This year marks the final year of the National Museum of Nature and Science's fifth medium-term objectives phase (FY2021-FY2025). Looking back on this period, the crowdfunding campaign in 2023 was undoubtedly the most significant event. Its purpose was to secure funds for the Museum's core activities to protect the collection, and to improve the collection and preservation framework. The goal was 100 million yen; the largest crowdfunding amount the Museum has ever pursued. Despite some skepticism, the campaign finished with more than 900 million yen in support for its cause, far exceeding its initial goal. We were greatly encouraged by this outcome and by the numerous supporting messages we received. All of the staff at the Museum feel a renewed sense of responsibility in protecting the collection.

Using this donation, the Museum has decided to engage its specimens in a travelling exhibition at science museums across Japan, to increase opportunities for people to understand the significance of its work of collecting specimens and materials. The Museum seeks to collaborate with these museums in its endeavor to "Protect the Earth's Treasures."

As the Museum will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2027, we believe FY2025 is the year to begin activities that envisage the future. To make this possible, we restructured the research departments in April, which previously consisted of five research departments and three centers, but has since been reorganized into four research departments (Department of Zoology, Department of Botany, Department of Paleontology and Anthropology, and Department of Science) and three centers (Center for the History of Japanese Industrial Technology, Center for Collections, and Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research).

The success of the crowdfunding campaign has brought some prospect of a solution to the issue of specimen collection and preservation, and therefore, we will proceed with plans to revamp the Museum’s permanent collections starting this fiscal year. This renovation will primarily focus on the development of science and technology and on addressing global environmental issues, and will be undertaken under the new organizational structure of research departments. We sincerely hope that you will continue to follow our activities closely.