Self-Evaluation Results for Fiscal Year 2009

　A meeting of the Institute Survey and Research Division of the Evaluation Committee of an independent administrative institution, the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, was held at the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo on April 21. In addition, the general assembly of that committee was held at the Tokyo National Museum on June 3. The former is a session in which the Evaluation Committee members comment on the self-evaluation of the activities conducted in fiscal year 2009 by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo and Nara. And the latter is a session in which feedback is given on the overall activities, including the surveys, research, and finances of the Institutes. A total of 41 activities are targeted for the self-evaluation of the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Tokyo. According to this self-evaluation, the Institute judged that the annual plans for fiscal year 2009 were fully achieved for all activities, and sufficient results were shown, so the mid-term plans are being achieved. The Evaluation Committee members gave the following comments about the activities of both the Tokyo and Nara Institutes:
1. Both Institutes have achieved sufficient results in the fundamental research on cultural properties including the research on intangible cultural heritage, and the advanced and developmental research on conservation and restoration, thereby contributing to national administration for cultural properties.
2. The Institutes are energetically involved in international cooperation for the protection of cultural properties in East Asian areas and West Asia. The Institute researchers are requested to make efforts so that the fruits of their activities are widely made known to the people of Japan and partner countries.
3. Individual investigation research projects have produced many excellent results, and they should be made known to people in a way that is easier for the general public to understand and also in an integrally summarized manner.
4. The researchers are requested to actively tackle research transcending sections or genres, research that is collaboratively conducted by both the Tokyo and Nara Institutes, joint research of cultural property institutes and museums, and research making use of the characteristics of independent administrative institutions.
　We also received a great number of other opinions. We will use the results of the self-evaluation and opinions of the Evaluation Committee members in planning future activities and improving corporative management.