The National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA) an independent policy research body established on the initiative of leading figures from Japan's industrial, academic and labor communities. The Institute was founded in 1974 under the National Institute for Research Advancement Act and is funded through an endowment made up of capital contributions and donations from both the public and private sectors.

NIRA's primary objective is to conduct independent research of the highest excellence which will contribute to the resolution of various complex issues facing contemporary society. The Institute's research focuses on current and emerging issues in many areas, including politics, economics, international affairs, society, new technologies, and administration.

NIRA conducts research both independently and in association with other organizations and provides support for the research activities of other organizations where these complement its own research interests. Research exchanges and the broad dissemination of research findings are other key areas of NIRA's work.

The objectives of the Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia, Japan, are:

- To conduct research, and collect and disseminate information on Northeast Asian economies.
- To contribute to the formulation and development of the integrated Northeast Asia Economic Subregion, and to the advancement of an international society through this research.

The main objectives of the Nippon Research Institute are the:

- Conducting of research/studies and making proposals on various issues concerning citizens' lives, citizens' attitudes/awareness, society, the economy, industry, trade, culture, local issues etc.
- Conducting of studies commissioned by the government, local public bodies, companies, other organizations and individuals, reporting results of independent research, making policy proposals
- Accepting and dispatching of trainees
- Holding of lecture and research meetings, international symposiums etc.
- Publishing of books and reports

Since its foundation, JIIA's activities have been based on the five basic goals stipulated in its charter. They are:

- To foster the scientific study of international politics, economics and law.
- To provide the means for examining and researching international affairs.
- To promote the exchange of information, knowledge, and views on international affairs.
- To encourage research of international affairs at universities in Japan.
- To promote exchanges with universities and research institutes in other countries.

In order to accomplish the above-stated goals, JIIA organizes study groups on various regional and global issues relevant to the formulation of Japan's foreign policy; it organizes international conferences, symposiums and seminars in order to foster dialogue and exchange of opinions with overseas counterparts; it conducts joint research projects with other research organizations and with universities, both domestic and overseas; it invites foreign researchers to Japan and assists them with their research activities; and it issues a wide range of publications as a result of these activities.

The Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR) was established in 1987. The Forum was founded by a group of independent citizens from various circles of Japan who, promptly foreseeing the advent of a new era, wanted to make studies and recommendations about the course and role that Japan should undertake in the international community. While firmly undertaking their mission and inheriting the wishes of the late Dr. Okita Saburo, the first Chairman, and the late Mr. Hattori Ichiro, the first President, they are determined to promote enthusiastically their activities with an aim of contributing to the peace and prosperity of the world community.

JCIE aims to promote policy dialogue, interaction, and cooperation and to build networks among independent research institutions and other kinds of civil society organizations.

Since its inception, JCIE has promoted policy-oriented intellectual dialogue with several major countries and regions. The Shimoda Conference series, begun in 1967, is one of the first private-level policy dialogues between the United States and Japan. JCIE organizes several regular dialogue programs, including the Europe-Japan Conference, the ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Program, and the Korea-Japan Intellectual Exchange Conference. JCIE is also Japanese secretariat for the Trilateral Commission and for private bilateral forums created by agreements at bilateral summit meetings between heads of state, such as the U.K.-Japan 2000 Group, the Japanese-German Dialogue Forum, and the Korea-Japan Forum.

The Institute of Developing Economies(IDE) was founded in 1960 as a statutory organization under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (it is now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), acting as a social science institute for basic and comprehensive research activities in the area of economics, politics and social issues in developing countries and regions. Since the merger with Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in July 1998, the institute aims at expansion of trade relations and promote economic cooperation with all developing countries and regions, including Asia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Oceania, and East Europe. JETRO was reorganized into an Incorporated Administrative Agency, on October 1st.

IPS is operated by the following basic guidelines in order to maintain its role as a non-profit and neutral thinktank and also hopes to communicate with wider areas in society, as well as to contribute to the development in public knowledge while achieving the self-growth:

- linked expansion of high-quality voluntary studies and entrusted studies, and reinforcement of ability to dispatch information
- nurture of competent human resources for future policy-making and expansion of intellectual network
- further fulfillment of the services for the supporting members
- fulfillment of the management base and effective and efficient management of the Institute

IPS tries to do the best for the studies in order to forecast, understand and solve the policy issues which Japan and the international society would require in the long-term view; for the provisions of the research results; and for the appropriate reflections to the policy processes.

The Institute pursues an ambitious research program that covers the fields of international politics, economics, security, energy, and the environment. The research staff, mostly seconded from various Japanese government ministries and businesses for a period of two years, conduct research activities and present policy proposals based on their findings that addresses present and future global trends. Visiting research fellows from the US, Europe, and Asia pursue their own research projects for varying lengths of time and participate in IIPS activities while in the Institute.