NIRA

What NIRA does

NIRA総合研究開発機構 (NIRA) is a Japanese public interest incorporated foundation (公益財団) established in 1975, operating as an independent policy research institute headquartered in Ebisu Garden Place Tower, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. It conducts recurring social surveys, commissions multi-expert research projects, and publishes policy analysis across themes including democracy, regional economies, science and technology, Japan's sustainable growth, Asia regional dynamics, and post-COVID recovery. Its outputs include opinion papers (89+ to date), research reports (80+), the My Vision interview series, working papers, policy research notes, publicly released survey microdata, and a policy co-creation forum series. The organization is led by Representative Director Masaki Taniguchi (who concurrently serves as a professor and dean at the University of Tokyo) and governed by a board that draws from Tokyo University faculty, former Bank of Japan leadership, and former government officials.

NIRA does not develop commercial technology products. Its technical surface is limited to its own website, a dedicated research interpretation site (NIRA Navigation), an email newsletter, and presence on Facebook, X, and YouTube, plus an event venue called SPACE NIRA. Distribution of publications occurs through the official website (with an English-language version), Japanese bookstore chains, and online retailers, with books co-published with publishing partner Gyohei Corporation. The organization is active through June 2026 and has leveraged its 50th anniversary (2025) to launch signature multi-author projects such as the 2050 Dream (134 contributors) and Japan and World Issues 2025 (159 contributors).

The business model is that of a non-profit research foundation rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue appears to derive from publication and data sales, membership and donor support, and potentially government or institutional grants, but no specific financial figures are publicly disclosed. Customer and stakeholder segments — in the sense of audiences served — are national and local government policymakers, the academic and research community, and corporate strategists seeking policy and economic insight, while strategic partnerships span domestic think tank networks and international institutions such as the German Japan Institute, UC San Diego, and the Max Planck Institute.

Name

NIRA

Legal name

公益ikistanNIRA総合研究開発機構

Website

https://nira.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NIRA総合研究開発機構 is a Japanese public interest foundation established in 1975 that conducts recurring social surveys, commissions multi-expert research projects, and publishes policy analysis and opinion papers for government policymakers, academics, and corporate strategists on Japan's domestic and international challenges.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Think tank
• Social surveys
• Research publications
• Public policy analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NIRA is a public interest incorporated foundation (think tank) that produces independent policy research on Japan's structural challenges. It publishes a defined portfolio of outputs—opinion papers, multi-author research reports, expert interview series ("My Vision"), working papers, policy research notes, survey microdata, and policy co-creation forums—and conducts recurring social attitude surveys (NIRA Basic Survey and Digital Economy Employment Survey) covering democracy, regional economies, science and technology, the Japanese economy, Asia relations, COVID-19 aftermath, and 2050 future visions.

Product overview

NIRA総合研究開発機構 (NIRA) is a public policy research institute (think tank) that functions as a research publication platform and policy research organization. It does not offer a commercial software product but rather publishes research through multiple channels: オピニオンペーパー (policy proposals), 研究報告書 (research reports), わたしの構想 (expert interviews), 論文/ワーキングペーパー (academic papers), 政策研究ノート (policy notes), データ (data publications), and 政策共創の場 (co-creation forums). NIRA also conducts periodic social surveys including the NIRA基本調査 (basic survey on political/economic/social attitudes) and specialized surveys on the digital economy. Research themes cover democracy, regional economies, technology/science, Japanese economy, Asia, COVID-19, and 2050 visions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opinion Papers (オピニオンペーパー) Future-oriented policy proposals on important issues facing Japan, authored by research project leaders. The series had produced 89+ opinion papers as of 2026, targeting government policymakers, academics, and informed public readers.
• Research Reports (研究報告書) Comprehensive research outputs from study groups composed of multiple experts providing multi-faceted analysis of issues facing Japan, with 80+ research reports published to date.
• My Vision (わたしの構想) Multiple expert interviews presenting diverse perspectives on Japan's challenges, with recommended readings from each expert. Issues include "AI Virtual Citizens in Democratic Politics" (No.83, 2026) and "Philosophy Cafés Spreading Across Regions" (No.81, 2025).
• Articles and Working Papers (論文/ワーキングペーパー) Multi-faceted surveys and analyses of issues facing Japan, providing insights useful for future policy discussions, including working papers such as the basic analysis of populist attitudes (Working Paper No.10, 2024).
• Policy Research Notes (政策研究ノート) Latest research findings from specialized researchers on current policy topics, supporting informed policy debate, such as Policy Research Note Vol.5 on the 75-year legacy of the family court system.
• Data (データ) Notable data obtained through NIRA's research activities, including publicly available microdata from NIRA's social surveys, offered for free download to enable academic and policy research.
• Policy Co-creation Forums (政策共創の場) Policy co-creation spaces where specialists explain high-interest policies based on shared knowledge, including analyses such as "How to Approach Foreign Workers" (No.7, 2026) covering institutional and policy challenges.
• NIRA Basic Survey (NIRA基本調査) Comprehensive recurring survey on political, economic, and social attitudes in Japan, with the 4th round conducted in February-March 2026. Survey microdata is released publicly for academic and policy use.
• Digital Economy Employment Survey (デジタル経済・社会に関する就業者実態調査) Recurring survey on employment conditions related to the digital economy and society, tracking how workers engage with digital technologies, led by Senior Researcher Toshihiro Okubo.
• Dreams for 2050 (2050年の夢) Compiled volume of visions from 134 thought leaders on Japan's and the world's desired future in 2050, co-published with Gyosei Corporation as a 50th anniversary project and sold through bookstores and online retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conducted 4 rounds of comprehensive political, economic, and social surveys (NIRA Basic Surveys)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 地方シンクタンク協議会 (Local Think Tank Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIRA participates in the Local Think Tank Council, a network of regional think tanks across Japan that shares knowledge and collaborates on policy research initiatives.
• 政策研究のネットワーク (Policy Research Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIRA leads or participates in networks connecting policy researchers across Japan to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaborative research on national challenges.
• Gyohei Corporation (株式会社ぎょうせい)minorOthersNIRA partnered with Gyohei Corporation to publish the book '2050年の夢―一人ひとりのビジョンが私たちの時代の扉を開く' (Dreams for 2050).
• Tokyo University (東京大学)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple NIRA researchers serve as professors at Tokyo University, facilitating academic exchange and joint research initiatives.
• German Japan Institute (ドイツ日本研究所 / DIJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIRA co-hosted a 'Big Data' workshop with DIJ (German Japan Institute), bringing together practitioners, researchers, and government officials for international knowledge exchange.
• University of California San DiegominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the Big Data workshop as part of international academic collaboration.
• Max Planck Institute for Innovation and CompetitionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored the Big Data workshop as part of international academic collaboration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mitsubishi Research Institute: One of Japan's largest and most established think tanks, providing policy research, economic forecasting, and consulting across government and corporate clients. Highly comparable to NIRA in its broad social-science-and-economics policy mandate and Japan-domestic focus.
• National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS): A Japanese graduate university and policy research institution producing research on Japanese governance and public policy. Comparable to NIRA in policy-research orientation, academic ties, and focus on training policy professionals.
• Tokyo Foundation for Policy Research: An independent policy think tank producing research on Japanese politics, economy, and foreign policy. Closely comparable to NIRA in mission, format (research reports, opinion papers, surveys), and emphasis on evidence-based domestic policy recommendations.
• Dai-ichi Life Economic Research Institute: A Japanese think tank producing economic and demographic research with strong public-opinion survey programs. Comparable to NIRA in combining surveys with policy research, though narrower in scope and tied to a life-insurance parent.
• Japan Research Institute (日本総合研究所): A major Japanese think tank operating policy research and consulting functions across economic, social, and management topics. Notably a board member of NIRA (翁百合) comes from this institution, highlighting its role as a peer and ecosystem participant.
• Mizuho Research Institute: A Japan-focused think tank producing economic research, policy analysis, and survey data (including public-opinion surveys), backed by Mizuho Financial Group. Directly comparable to NIRA in publishing research reports and conducting recurring surveys on Japanese society and economy.
• Sasakawa Peace Foundation: A Japanese independent foundation running policy research and international exchange programs on diplomacy, Asia policy, and global governance. Comparable to NIRA on the international-relations and Asia-themed research arms.
• Japan Center for Economic Research: An economic policy think tank in Japan focused on macro forecasting, structural economic analysis, and policy commentary. Comparable to NIRA on economic-policy content, but more narrowly focused than NIRA's broad social-science scope.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: A global policy think tank producing research on economics, security, technology, and society. Comparable to NIRA in combining surveys, multi-disciplinary studies, and policy recommendations, though RAND's scale, budget, and government-contract model differ.
• Brookings Institution: A large US-based think tank covering economics, foreign policy, and governance with both domestic and international programs. Comparable to NIRA in research-methodology and policy-impact orientation, though operating at much greater scale and with global reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nira_japan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCc0YeA8wW396gQXTTC7buBg/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/nira.japan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nira_japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NIRA