National Institutes of Natural Sciences is one of four inter-university research institute corporations that were reorganized as a result of incorporation as independent administrative entities in April 2004. Five research institutions, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (Mitaka City, Tokyo and other locations), National Institute for Fusion Science (Toki City, Gifu), National Institute for Basic Biology (Okazaki City, Aichi), National Institute for Physiological Sciences (Okazaki City, Aichi) and Institute for Molecular Science (Okazaki City, Aichi), cooperate with each other and aspire for the promotion of research in natural science in the fields of astronomy, material science, energy science, bioscience, etc.