The current National Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya was established in April 1952 as a result of the reorganization of the National Pottery & Porcelain Institute, and Nagoya Branch of the Tokyo Industrial Research Institute. Different fields were incorporated into a comprehensive research institution whose detail history since the establishment can be summarized as follows. Currently, plans to move this research institute to new and state of the art premises in Sidami, Moriyama-ku, Nagoya until 2001.

January, 1953
As the result of the modification of the research section, the fourth section was devoted to research on the chemistry of the rare elements, and of inorganic powders, whereas the fifth section concentrated on research on ceramic materials.>

November, 1957
A technical consulting station was established.

July, 1961
In order to promote the experimental work on prototypes, the engineering works section was modified into the trial manufacture section.

April, 1968
The general affairs and the planing sections were abolished, and the figure of a Department General Affairs and Research Planning section was created. To promote research on hydraulic technology, the trial manufacture section was transformed into the fourth section of the first division.

July, 1969
A Laboratory for research on radiation control technology was incorporated to the Fourth Section.

July, 1975
The International Research Cooperation station was established to manage overseas cooperative technical research,

August, 1976
Following the completion of the main building in the Seito Branch, the Sixth Division was reformed and part of it was moved to the Seto Branch.

April, 1982
The Fourth Section of the Fifth Division was established for research on Ceramics.

July, 1986
Overall reform of the organization of the research body (Use of titles instead of numbers)

• Mechanical Engineering Department (Former First Division)
• Metallurgical Engineering Department (Former Second Division)
• Chemistry Department (Former Third Division)
• Radiation Research Department (Former Fourth Division)
• Ceramic Science Department (Former Fifth Division)
• Ceramic Technology Department (Former Sixth Division)

1987, May
A new section, Metallic Fusion Engineering section, for research on metallic foundation and solidification control technologies, was established in the Metals Department.

1993, October
The name of the institute was changed to "National Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya" from the former "Government Industrial Research Institute, Nagoya", and the organization was changed into:

• Ceramic Science Department
• Ceramic Technology Department
• Structural Formation Process Department
• Material Processing Department
• Chemistry Department
• Multi-functional Material Science Department

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Foundation of GIRIN
The Government Industrial Research Institute of Nagoya was founded in April of 1952, under the umbrella of the Agency of Industrial Technology, reformed afterwards (August, 1952) into the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology.
At the first beginning, the institute had a staff of 322 people, and was located on the land (51,635 m²) formerly occupied by the Nagoya branch of the 2 institutes already mentioned. This land, originally administrated by the Aichi Prefecture, was put under the administration of the National Government. The Tokai branch of the National Pottery and Porcelain Institute was transformed into the Seto Branch (12,780 m² of land on property administrated by the National Government). Later, a new department devoted to ceramics was established in Nagoya after the reorganization of the Head Quarter of the National Pottery and Porcelain Institute in Kyoto.

Expansion of Research Activities
At the onset of the activities, the research areas were distributed among six research departments. The Nagoya Branch of the Machinery Engineering Institute became the First Department, the Nagoya Branch of the Tokyo Industrial Research Institute became the Third Department, and the Ceramic Department of the Tokyo Industrial Research Institute became the Sixth Department. While these three departments continued carrying out research on basically the same themes as their predecessors, the research themes adjudicated to the Second, Fourth and Fifth Departments covered relatively new fields.
In this way, the institute, under the umbrella of the Agency for Industrial Technology, presented a unique characteristic, its multi disciplinary character covering diverse fields from metallic materials and machinery, to chemistry and ceramics, and the posterior incorporation of the research utilization of radiation and high energy particles.

Ceramics Center - A Concept
As new materials, electronics and biotechnology became the newest focus of research around the globe, it was decided to exploit to the maximum the tremendous potential of this institute for research on ceramic materials. In the year of 1980 the concepts of a Ceramics Center conceived around the most representative group among the new materials, the so-called Fine Ceramics, become reality. This is an example of multi disciplinary research work, covering the different steps in the processing of ceramic materials, starting from the selection and processing of raw materials, sintering, evaluation and, finally, application of ceramics. More than half of the research staff at the institute participated in this work.

Oil Shock - Start of the Sunshine Project
The year of 1974 marked the launch of the Sunshine Project (New Energy Industrial Research and Development Program), as an answer to the situation generated by the Oil Shock. From the beginning, the participation of this institute was based on the assessment of its tremendous potential to carry out research on development of technologies of solar heating and cooling for residential house and building, and extremely high temperature heat produced by solar furnace.
Since then, NIRIN has assumed the leadership in the development of active solar energy utilization technologies in Japan. Based on the result of these research activities, it has developed new materials, for optical switchable glazings of which function is important in Passive Solar Application.

New Generation Project
In the year of 1981, the Research and Development Program on Basic Industrial Technologies for Future Industries was launched as part of a National Project. The portion corresponding to Production and Evaluation Technologies was allocated to this institute, under the name of Fine Ceramics Research and Development. Since then, the institute has assumed the leadership in the conduction of research on Fine Ceramics in Japan. On the other hand, the institute has participated in the Research on Ceramic Materials Evaluation program, established within the framework of the Moon Light Project (Project for the development of energy saving technologies) in 1979, as an answer to the Oil Shock, event that trigger new interest in research and development of Fine Ceramics.
Besides ceramics, research and development on other new materials, such as metal-based materials, has been actively pursued. For example, research on technologies for fabrication of ceramics molds as part of the Research on Highly Efficient Crystallization Control of Metallic Alloys program included in the Future Industries Project, as well as research on the development of intermetallic compounds in the Highly Resistant Advanced Materials Program.

Tackling Environmental Problems
Development of highly efficient technologies for treatment of industrial water, and cleaning technologies for controlling the pollution of the sea bed, are among the examples of research leading to the control of environmental pollution. In the last years the focus of research has been shifted to deal with environmental problems, such as carbon dioxide, acid rain, and the search for halogen substitutes.

Currently: Development of Regional Technology and International Cooperation
At the same time that, in the field of biotechnology the institute is committed to developing technologies mimicking living organisms, it is actively engaged in the development of technologies for use in small and medium enterprises. The results from research on machinery, casting, ceramic technologies carried out in the different public experimental research institutions are used to attain standardization of technology applied in the small and medium enterprises.
Through research and development programs on relevant regional technologies, in which each region concentrates in the pursuing of a research theme and, it has been possible to develop highly efficient casting technologies and synthesis of kaolinite for artificial clay with efficient industrial production based on the premises of high diversity-small output.
Development of crucial technology has been carried out with the participation of the government and private enterprises under a system of joint research. Among the examples, we have technologies for application of super plastic ceramics, development of highly functional materials for medical applications, and casting technologies for near net shape molding.
International cooperation in the area of research and development, include answering to the request for technology transfer submitted by developing countries. Under the Industrial Technology International Transfer (ITIT) program, cooperative research has been carried out, among others, with Indonesia, China, Philippines, Brazil, and Turkey. Also, through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the institute has been, since its foundation, welcoming engineers and researchers form developing countries, and sending technical specialists to these countries, cooperating with the process of technology transfer.