Tokyo ) etc.

JAM STEC
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Earth Sim u la tor
Glob al Ocean Ob servation Resea rch Cen ter
Earth Su rfa ce System Resea rch Cen ter
Resea rch Cen ter for En viro n m en tal Mod ellin g
a n d Ap p lication
Resea rch Vessels ( Op era tion d ep t. )Cen ter for Ea rth I n form ation Scien ce a n dTech n olog yGlob al Ocean og rap h ic D a ta Cen ter
Biolog ica l I n form a tion System for Marin e Life
( BI SMaL)
Resea rch Su p p ort D ep a rtm en t
Ma rin e Scien ce an d Tech n olog y Stra teg ic
D ep t.
Tokyo office

Fig. 14. The organization structure of the WPI-Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC).
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -16
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

authoritative journals and international conference organizations to ensure uncompromising, worldwide, and fair selection
based on research ability and diversity. Including the number of participants from Tohoku University’s faculty members
and JAMSTEC research groups, the maximum number of the “Fusion Research Division” and the “Administrative
Division” will be 110 and 40, respectively (~150 in total: Fig. 14); however, these numbers may change with additional
postdocs and/or support staff hired by external funding. The target ratio of overseas and female researchers will be bothover 30% (Appendix 7).

■ Satellite institute
The international satellite institute will be the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC), the School of Ocean
and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, U.S.A. (Figs. 1, 14). The IPRC has
been a great icon of U.S.-Japan Common Agenda for Cooperation in Global Perspective at the governmental level, which
was established in a cooperative agreement between the University of Hawai‘i and JAMSTEC in 1997. Ever since, theIPRC has been a global leader in climate and ocean change observation and modeling research in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tohoku University also has an agreement with IPRC and SOEST with the “International Joint Graduate Program in
Earth and Environmental Sciences (GP-EES)”, chaired by the Director Suga, which is a core educational framework incooperation with this WPI alliance center’s initiative. PI Schneider, the Director of IPRC, and Prof. Angelicque White will
join the WPI-AIMEC’s initiative from the University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, and will explore ocean-atmosphere-biospheresystems in the Asia-Pacific region to ocean ecosystems.

■ Partnerships to enhance the centerIn addition to the above, we will collaborate with researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the Universityof California, San Diego, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine
Research in Germany, a leader in oceanographic research in the sea ice region. Also, Prof. Benjamin Horton, the Directorof the Earth Observatory of Singapore at the Nanyang Technological University, a leader in subtropical climate andoceanographic research, will join the WPI-AIMEC initiative. These international partnerships through co-PIs will promoteinternational collaborations, leading to the creation of world-class research outcomes (Fig. 1). Furthermore, we plan to signa partnership agreement with CIFAR, a global research organization in Canada (https://cifar.ca), immediately after the
proposal for this center is officially adopted (Appendix 2). Since the inception in 2019, PI Inagaki has cooperated as an
Advisor of CIFAR’s Earth4D Program to support joint research activities and promote exceptional young researchers
through CIFAR. Envisioned collaborations with CIFAR include organized international workshops/symposiums, virtual
seminar series, and project-based research collaborations. The CIFAR’s “Azrieli Global Scholarship” will also support
exceptional young AIMEC researchers. In addition, through cooperation with CIFAR’s outreach teams, we will promoteknowledge sharing, co-production, and mobilization from basic science to the general public (and vice versa) and address
important global environmental and societal challenges that will lead to a new set of “Planetary Stewardship” principles.
Furthermore, Tohoku University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding/Collaboration (MoU/C) with 249
institutions in 35 countries, and JAMSTEC also has established a MoU/C with 22 institutions in 13 countries. Based onthese MoU/C, including MoU/C with the University of Hawai‘i, we will establish the new “WPI-AIMEC International
Joint Graduate Program”, of which this alliance center will be the core, to promote international higher education, early
carrier researchers’ exchange and international joint research projects (see Section 4)-2).

a) Principal investigators (full professors, associate professors, or other researchers of comparable(persons)
standing)
At beginning of projectAt end of FY 2023

Final goal
(Date: April, 2027)

Researches from within
Tohoku University

7

7

7

Researches from within
JAMSTEC

3

3

3

Researches from within thehost institution 3

N/A

N/A

N/A

Foreign researchers invitedfrom abroad

6

6

6

Researchers invited from otherJapanese institutions

1

1

1

Total principal investigators

17

17

17

* Paste onto table a) in Appendix 7.

Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -17
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)b) Total number of members* Paste onto table b) in Appendix 7.
At beginning of project
Number of persons％

Number of persons

24

Researchers

Final goal
(Date: April, 2027)

At end of FY 2023％

Number of persons

58

％

91

Overseas
researchers

9

37.5

22

37.9

37

40.7

Femaleresearchers

7

29.2

20

34.5

38

41.8

Principal investigators

17

Overseas PIs

7

41.2

7

41.2

7

41.2

Female PIs

4

23.5

4

23.5

4

23.5

Other researchers

7

Overseas
researchers

2

28.6

15

36.6

30

40.5

Femaleresearchers

3

42.9

16

39.0

34

45.9

17

17

41

74

Research support staffs

12

17

20

Administrative staffs

36

38

39

Total number of people

72

113

150

2) -4 Securing research funding
Past record* Give the total amount of research funding (e.g., competitive funding) secured by the principal investigators who will
join the center project. Itemize by fiscal year (FY2018-2022).

Funding prospects after the establishment of the center* Based on your past record, describe your concrete prospects for securing resources that match or exceed the WPIgrant (FY2023-2027).
* Calculate the total amount of research funding (e.g., competitive funding) based on the amount of funding that the
researchers will allocate to the center project. Be sure that the funding prospects are realistically based on the pastrecord.

As shown in the table below, the PIs of this center have acquired large-scale competitive funding during the period 20182022. The average annual amount of external funding received was ~$6,600,000, and the average per person was ~$390,000.
The actual acquisition of research funding has exceeded ~$3,200,000 - ~$3,600,000/a in the Appropriation Plan (see Form4), which demonstrates that our budget outlook is realistic. In cooperation with hosts, satellite and partner institutions, PIs
and young researchers will form project teams to systematically work on obtaining external funding, including competitiveand commissioned research funds from private companies, foundations, and local governments, large-scale research
projects by government ministries and agencies, and international research calls from private foundations that are membersof the Science Philanthropy Alliance in the U.S. and the EU Horizon 2025. The Administrative Division will also assign
staff to strengthen the functions of collecting information on external funding and provide information to researchers to
support proposal developments. In addition, we will accelerate the promotion of world-class research at the center bycollaborating with the “Moonshot Research & Development Programs” and with “SIP Strategic Innovation Promotion
Program” that JAMSTEC and Tohoku University’s researchers act central roles. Furthermore, as with the WPI-Academy
AIMR, we will establish a research promotion funds in collaboration with the “Tohoku University Fund”.
Year

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Total

Budget$4,722,827$5,321,991$6,527,964$7,002,759$9,423,902$32,999,444

Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -18
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)Five examples•of large-scale•competitive •
•
funds
•

Southeast Asia SEA-Level program (SEA2) (2020-2025, PI: Horton, $9,248,343)
NSF Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) (2018-2023, PI: White, $9,000,000)
Integrated Research Program for Advancing Climate Models (2017-2021, PI: Kawamiya, $8,075,765)
JST CREST (2013-2019, PI: Kondoh, $3,400,000)
Advanced Carbon Mineralization Initiative, Yogesh Surendranath (2022-, PI: Ono, $3,000,000)(Currency: 1$=136.21JPY)

2) -5 Interdisciplinary research* Describe the fused research domains, why interdisciplinary research is necessary and important in the target field(s),and what new academic field(s) can be expected to be created by way of this project. Describe your concrete strategy
for fusing different research domains and creating new academic field(s) by the fusion.

The response, adaptation, and evolutionary processes of marine ecosystems to climate and ocean change proceed fluidly
in a complex system of multiple subsystems that are intertwined with each other. To better understand the integrated
mechanisms of marine ecosystem change, it is essential to conduct a comparative analysis of time-series data on
physicochemical changes that define the habitat of organisms and time-series data on the diversity, functionality, andadaptability of the communities that make up the ecosystem, and to construct models that can be applied to a variety ofspatiotemporal scales (Figs. 9, 12, 13). In previous studies, the accuracy and resolution of the sensors installed in theobservation system and the frequency of sampling varied, resulting in a body of individual studies at specific
events/locations or snapshot studies that lacked a temporal component. Therefore, it has been challenging to centrally
assemble, assimilate, and extrapolate physical, geochemical, and biological data, especially in dynamic and extensive
marine environments, and extrapolate them into a quantitative nonlinear model. In addition, concerning the mystery ofsudden phenomena represented by “regime shifts”, we may have shortsightedly and unconsciously overlooked the signsof important triggering factors. Since launching the WPI-AIMEC, experts in marine physics, meteorology, ecology,
biology, molecular biology, geochemistry, and mathematical information science will collaborate under the AIMEC’s
initiative, working on system validation and verification by applying dynamic stability indicators to actual observationaland experimental data, and on clarifying regime shift mechanisms by utilizing AI machine learning and deep learning (Fig.
6). We will utilize innovative observation platforms such as new ocean physical/geochemistry sensors, and instrumentswith eDNA/RNA samplers. We will also incorporate wide data from satellite and seafloor observation networks andeconomic and social components data such as fishing activities that are strongly influenced by ecosystem services. The
WPI-AIMEC will create a new academic field of “Ocean-Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS)”. By doing so, wewill contribute to “Planetary Stewardship” in solving global-scale issues such as adaptation and mitigation of the global
warming and regeneration and restoration of the oceans and ecosystems. We will compile a database of the results andintermediate products of themes I-III and their fusion research and construct a system for identifying and listing factors
relevant to the marine ecosystem change based on the database by the fifth year. Furthermore, we will subsequently advance
this system and aim to build an advanced projection models for marine ecosystem changes by the 10th year, which will beapplicable and usable to generative AI by the 10th year. Here, generative AI, for example, means to output potential factors
contributing to changes in a specific ecosystem (or geophysical change) and model future projections based on the vast anddiverse information in the database and will be used for further interdisciplinary research in WPI-AIMEC. The strategy of
the WPI-AIMEC is in the heart of UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2023) (UNDOS),
which was proclaimed by UN General Assembly in 2021 to pursued multidisciplinary science and to contribute to societal
needs from marine science.

3) Global Research Environment and System Reform3) -1 System for advancing international research* Describe your concrete plan for building an international research center including the makeup of its foreign
researchers, a research collaboration system at a center organization level with overseas institutions, establishment ofoversea satellites, or similar functions. Include a time schedule for the plan.
* Describe concretely your strategy for staffing foreign researchers (e.g., postdoc positions) through open international
solicitations. Describe the procedures you will use to do so.

In the event of acceptance of this WPI proposal, this center, two host institutes (Tohoku University and JAMSTEC) anda satellite institute (IPRC/SOEST, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa), will immediately enter a MoU/C with our satellite
institutions and partner organizations to initiate mutual cooperation and collaborations (Figs. 1, 13). The latter will include
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -19
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

formal agreements to nurture and support young researchers, including postdocs, through the advanced “WPI-AIMECInternational Joint Graduate Program” (see Section 4)-2). By establishing a high-dimensional fusion center systemequipped with broadband and Digital Transformation (DX) systems between Sendai, Yokosuka, Yokohama, Honolulu, andother locations worldwide, we will create an ideal environment in which research cooperation and collaborations can be
carried out smoothly as well as to enhance physical international exchange.
For staffing foreign researchers, we plan to use the strong networks, which Directors and PIs have already establishedwith world-class international scientists: for example, Director Suga had been a co-chair of the steering committee of theInternational Argo Program, which is supported by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and involves more than 30 nations. He is also a core
member of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), which involves more than 50 nations. These international
networks are directly linked to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and UN Decade of Ocean Science
for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) that the UN has proclaimed to support efforts to preserve the cycle of decline inocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide (i.e., Stakeholder Forum). Deputy-Director Inagaki is one of theleaders of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), which is organized by more than 20 nations including Japan,
the U.S., and European countries. He has occupied leading positions within the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Deep Carbon
Observatory, and currently serves as an Advisor of CIFAR Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration Program. Other
PIs also play crucial roles in international research frameworks, including the Environmental DNA Observatory Network,and the Scientific and Technological Economic Commission for Fisheries (STECF). By utilizing these international
networks and research opportunities, we will hire a total of 18 postdocs per year, resulting in the support of a total 54
postdocs for FY2023-2032. The staffing of postdocs and young researchers will be annually processed by an International
Coordinator through annual open calls for 10 years, which will be globally announced through e.g., the homepage, satellite
institution, international scientific frameworks that PIs are involved in, high-profile journals (e.g., Cell, Nature, andScience), international conferences, and global academic foundations.

3) -2 Establishment of international research environment* Describe your concrete strategy for establishing an international research environment, administration system, andsupport system (e.g., appointment of staff who can facilitate the use of English in the work process and the provisionof startup funding) to accommodate researchers from overseas.
* Concretely describe how the center will provide an environment in which researchers can work comfortably on theirresearch by being exempted from duties other than research and related educational activities (e.g., allocation ofadequate staff support to handle paperwork and other administrative functions). Include your procedure and timeschedule for doing this.
* Describe your strategy, procedure and timing for periodically holding international research conferences or symposiums(as a rule, at least once a year).

Approximately 4,000 m2 of common space owned by the Tohoku
The official language will be English
University will be used to launch the WPI-AIMEC. Within 3 years, a newfor both research and administration.
building will be established on the Tohoku University’s Aobayama New
Campus in Sendai, Japan, to serve as the main base of this center, creating an “under-one-roof” fusion research
environment where research, administration, and support systems will be all centralized together. The Aobayama New
Campus, where the next-generation synchrotron radiation facility is almost ready to use, is the new base for the university’s“Science Park” concept. The main base will provide advanced laboratory spaces for PIs and other researchers and facilitate
an open laboratory space to promote international brain circulation. Accommodations for researchers from overseas alreadyexist within the university, the “University House” dormitories on the Aobayama New Campus and other areas in Sendai.
The WPI-Academy AIMR has accumulated the know-how and experience to accept overseas researchers and visitors,
promote fusional research and communications, and establish a world-class research environment. These WPI-oriented
international functionalities were transformed as a university-wide function in April 2022, Tohoku University establishedthe “International Support Center”, which has a function as research reception center with successor staff who provide
high quality support to the oversea researchers and visitors in English, regarding their accommodation, daily lives andresearch collaboration, as established based on the expertise of the WPI-Academy AIMR. JAMSTEC also have long term
experiences to accept many foreign scientists (51 scientists, 12.7%) in the organization naturally since the establishment ofFrontier Research System since about 20 years ago. In addition, international “JAMSTEC Young Research Fellowship
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -20
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Program” has been started since 2014, and total of 40 early-carrier scientists have spent their research lives in JAMSTEC
with the strong administrative support. Through the International Support Center, diverse sets of infrastructure of Tohoku
University, JAMSTEC, University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, and other international partners, this WPI alliance will have aninternational research environment that maximizes human interactions and joint trans-dimensional research
activities from the launch of the center. In addition, by participating in international programs and projects related tomarine ecosystems, such as Decade Action Programme/Projects of UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable
Development, in cooperation with the United States, Europe, and other major institutions around the world, we will build
mutually beneficial relationships with these institutions.
The Administrative Division will be responsible for creating an environment in which AIMEC researchers canconcentrate on their research (Fig. 14). Translation and/or instruction between English and Japanese may be required whencoordinating with housing, education, hospital, daily life, etc., which will be supported by an international coordinator andbilingual staff in the Administrative Division. For overseas researchers who cannot stay in Sendai or Yokohama/Yokosuka,
we will promote the sharing of research equipment and DX pipelines to improve the research quality and integration andestablish a high-dimensional fusion research system between the main base and satellite/partner institutions. Using thesefunctionalities and international networks, we will hold online weekly meetings, monthly webinar series (in cooperation
with Tohoku Forum for Creativity [TFC], Marine Science and Technology Strategy Department in JAMSTEC, and CIFAR),
and all-hands annual workshops/symposium coupled with the meeting of “International Science Advisory Board” (SAB;
Fig. 14), which will be established to provide scientific and administrative advices by renowned scientists from Japan andabroad. Furthermore, to promote efficient fusion of disciplines, a cross-mentoring system for young researchers, postdocs
and graduate students will be introduced, and tutorial seminars for researchers in different fields will be held on a regularbasis.

3) -3 Center management and system reform* Describe the roles of the center director and the administrative director.
* Concretely describe your concept for establishing the center’s administrative organization, the center’s decision-making
system, and how authority will be allocated between the center director and each host institution. (Describe concretely
the mechanism for decision making when the person in charge of management and the person in charge of researchand education in the center are different, and describe the responsibility relationship between the two.) Also, describe
the establishment of a governance system that enables effective and efficient management of the center, including risk
management, to be carried out in cooperation with each host institution.
* Concretely describe how the center will adopt a rigorous system for evaluating research and will introduce a system for
merit-based compensation (e.g., annual salary scheme). Describe your procedures and timing for operationalizing thesesystems.

◼

Leadership & center management

The provisional Director Suga has the authority to make all decisions regarding institutional management and scientificoperations. The Director is ultimately responsible for directing, supervising, and coordinating the entire research domains
in the Fusion Science Division, and for orchestrating trans-dimensional fusion research and the creation of planetarystewardship principles. He will also be responsible for fostering next-generation human resources linked to higher educationin association with the WPI-AIMEC International Joint Graduate Program (see “System reform” and Section 4)-2). The
provisional Deputy Director Inagaki will support the director’s management of this center from the two sites of hostinstitutes. The provisional Administrative Director Ando, who is a chairperson of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western
Pacific (IOC/WESTPAC, Appendix 3: ref. 2), will lead the Administrative Division to support researchers at all careerlevels to ensure exceptional scientific output. The Administrative Director will assist the Director to ensure smooth andunhindered operation in both host institutes and promote international brain circulation with the satellite institution andother partner organizations. His responsibility will, moreover, include outreach activities, such as dissemination andnarrative of integrated scientific knowledge and planetary stewardship.
The Administrative Division will consist of the “Science Support & Promotion Office (SSP)” and the “General
Affairs & Planning Office (GAP)” (Fig. 14). The SSP office, including the University Research Assistants (URAs) in
Tohoku University and its correspondences in JAMSTEC, will conduct international coordination with the International
Support Center, science communication, education and outreach, data system management, and evaluation support. The
GAP office will be in charge of accounting and funding, human resources, labor relations, contracts, and intellectual
property and rights. The responsibilities of each administrative staff will be periodically reviewed to keep pace withconstantly changing scientific advancements. To strengthen the function of the SSP office, we will hire dedicatedinternational coordinators and a professional science communicator. The document management will be streamlined
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -21
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

through DX pipelines and improve the processing speed and effectiveness. From the launch, a Joint Steering Committee
between two host institutes will be established with the memberships of Director, Deputy Director, Administrative Director,
and Deputy Administrative Directors for the purpose to support decisions of the Director. In addition to in-person meetings,
an online management system will be established among the managers, that will enable the continuation of management
meetings. A multifaceted evaluation system based on a “Target and Feedback (TF) sheet” will be introduced, with clearly
defined evaluation factors. The annual-based salary system will be set uniquely for the AIMEC’s employees, and subject
to reviews.

◼

System reform

You n g Resea rch ers
W PI I n tern a tion a l Join t d eg ree Prog ra m

W PI Centersl Core Research Cluster producing
research achievem ents on the highest
level> 2 0 0 Positions for Young Researchers* Frontier Res. I nst. I nterdisciplinary Science

TohokuForum
for Creativity
Japan's firstinternationallyopen stay- typeresearch
center

I nterdisciplinary Research l I nternational Research
Cluster advancing cross- sectoral
Alliance
interdisciplinary research
I nternational Research Cluster* I nternational Joint Graduate Program s

Cluster of Basic Departm ents
Diverse Research
for Future Key Areasl Cluster of Basic
Departm ents supporting anenvironm ent for excellent
research••

I nform ationtransfer
Transm issionof inform ation

Know ledge Sharing & Mobilization

Organization for
Advanced Studies

I PCC, UN Ocea n D eca d es, I SC,
TCFD /TN FD, I n d u stries a n d Society

Higher Education & Diversification

Tohoku University is currently undertaking university-wide reforms to make administrative processing smoother andmore immediate, and creating a “One-stop, One-point” system for researchers. Also, under “Declaration of Online
Administration”, we will promote a virtual environment to create an education and research environment. The URA system
will be further strengthened, and provide strong supports to researchers. As for the high-valued experimental and analytical

Prom otion of I nternational Brain Circulation
International Support Center

Sa tellite I n stitu tion s & Glob a l Pa rtn er Org a n iza tion s

International Commitment

Fig. 15. Tohoku University’s 3-layered “Research Innovation System”, linked with “WPI-AIMEC alliance and
WPI-Academy AIMR” and “Tohoku Forum for Creativity (TFC)”.

equipment used in research, the “Technical Support Center (TSC)” will coordinate detailed arrangements for researchers(Fig. 15), and the information and operations of the experimental and analytical equipment of AIMEC researchers will beobtained by the TSC.
In addition, under the President’s leadership, Tohoku University has been promoting a “Research Innovation System”
since 2018 by layering the university-wide research system into three foundational layers: 1. Organization for Advanced
Studies (OAS), 2. Interdisciplinary Research Alliance, and 3. Cluster of Basic Departments (Fig. 15). This WPI center
will be positioned at the top-tier “Organization for Advanced Studies (OAS)” from the launch, building a solid
collaborative system that will take advantage of the WPI-brand and its functionality. The OAS includes the WPIAcademy AIMR, the International Joint Laboratory Center, which promotes the world-class research centers throughinternational collaborations, and the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (FRIS), where >200 young
researchers conduct cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in an independent research environment. The “International
Joint Graduate Programs” including GP-EES and a new “WPI-AIMEC International Joint Graduate Program” ispositioned at the 2nd layer “Interdisciplinary Research Alliance” (for higher education, see Section 4)-2). Taking thisuniversity-wide system reform, we will cooperate/collaborate with GP-EES, FRIS, and other programs in the Cluster ofBasic Departments to establish a world-leading transdisciplinary research institute.
JAMSTEC is in the period of the 4th mid-long-term plan from 2020. Since then, JAMSTEC has operated research
departments by providing high degree of freedom to the directors. In this WPI alliance, JAMSTEC will build a similar
mechanism for the director to have a large discretionary power to the management of AIMEC. In addition to the reform in
JAMSTEC, two host institutes (Tohoku University and JAMSTEC) and University of Hawai‘i will collaborate develop theunique platform of “Mutual Utilization Laboratory (MUL)” as one institute. The operation of the MUL will besupported and promoted by the Administrative Division and will allow all researchers in the center to use necessaryfunctions equally in three institutes. Given the main challenges of the Center, only strong cooperation between highly
qualified people from various research institutes can tackle its solutions. MUL is the one essence of the WPI alliancecenter and the advantage which WPI Core will not have.
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -22
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

3) -4 Research environment* Concretely describe how equipment and facilities, including laboratory space, will be provided in a manner appropriate
for a “world premier international research center.” Include your procedure and timing for doing so.
* If determined that it will be effective to set up the center’s operational areas in multiple locations, describe in detailthe effectiveness of the setup and how it will be implemented in a way equivalent to an under-one-roof environment.
* Concretely describe how the center will consider arranging for its researchers to participate in the education of
graduate students.
* Describe new measures to improve or abolish existing systems and practices in the host institution toward optimizing
the center’s research environment.
* Describe your measures other than those described above for ensuring that world’s top researchers from around theworld can comfortably devote themselves to their research within an international and competitive environment at thecenter.

Tohoku University is the host institution for the new next-generation synchrotron radiation facility “NanoTerras”
is established at the Aobayama New Campus of Tohoku University, which will include the soft X-ray (3 GeV) analytical
tools. Tohoku University and JAMSTEC cooperate some international observation networks, e.g., most advanced
observation network for seismic waves, global ocean physicochemical factor monitoring systems, and high-resolution
organic matter analysis systems, which will be available for the WPI’s fusion research of marine ecosystem change.
JAMSTEC is the owner of the supercomputer “Earth Simulator”, which provide the best circumstances for EarthEnvironmental Simulation research, and also operating Argo data system and OBIS data system. By the strong supports
from the host institutes, AIMEC will also foster research opportunities and infrastructures at satellite institutions, including
the accessibility to computational infrastructures and data centers such as Argo data system and OBIS data system at
JAMSTEC and the IPRC’s “Asia-Pacific Data Center”, providing one-stop access to a wide range of climate (satellite)
and ocean observation (Argo) data and conducts research to improve data products. In addition, by activating hub
functions of the international network, we will provide young researchers with unprecedented opportunities toexperience cutting-edge fusion science and to play a role in international and transdisciplinary research projects.
The offices and laboratories in Aobayama New Campus will be located close to each other, and support staff will bestationed there. In JAMSTEC, we plan to station support staffs close to scientists mainly in Yokohama Campus, to which
we provide strong DX system with Aobayama New Campus. Among two host institutes, a satellite institute, and partnerorganizations, we will connect by DX in real-time, and diminish disadvantage to conduct fusion research among. The
facilities for analyses, experiments, and calculations will meet the standards necessary for conducting fusion research andthe world-class higher education (for detail, see Section 4)-2).

4) Values for the Future4) -1 Generating and disseminating the societal value of basic research* Describe concretely and quantitatively the center’s policy for widely disseminating the societal significance and value
stemming from the results of its basic research to the general public.

◼

Societal significance and value of basic research

To date, various nations and public sectors, including private industries, are making progress in efforts related to“Carbon Neutral” and “Nature Positive” initiatives following the “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” adopted
at the UN Summit in September 2015. The concept of “Planetary Boundaries” has been proposed in basic research as a
“Diagnostic of the Oceans and the Earth”. Upon assessing the current status of nine indicators, including global warming
and ocean acidification, the threshold values for the sustainable operation of Earth’s subsystems, so-called ‘tipping points’,have been presented. As a result, it has been demonstrated that some items related to climate change and ecosystems havealready been transcended.
Given expected exponential population growth and modified human activity in“How we adapt to change iscoming decades, the land-to-sea boundary is ground zero for the biggest forecasted
an important dimension forunderstanding society.”environmental change-related societal impacts. Considering the immense
significance of oceans and coastal regions for both local and global economies, thefuture of “Blue Economy” – an established framework for deriving wealth from the ocean on a sustainable basis – depends
on robust policies and practices from the perspective of coastal resource management. This domain proposes basic researchand dissemination goals as a rigorous strategy to address SDGs laid out in the Agenda 2030 “Plan of Action for People,
Planet and Prosperity” (UN, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015), andparticularly focusing on SDG14 (Life under water), UNDOS has started since 2021.
At the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in December 2022,
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -23
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

each nation’s effort toward the long-term goal of “A World in Harmony with Nature” by 2050 will be shared, and the“30by30” goal of conserving at least 30% of the land and sea by 2030. Nevertheless, there are overwhelmingly fewer
examples of basic research on marine ecosystems than on terrestrial ecosystems. At the G-Science conference held in March
2023, “Restoration and Recovery of Oceans and Biodiversity” was proposed. This proposal describes the need toestablish international roles for not only ‘conservation’ but also ‘recovery and restoration’ of the oceans and theirbiodiversity, as well as the need for scientific research that utilizes global ocean observation networks such as the Argo
program. On the other hand, the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems to environmental changes,
which are critically significant to the recovery and restoration processes, remain unclear.
Currently, there is a huge gap between
time-series studies of biological habitats
defined by principles in ocean physics andinterdisciplinary
researchonthefunctionality of mobile ecosystems andtheirplasticity,
complexity,
andadaptability at the genome expression
level. This situation makes it difficult tounderstand and project the internal andexternal regulation of ecosystem-node
functionsthat
promoteaccurate
projection of marine ecosystem change,
recovery, and restoration. The AIMEC
aims to solve these bottlenecks in basic
science and realize more accurate Fig. 16. Concept illustration of the new academic field “Ocean-Ecosystem Change
projections of marine ecosystem change. Systematics (OECS)” that WPI-AIMEC will create value and disseminate to theConsidering the fact that 41% of the globe.
global ocean area is impacted byhumanity (shipping, fishing, resource development, etc.) and that many countries and regions, including Japan, benefit frommarine ecosystems (i.e., ecosystem services), the transdisciplinary basic research and well-reasoned forecast informationfrom the WPI-AIMEC have societal significance in providing scientific guidance to future marine industries, policymakers,
and other public stakeholders, and in contributing to the improvement of humanity’s well-being and prosperity (Fig. 16).
This is in-line with the Implementation Plan of UNDOS, and according to the plan, IOC as a steward organization of
UNDOS has been calling actions for UNDOS. WPI-AIMEC will respond the call for actions to pursue the substantial
contributions to societal significance. The action of UNDOS will not only be done by researchers but also by administrative
staffs, and our scientific comunicators in the Administration Division will play major role for co-design/co-production/codelivery with various stakeholders in society.

◼

Dissemination of societal value of basic research

Since 2015, Tohoku University has been promoting “Research with Social Impact” on difficult-to-solve issues facing
modern society to create a sustainable and mindful society. By directly linking the scientific results of this center to thoseresearch themes and issues, we will create outcomes and value creation for the entire university. We are hiring a dedicatedinternational coordinator and science communicator in the administrative division to strengthen public relations andoutreach functions, including video and SNS distribution. In doing so, AIMEC will make full use of the Center for
Knowledge Creation, Tohoku University’s information dissemination hub, the Tohoku University Museum, JAMSTEC,
the University of Hawai’i, CIFAR’s international academic and PR network, and relevant UN agencies and frameworks
such as UNESCO/IOC. It will continuously and effectively disseminate information to stakeholders to enhance literacy inmarine ecosystems and also to co-design/co-production/co-delivery our state of the art of AIMEC’s sciences. Through these
efforts, we will accumulate assets of scientific knowledge from two host and satellite institute and will bring values to oursociety and human lives (Fig. 16). The research results and the integrated findings obtained from the research will bedisseminated in an effective and timely manner to diverse stakeholders through regular roundtable meetings with the generalpublic and policy makers, information dissemination via SNS and websites, and the establishment of our own video
distribution channel, while making maximum use of relevant organizations and international programs, such as the United
Nations.

4) -2 Fostering next-generation human resources linked with higher education* The center should be a platform for establishing a research system in which new interdisciplinary domains can be
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -24
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

created within a rich international environment. Describe concretely and quantitatively the initiatives to be taken to
foster young researchers, including doctoral students, through participation in such a research system within thecenter.

Universityof Hawai’i

We will create a system that allows
WPI-AIMEC International Graduate Degree Program
young researchers to be actively
International
brain
Transdisciplinary
Open & shared
Strengthen global
involved in the doctoral programs ofcirculation
higher education
lab platform
research abilities
related departments and build a
Tohokusystem that allows us to provide
JAMSTEC
University
research guidance to graduate
Transdisciplinary Mentorship
International Joint Graduate Program
students from Japan and abroad. We
SUCCESS
Jointly Supervised
Double Degree
will thereby foster young researchers
Degree (JSD)(DD)
Vision &Skill &
Leadership
Knowledge
to become world leaders of the next
ADVICEMOTIVATION
generation and beyond. With regard
TRAINING
SUPPORTto the postdoc program of this WPIn Graduate Program in Earth andalliance center, we will actively
Environmental Sciences (GP-EES) w/UH
Director Suga
recruit young researchers throughinternational recruitment, hiring 6
Earth Simulator
Ocean Research
postdocs in the first year and 18
Globalresearch
opportunities
Joint-supervisionforco-creation
postdocs per year in the following
years. Over the course of 10 years’ Fig. 17. Schematic figure of the new WPI-AIMEC International Graduate Degree
WPI program, we will support more Program that will be established for international and transdisciplinary higher education
than 54 postdoc researchers in 10 in collaboration with the host and satellite institutions.
years, for which over 30% will beoverseas and/or female researchers (Section 2)-3 and Appendix 7). Young researchers with particularly outstandingachievements will be designated as “Rising STAR Researchers”. The “Transdimensional Research Promotion Award”
will be implemented as a stimulative research grant to promote transdisciplinary fusion research led by young researchers
and to enhance international competitiveness. Furthermore, researchers who have demonstrated visible leadership in Japanand abroad will be given the status of specially-appointed associate professor or assistant professor (with a fixed term),
provisionally associated with the Tohoku University’s tenure-track system, and researcher (with a fixed term), associatedwith the JAMSTEC human affair system.
To foster international and interdisciplinary graduate students, we will collaborate with Tohoku University’s
International Joint Graduate Programs (Fig. 14); e.g., in collaboration with the University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, the GPEES has produced 10 jointly supervised degree recipients since 2018. In this WPI alliance initiative, we will establish a
new “WPI-AIMEC International Joint Graduate Program” and strengthen the higher education program more worldwide and interdisciplinary, in which WPI’s world-class researchers engage in graduate student education and training (Fig.
17; see Appendix 2). Students will take cross-disciplinary lectures from the second year of master course after learning thebasics of each specialized field, participate in summer schools, etc. at overseas partner institutions, and practice research
activities at overseas partner institutions for six months or more during the doctoral course. In addition, we will promote
overseas participation in this program by utilizing the mechanisms for accepting international students at each graduate
school. As a result, in tight corporation with Tohoku University, JAMSTEC, and University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, theAIMEC will employ up to 33 doctoral students per year, producing ~120 Ph.D. recipients in 10 years.

4) -3 Self-sufficient and sustainable center development* The center needs to become self-sufficient and sustainable after the funding period of 10 years ends. Describe the hostinstitution’s mid- to long-term plan and schedule for supporting the center’s development, including the reform of thehost institution’s organization, the provision of personnel with priority allocation of tenured posts to the center,
fundamental financial support, and material support including land and buildings.
At beginning of project％

Number of persons
Doctoral students
Expected employment

Final goal
(Date: April, 2027)

At end of FY 2023％

Number of persons

Number of persons

％

24

30

81

3 12.5

9 30.033 40.7

Tohoku University’s 4 Mid-Term Plan describes a university-wide goal that a world-class research environment and its
support system will be established and expanded, and promotes system reforms to strengthen the self-sufficient andindependent strategic management under the “Tohoku University Global Gateway Strategy”. Tohoku University hasthTohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) -25
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

pledged its utmost support for the continuation of this WPI for 10 fiscal years and beyond (see Form 5). Specifically, thisWPI center will be positioned from the launch at the OAS of the Tohoku University’s Research Innovation System, whichenable us to promote mutual cooperation with the WPI-Academy AIMR, FRIS, GP-EES, and the new “WPI-AIMEC
Intentional Joint Graduate Program” (Fig. 17). During the decadal WPI program, we will develop a strong system ofcooperation and collaboration within the university in terms of research and administration, including the areas of humanresources, administrative structure, research support system, and joint guidance of graduate students in higher education
programs. Furthermore, by utilizing the framework of JAMSTEC’s joint graduate school system, we will provide theresearchers within the WPI alliance framework with the best opportunities for hands-on education at the field level that
JAMSTEC can provide, enabling researchers to pursue broader and more advanced careers in the future. These proactive,
university-wide, system reforms and cooperation at Tohoku University and in solid collaboration with JAMSTEC willallow this center to develop a self-sufficient and sustainable center after the decadal grant period ends, and generate
powerful synergies to enhance academic excellence, international education, integrated knowledge mobilization, andsustainability in the future.
In JAMSTEC’s 4th Medium-to-Long-Term Plan, the head of each research department manage with great discretion andconduct research. As for this WPI alliance center, a new department will be established immediately after selection, andthe researchers and administrative supporters of the existing departments will be relocated. After the end of the support
period, we will continue the established department and realize management with a large.

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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Director’s Vision

Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)
Toshio Suga, Professor of the Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University
Over the past 4 billion years, periodic changes in Earth systems have been controlled by astronomical factors (e.g.,
Earth’s orbit and tilt of rotational axis) and planetary factors (e.g., plate tectonics, mantle convection, volcanic activity).
However, with human activities now integrated into the Earth system, the natural periodicity has been disturbed, leading
to cascading and rapid changes that threaten sustainability. Global warming, ocean acidification, loss of biodiversity, anddegradation of ecosystem functions are some of the most visible impacts. The WPI-Advanced Institute for Marine
Ecosystem Change (AIMEC) aims to foster interdisciplinary research to advance fundamental sciences and apply theknowledge gained to contribute to the sustainability and well-being of humanity.
Marine ecosystems (i.e., Hydrosphere [including the atmosphere] and Biosphere) account for approximately half ofglobal primary production and support about 80% of Earth’s total animal mass. Interactions between the oceans and thecontinents, i.e., Geosphere, have shaped the structure and vigor of the marine ecosystem and drive the evolution of life on
Earth. However, the addition of human activities to the Earth system leads to changes in the marine ecosystem that wehave yet to fully comprehend. Marine ecosystems provide humans with various material and functional benefits known as“ecosystem services,” including food supply, atmospheric and marine chemical component regulation, nutrient cycling,
wastewater treatment, recreation and culture, and shoreline protection. Despite this, we lack a fundamental
understanding of how marine ecosystems respond and adapt to anthropogenic environmental changes compared
to terrestrial ecosystems. While studies have shown that human activities have had a global impact on terrestrial
ecosystems, we lack highly accurate scientific predictions for marine ecosystem changes in relation to system feedback.
In order to address the issue of how alternations of biodiversity and functionality affect the global environments and impact
human socioeconomics, it is necessary to develop an integrated analysis that encompasses external factors (environmental
stressors) regarding stability, connectivity, and adaptability, which are vital components for ecological sustainability.
Although the geographic distribution of biodiversity from the surface to shallow water has been partly elucidated, ourunderstanding of their interactions and linkages with cyclic marine environmental changes remains incomplete. During adecadal-scale change in the marine environment, there are tipping points where extreme ecosystem changes occur rapidly,
known as “regime shifts”. However, the mechanisms that trigger, transform, and terminate such shifts are still unclear.
Specifically, there are many unknowns, such as what is the mechanism by which ecosystem functions are maintained
through changes in biodiversity even under fluctuating environmental conditions; what are the mechanisms of sudden
extinctions and outbreaks at the community, individual, and molecular levels; and what are the limits of ecosystem
plasticity due to changes in genome and protein functionality. Over the past 100 years, in conjunction with global warming,
the frequency of marine heat waves showed marked increase and led to rapid increases in ocean temperatures over days
to years. These phenomena are thought to cause catastrophic damage to migratory fish catches, such as saury and yellowtail,and benthic organisms, such as crabs and scallops. They may also induce declines in the higher-order predators, such as
sharks, penguins, and whales, and induce abnormal blooming of harmful and toxic algae and jellyfish. However, detailsof their mechanisms of change remain a big mystery.
The WPI-AIMEC aims to enhance human sustainability and well-being by addressing the fundamental and criticalquestion: “What are the response and adaptation mechanisms of marine ecosystems to Earth-Human system
dynamics?”. To achieve this, we integrate digital data from satellite networks with on-site observations ranging from local
to global scales, analyze diverse and large-scale observational data including environmental DNA/RNA (eDNA/RNA),
acoustics, images, and other tools, and assess biological, geochemical, and geophysical factors from the mesopelagic zone
to the deep sea. By integrating these data over the next decade, we will illuminate the marine ecosystems’ response andadaptation mechanisms during decadal-scale changes, particularly those related to regime shifts in climate andecosystems, and enhance the accuracy of projections of marine ecosystem change.
The Northwest Pacific is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, extending from low to high latitude, due to theinteractions of arctic, subarctic, subtropical, and tropical environments across a range of spatiotemporal scales. The
variability has a significant impact on fisheries and the ecosystems of coastal megacities. Japan, situated in this region, isin an optimal geographic position to study Earth-Human system dynamics in the ocean. There is currently a global
emphasis on proactive restoration and recovery of the ocean and ecosystems beyond conservation and maintenance.
To achieve this challenging goal, it is crucial to expand our knowledge of the mechanisms of spatiotemporal variability inmarine ecosystems as soon as possible. Given the importance and urgency of this issue, AIMEC will establish andglobally lead a new academic field called “Ocean-Ecosystem Change Systematics (OECS)” for sustainability,
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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

which integrates various disciplines of marine physics
and ecology with data science approaches, making
full use of state-of-the-art observational andexperimental techniques and information analyses.
Tohoku University has pioneered many studies on
atmosphere-ocean interactions and their effects on ocean
environmental changes, mainly focusing on the
Northwest Pacific region. For example, prospective
center director Suga and his team were developmental
leaders for the International Argo Program, a global
ocean observation network of several thousand
automated observation robots (profiling floats). By
applying machine learning and other techniques, we have produced ocean-scale, high-resolution maps that combine insitu and satellite data, which has given us insights into the formation of specific marine environments and the mechanismsof material circulation. In ecological studies, Prof. Kondoh and his team lead data-driven science on ecosystems andbiodiversity by deploying ANEMONE, an eDNA-based biodiversity monitoring network, along the coast of Japan, inriverine areas, and recently in the open ocean. These accomplishments and accumulated scientific knowledge provide asolid foundation for understanding the mechanisms of marine ecosystem change in the Northwest Pacific. Dr. Kawamiya
and his team at Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) have pioneered climate
evolution models of the atmosphere-ocean system. They are recognized as one of the world’s leading institutions as
demonstrated by the development of the Earth System Models (ESMs) combined with an ecosystem model. The advanced
ESM system can also assimilate global observation data to find the optimal model parameters and reproduce the actual
ocean state. Furthermore, the University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa, together with Tohoku University and JAMSTEC continue
their long-standing collaboration at the organizational level. Together they have an international meteorological andoceanographic base in the central Pacific Ocean, and lead observational research in the Asia-Pacific region with theInternational Pacific Research Center. In order to address the pressing issues that we face, it will be most effective andimpactful to work as an international alliance-type initiative, where data can be shared strategically in a focused ocean
region rather than to have universities and research institutions work individually. Under the WPI flagship, I will leadsystematic collaboration between Tohoku University, JAMSTEC, the University of Hawai‘i, and other partner
institutions to understand and digitally project the mechanisms of marine ecosystem change at various
spatiotemporal scales. This initiative will serve as an international academic foundation to nurture the next generation ofresearchers and leaders and to pass on values to future generations.
As the first WPI alliance center, AIMEC will initiate interdisciplinary research that integrates the physical, chemical,
and biological aspects of marine environments and ecosystems in the Northwest Pacific. Currently, data obtained fromvarious sensor-based measurements, continuous observation methods, and automated observation networks vary in natureand quantity across different fields, resulting in a decreasing spatiotemporal coverage level of data generally by an orderof magnitude in the physical, chemical, and biological fields, respectively. To effectively integrate and unify such data, it
is essential to foster mutual scientific respect and understanding of the relevance of data from different disciplines andharmonize data with different granularity. The AIMEC will develop an “under one roof” research environment where
researchers from different disciplines can routinely collaborate from the stage of basic data generation. Initially focusing
on research in the Northwest Pacific for the first five years, data products will be structured for global extension in the
middle to latter five years, with the aim of developing international data utilization beyond the subject area boundaries
and world-class global research within a 10-year period. The results and intermediate products of the fusion research will
be sequentially compiled into a database, and a prototype of a generative AI for marine ecosystems based on this database
will be created for further interdisciplinary research. In 10 years, we aim to expand the system to a generative AI that canbe released to the public, and internationally lead OECS.
Through developing the AIMEC WPI alliance center and its initiatives, I am determined to work with like-minded
colleagues to deliver contributions to “Planetary Stewardship” that will lead to the sustainable development of the
Earth-Human system for the next generations. Since 2016, I have led an International Joint Graduate Program basedon joint supervision of degrees between Tohoku University and the University of Hawaii and trained numerous jointly
supervised degree students. Expanding this framework and allowing JAMSTEC researchers to provide degree guidance
through the new “WPI-AIMEC International Joint Graduate Program,” we will accelerate the development of
global human resources who will lead the next generations. Furthermore, a dedicated university research administrator
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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

and international communicator will be appointed to take charge of public relations and outreach and to disseminate
information continuously and effectively to the scientific community, relevant UN agencies, policymakers, privatecompanies, and the general public, thereby improving the visibility and synergy effects.

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Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)

Host Institution’s Commitment
June 1, 2023
To MEXTName of host institution 1: Tohoku University
Name and title of head of host institution 1: Hideo Ohno, President
Name of host institution 2: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)Name and title of head of host institution 2: Hiroyuki Yamato, President

I confirm that the measures listed below will be carried out faithfully and concretely as follows regarding
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC) if it is adopted under the World PremierInternational Research Center Initiative (WPI).

Concrete Measures

・Describe the concrete measures that the host institution will take to satisfy the following requirements.
1) For the center to become a truly “world premier international research center” andindependent by the time WPI support ends, each host institution must clearly define thecenter’s role within its own mid-to-long-term strategy and provide comprehensive support
from the time that the funded project starts, while showing that the center contributes toachieving each host institution’s missions, etc.
※Describe how the center will contribute to achieving the host institution’s missions, enhance its
founding spirit/philosophy, and contribute to realizing the objectives of its operation, etc.
※Describe the center’s role within the host institution’s own mid-to-long-term strategy.

Tohoku University and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) will develop
an “under one roof” center that builds on the robust partnership between the two institutions andleverages their respective strengths in a mutually complementary manner. Moreover, the two institutions
will collaborate to provide full-scale support for the center both during the funding period and thereafter,
establishing a world-leading research center that is the hub of international brain circulation. In order to realize
integrated operation of this WPI-AIMEC, the two institutions will not only mutually establish multiple
laboratories and deploy researcher cross-appointment systems, but also work in close collaboration to builda research environment providing researchers affiliated with the center free access to research
infrastructure at both host institutions, enable them to commit to higher education, and pursue
appropriate value-adding of knowledge assets.
(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
Since its foundation Tohoku University has pursued to contribute to the development of a peacefulhuman society based on the principles of “Research First,” “Open Doors,” and “Practice-Oriented Researchand Education.” As a hub of knowledge we have produced world-class research findings, shared themwith wider society, and powered innovation. Drawing on that strong track records and heritages, we are
currently pursuing university system and management reforms designed to realize an advanced virtuous
cycle of education, research, and co-creation with community.
The proposed center WPI-AIMEC will not only serve as a leading model for Tohoku University’s various
reforms but will also contribute substantially to realizing the university’s mission of becoming aninternationally renowned research institute by driving world-class research, the development ofinternational-standard research support systems, and international brain circulation. Specifically, thecenter will develop cross-border collaborative frameworks for the mobilization of top-level researchers
in related fields and the maximum leverage of our internationalization strategy of strengthening ourinternational networks and employing international researchers using the university’s own financial
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resources. These will be rolled out to advance university-wide system reforms, further enhancing theuniversity’s international presence as well as leading creation of new academic fields based on
outstanding research findings.
We have committed to securing resources equal to or greater than the funding provided under
the WPI for use in the proposed center’s management and research activities. Moreover, the center will
be given the status of an official organizational unit of Tohoku University from the outset, andprovided with across-the-board support so it can become one of the university’s flagship research
centers after the funded project ends. Specifically, it will receive around the same level of resources as
our WPI-AIMR (approximately 800 million yen).
As a Designated National University Corporation, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of theuniversity’s research capabilities with a view to generating premier world-class research findings andboosting our international presence, identifying nine priority research areas from the perspective ofstrengths and future potentials. Out of these nine areas, the current proposal focuses on research in
Environmental & Earth Sciences, in recognition of the importance of which the President designatedthe Institute for Integrated Earth Science (IESS) as a Center for Key Interdisciplinary Research as
of February 2022, implementing financial support at the President’s discretion. The IESS is alreadypursuing research activities as a university-wide research hub, including, in May 2022, an international
workshop with six international research leaders in a variety of fields, not only Earth Science, invited asguest speakers.
We have constructed a university-wide, three-layer structure of research institutions forming partof our Research Innovation System (Fig. 15 in Form 3). The first and uppermost layer is theOrganization for Advanced Studies, and within this we have established as an autonomous entity
the WPI-AIMR, which completed its mission as a WPI center in 2016 and has since been operatingwith funding from the university itself. The proposed center AIMEC will similarly be a new addition tothis layer. In addition to the WPI-AIMR and our three other world-leading Core Research Clusters thatshare the WPI-AIMR as their core unit (Fig. 15 in Form 3), the Organization for Advanced Studies
comprises a Division for the Establishment of Frontier Sciences that opens up new areas of research, anInternational Joint Laboratory Center that uses international joint research to form global research hubs,
and a Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences where early-career researchers engage incutting-edge interdisciplinary research in an independent environment. The organization is pursuingworld-leading integrative, cross-disciplinary, and frontier research, supported by priority
investments under the President’s leadership.
This three-layered Research Innovation System and the Organization for Advanced Studies are
positioned as key initiatives in the Tohoku University Vision 2030 that sets out an ambitious outlook
for the university’s future toward 2030, and in the university’s Fourth Evaluation for Current MidTerm Goals and Mid-Term Plan. Positioning the proposed center within the Organization for
Advanced Studies will enable it to utilize the systems and expertise nurtured in the WPI-AIMR andto function as a global research hub supported by full-scale priority investments.
The systems and know-how cultivated at Tohoku University will also be deployed across JAMSTEC,
and Tohoku University as a whole will provide support such as coordination by the Executive VicePresidents and Vice-Presidents as required in order to enable integrated, “under one roof” operation of
the center through robust collaboration, including with the University of Hawai‘i.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
The main initial research to be pursued in this center, “Interdisciplinary and Integravitive Research of Physical,
Chemical, and Biological Facets of the Marine Environment and Ecology in the Northwest Pacific,” is consistent
with JAMSTEC’s initiative on “research and development to understand the current status of the global
environment and predict change,” which is one of the research and development themes identified in
JAMSTEC’s Fourth Mid to Long-Term Plan (FY 2019 to FY 2025).
In addition, in March 2023 we published the Manifesto outlining JAMSTEC’s approach to activities moving
forward, and we are currently pursuing the development of research and technology that requires strengthening
from a long-term perspective, as well as establishing the mechanisms needed to realize such development. The
manifesto also declares JAMSTEC’s aim to become a world-class research center. We will thus collaborate
with Tohoku University to support activities of the proposed WPI center AIMEC and contribute to its
development as a world premier research center as part of JAMSTEC’s Mid to Long-Term Plan and
Manifesto.
Moreover, JAMSTEC will furnish equipment and facilities for the center including the use of its own
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supercomputer, Earth Simulator, and provision of access to observational databases such as the Biological
Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL). These contributions will secure resources equivalent to or
greater than the funding provided under the WPI program as well as adding strong impetus to the center’s
activities. Expertise in areas such as system reform that are gained through the WPI initiative will also be
deployed within JAMSTEC, and the entire organization will work in unison with Tohoku University to deliverintegrated support for the center.
Development of human resources is positioned as one of the key pillars of JAMSTEC’s Manifesto. We
are committed to strengthening our research environment to attract outstanding young researchers from Japanand overseas, and enhancing the capability of the administrative personnels who support JAMSTEC. The
technologies and knowledge held by the talent we attract will be fed into initiatives that help actualize the
WPI-AIMEC’s research vision. Moreover, this proposal is built on the many years of international joint
research between JAMSTEC and the University of Hawai‘i on the global environment and changes therein,centered on the Asia-Pacific region. It will further advance collaboration between Tohoku University,
JAMSTEC, and the University of Hawai‘i and support the formation of a research center of the highest
international standard.
2)

Provide a mid-to-long-term policy on the direction of each host institution’s operatingorganization, one that includes the reform of the institution’s existing organization in waysthat will achieve the center’s independence and create a permanent place for the center
within each organization. A concrete plan must be established and a schedule set forcarrying out the restructuring of each host institution’s organization.
※Describe your mid-to-long-term policy on the direction of the host institution’s operating organization and provide
a concrete plan and schedule.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
As a designated national university, Tohoku University is rapidly advancing unified reforms of governanceand operational funding befitting a world-class research university, under the leadership of the President. The
three-layered Research Innovation System described above is one part of these reforms. WPI-style managementwith personnel assigned across departments has been adopted in the WPI-AIMR within the Core Research
Cluster, as well as the three other Core Research Clusters established in the abovementioned Organization for
Advanced Studies. These Clusters have been pursuing world-leading research supported by priority
investments (strategic financial support, early-career research personnel support, etc.) under the
President’s leadership, with environments and organizational structures for the advancement of world premier
research already being put into place. The Fourth Mid-Term Goals and Mid-Term Plan state the goal ofraising the number of centers growing into the uppermost layer, toward further development of the
Research Innovation System.
The university established the WPI-AIMR as an autonomous entity from the outset. This status wasmaintained even after the end of the WPI grant period, as the institute continued to be afforded powers, resources,
and infrastructure, including the allocation of tenured positions. Today, it maintains a scale and activity profile
befitting a WPI-Academy center, and its stable advancement in the medium to long term is assured.
The proposed center AIMEC will also be positioned as a permanent entity within the Organization for
Advanced Studies from the time of its establishment and will be allocated personnel and space, enjoying theuniversity’s robust support not only during the grant period but also in order to operate autonomously thereafter.
The plan in the event that the center is selected for the WPI is to quickly complete the process of establishing a
research support organization, including the assignment of successive employees required for the center’s
operation, by the end of the 2023 fiscal year.
If the center is selected, the Working Group for a Future Vision for a World Premier International
Research Center (provisional title) will be formally launched as a permanent body involving executive officers
from the Tohoku University and JAMSTEC, instituting a coordinated drive by the university and JAMSTEC to
support the center’s autonomous operation and to realize its action plan.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
Under JAMSTEC’s Fourth Mid to Long-Term Plan, the head of each research division is granted considerable
discretion in the management and conduct of research in their institute. In addition, pursuant to the Fourth Mid
to Long-term Plan, new organizations have been established to pursue research not only funded by operating
expense grants but also by external funds such as competitive research grants awarded to JAMSTEC. For the
proposed center AIMEC too, a new organization will be established promptly following selection for WPI, andresearchers and administrative support staff will be reassigned to it from existing organizations within
Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) - 3
Advanced Institute for Marine Ecosystem Change (AIMEC)JAMSTEC. The organization thus established will be operated with a high degree of freedom even after thefunding period has ended. Moreover, the responsible Executive Director of JAMSTEC will participate in the
Working Group for a Future Vision for a World Premier International Research Center (provisional title)
established promptly after selection, and will be involved in intensive coordination at the institutional leveltoward support for autonomous operation of the center and realization of plans for its development.
3)

Describe the host institution’s concept for allocating it’s basic and other budgets andproviding sufficient support for carrying out the center’s operation and research activities,
including necessary human, financial, and system support. In addition, when utilizing
external funds other than the WPI grant for the center’s operation and research activities,
toward realizing the missions of the host organization, show the relationship between thecenter and other external funds.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
Through the pursuit of outstanding education and research, Tohoku University is pushing forward with a shift
to engagement-style university management, which involves enhancing the university’s brand, creating
new societal value and strengthen the university’s fiscal foundations through co-creation with a wide
range of stakeholders, and strategically reallocating the internal resources generated thereby under theleadership of the President. The President is directing the priority allocation of external funds to projects withstrong growth prospects and large-scale integrative project research, so that enhanced external funding boosts
the performance of the university as a whole.
As stated above, because of the center’s importance, the university has already committed to securingresources equal to or greater than the funding provided under this program for the purpose of operating
the center and supporting its research activities. We will assign successive faculty and administrative employees
to the center as appropriate and pursue priority investments of university resources. We already have a trackrecord of developing the systems to manage an alliance-type WPI center, and the Executive Vice-President for
Research and the center director will engage in direct daily communication to ensure that the necessary systemic
reforms are undertaken immediately.
Furthermore, guided by the Connected University Strategy drawn up in July 2020, we are vigorously
advancing the establishment of an international cross-appointment system, overseas dispatch of young
researchers, remote provision of joint-use facilities, and new approaches to international exchange
utilizing online tools, with university-wide systems and environments already in place. We will actively
mobilize this kind of institutional support also to enable the center to pursue a dynamic program of international
research activities and become a hub of international talent circulation.
Growing the proposed center into a hub not only for the promotion of world premier research but also
the university’s governance reforms is one of the key pillars of Tohoku University’s management strategy,
and we will provide the personnel, funding, and systems needed to support it.
Support will also be provided by the university as a whole to acquire a wide range of funding and donations
to be utilized in the center’s operation and research, including the development of large-scale industry-university
research partnerships with corporations and other partners based on innovative ideas generated by the center.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
JAMSTEC is strengthening the involvement of its President and Executive Directors in the development ofbasic policies and practical allocation of budgets pertaining to prioritization and efficiency gains in theassignment of personnel and prioritization of tasks and funds. Specifically, we have instituted a process whereby
the Executive Directors coordinate across the institutes for which they are responsible with a view to outcomesin 2-3 years’ time, and report the results of this coordination to the President, who ratifies them. This processensures that resources are allocated in accordance with strong leadership. We have just invested the resources
necessary for strategic advancement of programs in the 2023 fiscal year in line with the abovementioned
Manifesto. In light of the importance of the proposed center WPI-AIMEC, we will provide strong personnel
support through appointment of individuals who have worked as research directors in JAMSTEC and haveexperience in leading world-class research projects to positions in the proposed center such as deputy director,
PIs, and administrative director. Furthermore, under the strong leadership of JAMSTEC’s President andExecutive Directors, we have committed to allocating resources to the proposed center equivalent to or greaterthan the value of funding provided by the WPI program. Specifically, JAMSTEC will provide robust backing
for the WPI’s activities by furnishing equipment and facilities including use of its own supercomputer, Earth
Simulator, providing access to observational databases such as the Biological Information System for Marine
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Life (BISMaL), and contributing know-how related to the operation and development of the autonomous
observational robot Argo float. Additionally, we will establish a new organization immediately after the
proposed center is selected for the WPI program and provide support essential for the center’s operation andresearch activities including by reassigning researchers and administrative support staffs to it from existing
JAMSTEC organizations.
We will also contribute to advancement of the proposed center by deploying the outcomes from activities byexternal funding from MEXT with the aim of generating and providing scientific evidence for use in thedevelopment of climate change adaptation policies and mitigation programs toward the realization of a zerocarbon society.
4)

Provide for the independent operation of the center including after the WPI grant period
ends. Provide necessary support to include the long-term provision of human and financial
resources, facilities, equipment and other elements needed to retain the center as a “World
Premier International Research Center.” Based on coordination among the host institutions
participating in the alliance, also secure and provide from an early stage of the center’sestablishment the infrastructure needed for it to carry out its activities (e.g. land, researchfacilities and equipment, research space), and do so with a commitment to continually
maintaining this infrastructure after the WPI grant period ends.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
As outlined earlier, when the WPI-AIMEC is established, it will be made part of the Organization for
Advanced Studies. We already have a history of deploying the research and administrative systems developed
by WPI-AIMR across the whole of the Organization for Advanced Studies, enabling maximal use of a variety
of priority investments and strategies for personnel and financing. This has led to a steady increase in thenumber of internationally highly-cited papers, greater international competitiveness, and joint research
projects with corporations and other partners based on world-leading innovative ideas, realizing majorachievements in the social application of research that include large-scale university-industry research
partnerships.
We will provide the proposed center with the same kind of robust support to enable it to pursue outstanding
research of the highest global standards. At the same time, we will seek to attract a variety of external funding
and donations, and make every effort to prepare for the center’s autonomous operation in the future.
In terms of infrastructure, in the event that the center is selected for the WPI, initially it will make use of
4,000m2 of common space owned by the Tohoku University and available for mutual establishment ofmultiple laboratories, and later coordinate closely with JAMSTEC in the Working Group for a Future Vision
for a WPI Research Center (provisional title) to construct, as soon as feasible, a building to house the entire
center to bring together the knowledge from two institutions and centers abroad under one roof, securing
infrastructure that can be utilized even after the grant period. We will not only provide sophisticated laboratory
spaces and residences for PIs and associated researchers, but also facilities to promote interaction within thecenter and open laboratory space to accommodate joint research projects with external partners. These
initiatives, together with the development of an environment that can be utilized freely by PIs based at
JAMSTEC and overseas PIs, will enable us to build a platform that promotes research of the highest global
standards.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
Even after the grant period of WPI, JAMSTEC will continue to support the WPI-AIMEC in various ways
including provision of the Earth Simulator (one of the world’s foremost computing resources) and expertiseassociated with marine observation, development of climate models linking the atmosphere and oceans,development of planetary system models in combination with ecosystem models, and the provision of talent in
the form of world leaders in research utilizing our resources. Moreover, JAMSTEC will continue to secure
the space required for unified operation of the center together with Tohoku University, contributing to therealization of the WPI center’s vision as well as pursuing joint research projects and other initiatives that sustain
the world-class research center developed through collaboration between Tohoku University, JAMSTEC, andthe University of Hawai‘i at Mãnoa.
5)

Provide a system that will in practice allow the center director to make decisions in
implementing the center project, including personnel and budgets, and that will secure theautonomy of the center’s operation.
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(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
As was the case for AIMR, in order to secure the autonomy of the center’s operation under its director, we
will institute an executive structure that gives the director effective control over the center’s personnel andbudgetary expenditure. Moreover, expenditure of subsidies within the center will not be tied to strict budgetaryparameters, and funds – including those allocated from the university’s general budget – will be used at thediscretion of the director.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
JAMSTEC’s Fourth Mid to Long-Term Plan commencing in 2020 created a system allowing the heads ofeach research institute to exercise a high degree of freedom in management, and facilitating the production ofhigh-level scientific outputs. With regard to the operation of the proposed center, we will establish a neworganization immediately following selection for the WPI program, and institute a system that guarantees ahigh degree of discretion for the center director with regard to matters such as personnel and budgetary
expenditure.
6)

Provide support to the center director by coordinating with other departments regarding
assigning researchers to the center and creating an effective environment for the center
within the host institution. Needed adjustments to do so should be made proactively while
giving consideration to their effect on the educational and research activities of thosedepartments.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
In preparation for applying for this program, the proposal for this WPI center was fully coordinated within
the host institution based on detailed coordination among the President, the Executive Vice President for
Research, and the related departments. Structures have been developed for close collaboration andcooperation with the home departments of PIs involved in the center on personnel affairs, administrative
functions, research support, and supervision of doctoral students. The heads of departments participatingin the proposed center have particularly high expectations in relation to doctoral student supervision.
After the proposed center is selected for the WPI grant, we will support the center director and proactively
coordinate across the university to build a system enabling collaboration with related departments and the
involvement of JAMSTEC PIs in educational activities, in order to invigorate the center’s research activities
and establish win-win collaborations that will advance education and research in those departments.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
The research institutes to which PIs participating in the proposed center are affiliated operate monthly
divisional research meetings, which serve as opportunities for information-sharing to facilitate internal
collaboration. In order to advance collaboration with other organizations within JAMSTEC, we hold monthly
inter-divisional meetings chaired by JAMSTEC executives. The deputy director and/or administrative directorof the proposed center will attend these meetings as required, engaging in discussion and coordination in orderto develop systems for collaboration between the center and other associated organizations, thus supporting thecenter’s activities in JAMSTEC and the work of the center director.
7)

Offer cooperation in flexibly applying, revising, or supplementing the host institution’s
internal systems as needed for the center to effectively implement new management
methods unfettered by conventional modes of operation (e.g. English-language
environment, merit-based pay, top-down decision making, linkage to graduate school
education).

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
As was the case with WPI-AIMR, the center will adopt a performance-based compensation system and a topdown management approach. English will be the official language for both lecturers and administrative
personnel, enabling top-class researchers from Japan and abroad to gather at the center and invigorate its
activities as a hub of international research activity. The proposed center will also deliver high-quality support
for research and daily life for international invited researchers. The Organization for Advanced Studies
where the center is to be located is already equipped with an International Affairs Center (IAC) that has
functions including a research reception center and an international publicity office that conducts global outreachactivities, and is staffed with successive employees and other personnel who provide English-language
support. The know-how developed in WPI-AIMR will be leveraged to support the center based on strong
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partnership with the International Support Center established in April 2022 as a university-wide organization
providing support that enables international researchers to make a smooth start to their research activities at
Tohoku University.
For post-graduate education, collaboration with the International Joint Graduate Program and other schemes
has enabled us to reach agreement with related postgraduate departments on the participation of our center’s
researchers in postgraduate education and supervision, including in centers abroad. Further, we will establish a
new “WPI-AIMEC International Joint Graduate Program” linked to transdisciplinary education systems
unique to Tohoku University, namely the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) developed by our Center for
the Advancement of Open Online Education and the double degree system we have instituted throughpartnership agreements with leading universities overseas. We will provide strong support for university-wide
coordination toward the establishment of this graduate program.
As part of promoting the value-adding of knowledge assets across multiple host institutions, we willproactively coordinate internally and across institutions to facilitate JAMSTEC’s involvement in programs
offered by Tohoku University’s graduate schools, pursuing post-graduate education that leverages the diverse
resources JAMSTEC has at its disposal.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
JAMSTEC already hosts a considerable number of international researchers, and is developing Englishlanguage administrative services and providing communications in English. We have already adopted a salarysystem that does not hinge on age seniority. After establishment of the center, the proposed center will use
English as its official language and employ similarly a salary system that is decoupled from age seniority.
JAMSTEC has also entered into partnership agreements with 14 universities and most of our researchers
have experience in supervising students. Furthermore, our Manifesto sets out an organization-wide policy ofstrengthening and expanding research supervision and education, so the engagement in graduate school
education and research supervision by researchers involved the center is consistent with JAMSTEC’s policy
8)

Provide other types of assistance to give the center maximum support in achieving its
project and in becoming a world premier international research center in both name anddeed.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
Underpinned by Tohoku University’s research strategy, international strategy, and management strategy, thecenter will serve as a platform for the design of a future vision built on collaboration with wider society,furnishing encounters with a wide variety of stakeholders and opportunities for procuring financial resources.
The center will be located in the Organization for Advanced Studies, the uppermost layer of the Tohoku
University Research Innovation System noted above. It will provide a research organization of the highest world
standard, as well as developing robust intra-university collaborations with the Tohoku University Graduate
School of Science, Graduate School of Life Sciences, and Graduate School of Agricultural Science. In addition,
through collaboration with the International Joint Graduate Program, WISE Program, the Moonshot
Research and Development Program and other programs for which Tohoku University has already been
selected, mechanisms will be created for the sustainable development of the center from the perspective of“comprehensive knowledge” by promoting the participation of the diverse researchers and students
across our comprehensive university and the researchers gathered in the center itself.
An international administrative system extending beyond the center itself is currently being actively
developed through university-wide reforms aiming to provide one-stop, one-point administrative services andgreater administrative efficiency based on the Introduction of Digital Administration at Tohoku University.
We will also enhance the University Research Management Center, at which high-level experts (University
Research Administrator) conduct research analysis and offer research support, the Core Facility Center for
device-sharing in remote environments, and the International Support Center that functions as a universitywide research reception center. Moreover, in April 2023, we established the Center for International Law and
Policy with the aims of communicating knowledge on international law to wider society and delivering policy
recommendations relating to the formulation of international rules. We will use the Center for International Law
and Policy to apply the outstanding research outcomes of the proposed center in the formulation of internationalrules and norms, and policy recommendations. These activities will build a platform for the proactive promotionof joint research projects not only within the center but also with researchers from outside the university
including at JAMSTEC and our overseas centers, with priority services provided to the center in particular
as a hub for international talent circulation.
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(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
We will build a robust collaborative framework within JAMSTEC, including links with the MEXT-Program
for The Advanced Studies of Climate Change Projection (SENTAN) which forms part of the plan for enhancing
the activities of the center WPI-AIMEC and the global research activities already carried out by the ResearchInstitute for Global Change, which is most closely connected to the research activities of the proposed center.
Collaboration with other related research institutes will also be pursued through various meetings such as
cooperation meetings among research institutes. In collaborating with the center’s researchers and a variety ofother researchers and students gathering to the one roof in Tohoku University, we will deepen integration
through cross-appointment systems and initiatives leveraging institutional partnership agreements. We will also
develop administrative systems to support researchers involved in the center’s research activities both bycollaborating with existing research support organizations and by employing new personnel, taking into accountthe division of roles with Tohoku University’s administrative organization.
9)

Each host institution is to self-evaluate the results of the system reforms achieved by thecenter and distribute the results that it evaluates highly to all of the departments
throughout its organization.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
A university-wide cooperative system has already been built in relation to advancing the center as apermanent organization, as seen in its above-mentioned designation as a Center for Key Interdisciplinary
Research. The Working Group for a Future Vision for a WPI Research Center (provisional title) will also
be established immediately after the center’s selection to ensure that outstanding innovations emerging from thecenter are deployed university-wide. Just as the system reforms achieved in the course of establishing WPIAIMR as a world premier international research center have now been extended throughout the university, theproposed center will conduct self-assessments as needed and, based on these, share its successful initiatives
with the rest of the university to further advance the process of reforming the university’s systems.
Further, in April 2021, as a survivor of the Great East Japan Earthquake, Tohoku University established theGreen Goals Initiative to further strengthen research and collaboration with society so as to resolve
environmental and social issues and create a path toward a sustainable green society that is resilient in the faceof natural disasters and infectious diseases. Through collaboration with the various projects pursued by theGreen Goals Initiative, the scientific findings and results produced by the center will be deployed in social
activities as the university’s contribution to solving issues on the Global Agenda.
(JAMSTEC’s Commitment)
In accordance with the Act on General Rules for Incorporated Administrative Agencies, JAMSTEC is obliged
to conduct self-assessment at the end of June each year and publish the results, as well as reporting them to the
MEXT Minister. For this purpose, the JAMSTEC President conducts self-assessment pursuant to an annual selfassessment meeting chaired and attended by JAMSTEC executive officers, which reviews the status of activities
in the fiscal year in question. This arrangement will also be used in evaluation of the proposed center’s research
activities, and the feedback from evaluation will be shared through inter-divisional meetings and strategic
meetings and applied across the whole of JAMSTEC.
10) (For host institutions that already have an existing WPI center and/or Academy center)
Fully support and sustain the existing WPI and/or Academy center and advance its
development as a world premier international research center, while being capable of fully
supporting the new center at the same time.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
Following the end of its WPI grant period, WPI-AIMR was certified as part of the WPI Academy, andcontinues to hold official status as an autonomous unit of the university, positioned as the Organization for
Advanced Studies which comprises the first and uppermost layer of our Research Innovation System. The
university’s Fourth Mid-Term Goals and Mid-Term Plan includes the progressive strengthening of thatfirst layer through priority investments by the President and development and enhancement of its worldclass research environment and research support system as a university-wide objective. In acknowledgment
not only of the steady progress made on developing WPI-AIMR since the end of the WPI grant period and butof its maintenance of high-quality research and international outlook, the renewal of WPI-AIMR’s WPI
Academy certification was approved this year.
Through activities such as the use of overseas satellites for international talent circulation and networking,Tohoku University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) - 8
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model initiatives in expanding employment through cross-appointments, and the internationalization of theuniversity administrative organization, WPI-AIMR has taken the lead in reform of university systems andcontributed greatly to raising the presence of Tohoku University internationally. The university is now pursuingsystem reforms under the Tohoku University Global Gateway Strategy designed to further strengthen theuniversity’s distinctive, self-reliant strategic management approach by enhancing its global brand. Establishinga position as a global gateway will enable the university to marshal knowledge from across the world, accelerateinternational industry-academia partnerships based on novel frameworks such as future business strategy
development and talent development in companies, and thereby strengthen its capacity to attract externalfunding and create of societal value in an era of great transformation. External funding will be used under
the President’s leadership for priority resource allocation in accordance with a research portfolio strategy, withthe aim of accelerating the development of the positive cycle directed to operational strengthening of theuniversity, and using these resolute reforms to enable the provision of ample support both for existing
centers and for the development of new centers.
11) (For host institutions that already have an existing WPI center and/or Academy center)
Take the initiative to spread the existing centers’ good system reform results to otherdepartments throughout the host institution and apply them to implementing the hostinstitution’s own reforms.

(Tohoku University’s Commitment)
Following the success of the WPI-AIMR, the President recognized the need for top-down international
research institute management, distinct from the university’s existing divisions and departments, and theOrganization for Advanced Studies was thus established in 2018. This establishment provided theframework for the establishment of a WPI-style Core Research Cluster comprising four areas in which theuniversity is particularly strong: (i) Material Science, (ii) Spintronics, (iii) Next-Generation Medicine, and (iv)
Disaster Science. The cluster is now promoting the generation of world premier class interdisciplinary
research across the entire university. Moreover, the know-how and logistical expertise in relation to planningand operating international conferences and hosting researchers from outside Japan that has been fostered by
the WPI-AIMR has now been inherited by the International Support Center (an organization established in April
2022 to provide university-wide international researcher support), the International Affairs Center located within
the Organization for Advanced Studies, and the Tohoku Forum for Creativity Programs, a residential visiting
research program that is the first of its kind in a Japanese university. Furthermore, initiatives such as
interdisciplinary research, career development for early-career researchers, and international talent circulation –areas of particular focus as part of WPI-AIMR’s WPI mission – have had immense flow-on effects for the host
university, and led to the establishment of organizations including the International Joint Laboratory Center andthe Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, which are designed to support career development
and provide interdisciplinary research environments for early-career researchers. In addition to thesedevelopments, the WPI-AIMR’s new performance evaluation-based salary system has been applied to theuniversity’s Distinguished Researchers program, cross-appointment schemes have been established to attract
talented researchers from outside Japan, and an outsourcing system has been introduced that enables
international researchers to be paid compensation for specified tasks even if they do not come to Japan in person.
These and other advancements show that the outstanding achievements of WPI-AIMR have beenproactively deployed throughout the host institution and have led to system reforms.

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World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
List of Principal Investigators
・If the number of principal investigators exceeds 10, add columns as appropriate.
・Give age as of 1 April 2023.
・For investigators who cannot participate in the center project from its beginning, indicate the time that their participation will start in the “Notes” column.
・If there are changes from the PI list in the first screening application documents, describe the points changed and reasons in the “Notes” column.
・Include principal investigators affiliated with satellite institutions. Give the name of their satellite institutions in the “Notes” column.

Current affiliation

Specialization

Effort *

Name

Age

1

Toshio Suga

60

Department of Geophysics / Graduate School ofPhysical Oceanography
Science / Tohoku University・Professor

90

Director

2

Fumio Inagaki

51

Department of Earth Science / Graduate School Geomicrobiology, Earth Lifeof Science / Tohoku University・Professor
Eengineering

80

Vice Director

3

Benjamin Horton

52

Earth Observatory of Singapore / Nanyang
Technological University・Director

104Sabine Kasten

59

Section Marine Geochemistry / Alfred Wegener Sediment geochemistry,
Institute・Head
Biogeochemistry

15

5Michio Kawamiya

53

Research Center for Environmental Modelingand Application / JAMSTEC・Director

Meteorology, Earth System
Modeling

80

6Michio Kondoh

49

Department of Ecological Developmental
Adaptability / Graduate School of Life Sciences /Tohoku University・Professor

Theoretical Ecology

80

7

Takeshi Obayashi

47

Department of System Information Sciences /Graduate School of Information Sciences / Tohoku Systems Genomics
University・Professor

80

8

Yusaku Ohta

44

Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes andVolcanic Eruptions / Graduate School of Science / Solid State Geophysics
Tohoku University・Associate Professor

80

9

Riko Oki58

Earth Observation Research Center / SpaceTechnology Directorate I / Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency・Director

Atmospheric andHydrospheric Science30

10 Shuhei Ono

51

Department of Earth / Atmospheric and Planetarysciences / Massachusetts Institute of Technology・ Isotope Geochemistry
Professor

25

11 Niklas Schneider

60

International Pacific Research Center / Departmentof Oceanography / University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa・ Oceanography
Director, Professor

40

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

12 Angelicque White

48

Department of Oceanography / University of
Hawai‘i at Mānoa・Professor

30

University of Hawai‘i at
Mānoa

13 Shang-Ping Xie

59

Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University Climatology, Physicalof California, San Diego・Professor
Oceanography30

14 Cheryl Lynn Ames

52

International Integrative Research & Instruction /Graduate School of Agricultural Science / Tohoku
University・Professor

Molecular Biology

80

15 Shinya Koketsu

46

Global Ocean Observation Research Center /JAMSTEC・Director

Atmospheric andHydrospheric Science80

Sherwood Lan
Smith

52

Research Institute for Global Change /JAMSTEC・
Senior Researcher

Marine Ecology

80

17 Sayaka Yasunaka

46

Center for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies /Graduate School of Science / Tohoku
University・Professor

Marine Environmental
Sciences80

16(Department/ School/Institution)・Title

Oceanography

Biological and Chemical
Oceanography

Notes

(%)

* Percentage of time that the principal investigator will devote to working for the center vis-à-vis his/her total working hours. (Activities carried out using competitive funding can be included
as effort as long as they correspond to the purpose of the WPI center and are conducted for the center.)

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