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J-GLOBAL is a scientific and technical information database provided by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). JST describes it as a comprehensive gateway linking multiple scientific and technological databases, with the aim of connecting and expanding information to support the generation of ideas. Its official description says the service provides core and aggregated information in nine areas: researchers, research papers, patents, research projects, organizations, technical terms, chemical substances, materials, and research resources. The scope therefore includes people and research outputs as well as institutions, specialist terminology, substances, and resources. J-GLOBAL is presented by JST as a connected information platform spanning these different parts of science and technology.

CiNii Research is a scholarly-information discovery service provided by Japan’s National Institute of Informatics (NII). It brings together searches for more than articles: users can look for research data, books, doctoral dissertations, research projects, and information about people as well. The homepage lets readers select a material type, while the underlying search connects records from institutional repositories, KAKEN research-grant projects and results, the National Diet Library’s article index, JaLC, Crossref, OpenAIRE, and other sources. Searchers can review bibliographic details and descriptions of research datasets, then follow links to the organization that hosts a full text or to library holding information. CiNii Research does not directly provide the full text of every item in its results; availability, display permissions, and reuse terms depend on the contributing database and individual record. Researchers and students can explore literature, datasets, and projects together, while other readers can use it to discover Japanese scholarly resources. It functions as a cross-database search gateway rather than a single full-text repository.

J-STAGE is a scholarly publishing platform developed and managed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) to circulate research publications from Japan and encourage open access. It brings together journals, conference proceedings, research and technical reports, magazines, and other publications from Japanese academic societies and research organizations. Readers can search articles and browse journal titles, publishers, and subject areas spanning science, technology, agriculture, medicine, the humanities, social sciences, and interdisciplinary research. The official overview lists more than 4,000 publications from over 2,400 publishers in Japan and says that over 90 percent of articles are free to read. Open-access articles display their Creative Commons license and the conditions for reuse. Searching and reading do not require an account. A free, optional My J-STAGE account can save frequent search queries and send alerts about new articles. Access and reuse rights are set at the publication level, so readers should consult the license and access details shown for each item.

AgriKnowledge is a literature and research-information service for finding Japanese agriculture, forestry and fisheries materials through integrated searches across several databases or searches within an individual collection. JASI, the Japanese Agricultural Sciences Index, contains bibliographic information for papers and similar works published in roughly 500 domestic academic journals in these fields each year. AGROLib provides full text from publications by research institutes, public experiment stations, universities, and academic or professional societies when publication permission has been obtained. A separate historical farming-tools database lets visitors search implements used in rural Japan by name or type of work and view related images; the service identifies this collection as an archive with no further data additions planned. Researchers and students can use the portal to explore Japanese agricultural literature, while people working in production or policy can locate relevant references. Full-text availability is limited to authorized material, and displaying historical tools or reusing their images may require separate permission. The site is therefore a searchable research collection, not a claim that every record is open access or that every item can be reused without conditions.

Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, known as NARO, carries out basic and applied research and development to support the country’s agriculture and food industries. Its nationwide institutes study subjects including crops, food, farm machinery, agricultural environments and animal health. The organization’s site presents research programs, published results and press releases, and helps producers, companies, researchers, students and the general public find information intended for them. It also shares standard operating procedures for applying research findings, along with information about crop varieties, patents, joint research and technology transfer. One research release describes an AI soil-diagnosis system developed for thirteen crops, including rice. It uses soil-analysis and farm-operation data to assess soil conditions and suggest improvements; NARO reports that its recommendations reached at least 90 percent agreement with expert recommendations across the thirteen crops. The release also explains how additional regional or producer data can be used to adapt a model. This is presented as a research result, not as a generally available product or public tool.

The Ministry of the Environment Geoportal is an open-data catalog for finding and obtaining geospatial information about Japan’s environment. Visitors can search datasets, preview them on a map, download files in a range of geospatial formats, or use the data through web services and APIs. The catalogue groups material into subjects such as water, air and soil, and natural environment and biodiversity. Examples shown on the portal include surveys of shallow coral ecosystems, national mesh data for Japanese deer distribution, vegetation surveys and related documents. The homepage posts new and updated datasets, including notices when a dataset’s delivery URL changes. Users working on environmental surveys, nature conservation, regional planning or spatial analysis can locate relevant records, inspect their geographic coverage on a map and obtain the format or API access described for that dataset. It is a dedicated Ministry-run catalogue for environmental geospatial resources, distinct from a general weather or environmental news site. The inspected pages do not establish one universal price or reuse license for every dataset, so users should check the terms attached to the individual record.

The Environmental Observatory is an environmental information portal operated by Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). It brings together maps, observations, forecasts, statistics and research results about conditions across Japan. Its Environmental GIS presents national and local views of air pollution and water quality, alongside map products for photochemical oxidants and PM2.5 forecasts, yellow-dust observations and outlooks, heat index, traffic noise, acid rain, dioxins and marine monitoring. Other map-and-chart resources cover estimated household CO2 emissions by municipality, land use, population-distribution scenarios, municipal waste statistics and emergency transports for heat illness. A separate download area lets visitors select a prefecture, monitoring year and pollutant to retrieve air-pollution measurements, including monthly, annual and hourly values and station data. NIES states that downloaded files may be used freely when the source is credited in published results, and the portal posts coverage information and correction notices. Residents, local authorities, researchers, educators and businesses can use the maps and data to examine and compare Japan’s environmental conditions.

The Japan Meteorological Business Support Center is a Japanese foundation that connects the Japan Meteorological Agency with private weather companies, media organizations and other users of meteorological information. It distributes JMA information through online services that include message- and file-format weather data, meteorological satellite imagery, earthquake early warnings, disaster-prevention weather information and access to the JMA cloud environment. These delivery services carry information-provision charges, and the center explains how prospective users can request the documents needed to apply and receive data. Its offline-data program supplies JMA-held statistical, satellite, objective-analysis, earthquake epicenter and waveform, upper-air, and marine datasets; catalogs list coverage periods and sales prices. The site also describes edited weather data in CSV and other formats, ordering procedures, and technical materials for connecting to the delivery systems. Beyond data distribution, the center administers the national meteorological forecaster examination, certifies weather instruments, runs specialist courses and supports meteorological research. Its primary role is to make official Japanese weather information available to organizations and other users through defined delivery channels.

The Japan Meteorological Agency’s Past Weather Data Search lets visitors choose an observation station and date in Japan, then inspect historical measurements and climatological normals for that location. The interface offers annual, monthly and daily values, hourly and ten-minute observations, monthly values since observations began, three-month summaries, and normals for several shorter and longer periods. It also links to station records ranked among the site’s top ten, historical nationwide rankings, mesh maps of climate normals, regional-average data and upper-air observations. A separate JMA option lets users configure and download selected weather data, including weekly values. The page notes that the normals are based on the 1991–2020 thirty-year observation average and warns that published records may be corrected retrospectively. Researchers, students, businesses and members of the public can use the station, period and data-type selectors to examine Japan’s observed weather history; the latest posted values should be checked before reuse.

The Japan Meteorological Agency's “Your Town's Disaster Information” portal brings together weather and disaster information for a selected Japanese prefecture or municipality. It links to local heavy-rain and flood warnings and advisories, rain-cloud movement and rainfall forecasts, weather radar, Himawari satellite images, AMeDAS surface observations, precipitation probability, wind and coastal-wave forecasts, weekly forecasts, weather charts, and earthquake information. Map-based hazard resources such as Kikikuru are also available for checking conditions relevant to a chosen area. JMA's help explains that users can select a prefecture or municipality and have that area displayed again on a later visit. Rainfall products include near-term radar views and forecasts further ahead. Earthquake information shows the event location, depth, seismic intensity observed in different areas, and a list of recent announcements. The portal is a public source of official Japanese meteorological and disaster information, organized to help residents and organizations find JMA information relevant to a particular place.

The Japan Data Management Consortium (JDMC) is an incorporated association that promotes the importance of data management, develops practical methods, and aims to strengthen the international competitiveness of Japanese companies and organizations. Its official overview says it was established in 2011 and pursues open activities beyond the boundaries of corporate information systems. The site shares examples of data use and governance, research-group and seminar information, activity reports, public materials, publications, and membership information. It is an organizational resource for learning about data-management practice and exchanging knowledge through the experiences of companies and specialists. Items posted in 2026 include database design for AI agents, preparing enterprise data for generative AI, and data-governance initiatives. Public articles and organizational information are available on the site, while a separate member-only area is also provided. The official pages inspected do not state membership fees.

Nikkei NEEDS is an economic data service from Nikkei Inc. for analysis of companies, markets, and economic conditions in Japan. Its official site identifies financial professionals, operating companies, and academic users among its audiences. The catalog covers corporate and financial information, equities and bonds, commodities, domestic and international macroeconomic and financial data, regional economies, and industries. Listed data include company financials and attributes, major shareholders, securities information, commodity prices, economic statistics on areas such as prices, employment, and trade, regional statistics, and industry statistics. FinancialQUEST provides online access to NEEDS data, while the BULK service schedules delivery of updated data to customer systems. Other products and delivery formats are available for different uses. Nikkei states that its database services are paid and generally require a corporate contract, so this is not a free public-data download portal. Product scope, delivery options, and contract terms should be checked on the relevant service page.

GSI Maps is the official interactive map service of Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority. It lets users view and combine the authority’s topographic maps, aerial photographs, elevation information, landform classifications, and disaster-related layers. Place names and addresses can be searched to locate an area, while different base maps and thematic layers can be selected. Aerial imagery from different periods can be opened side by side or overlaid for comparison. Tools support drawing on the map, measuring distance, checking an address and elevation, creating an elevation profile between two points, coloring terrain by height, and viewing terrain and imagery in 3D. The service is useful for geography education, local research, and disaster preparedness. GSI tiles and individual layers have their own terms and attribution requirements, so users planning to reuse or redistribute map data should consult the official tile list and terms of use.

The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) is the national mapping and surveying agency under Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Its official site organizes services for maps, aerial photographs, geographic surveys, and the position and surveying standards used across the country. It links to GSI Maps, fundamental geospatial data, the digital national base map, historical map collections, point-cloud information, and thematic maps. Its disaster-response section publishes agency information about earthquakes, heavy rain, typhoons, and volcanic activity, including crustal movement and damage mapping, while also linking to hazard maps, evacuation-site data, and flood visualization services. The portal also covers survey control points, surveying results and calculations, research and technical information, and procedures for using or requesting official survey products. It is therefore a broad entry point to Japan’s government mapping, geodesy, spatial-data, and disaster-information services, rather than a single map viewer.

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism provides this official portal for free downloads of foundational geospatial datasets used in national and regional planning. Users can browse nationwide information on terrain and elevation, land use, land prices, administrative boundaries, zoning and urban plans, flood and other hazard areas, public facilities, roads, railways, transport, and population-related statistics. Data are organized by subject and are available in GIS-oriented forms that include JPGIS-compliant data, Shapefile, XML, and GeoJSON. The site also links to a web mapping viewer, practical examples, and guidance for using the data with QGIS and Tableau. Downloading is free, but usage licenses and commercial-use permissions differ by dataset. The official introduction warns that some information may lag real conditions by several years, sometimes around five, and that the spatial precision is not intended for navigation or identifying individual buildings. Check each dataset’s date, source, and license when accuracy or currentness matters.

Japan’s Geospatial Information Center is a data-distribution platform that helps people find, obtain, and use geospatial information created by public agencies, municipalities, research organizations, and companies. It is operated by the Association for Promotion of Infrastructure Geospatial Information Distribution (AIGID) and provides a dataset catalog, user guidance, examples of data use, and instructions for organizations that want to publish data. Catalog subjects include Project PLATEAU 3D city models, point clouds, human mobility, disaster prevention, urban planning, infrastructure, and real estate. Access conditions vary by dataset: some published material may require an account to download, and some content is sold. Users should therefore check each dataset’s own description and terms instead of assuming that everything is freely downloadable. The portal is useful for locating spatial data for GIS work, research, public administration, and local problem-solving.

The e-Gov Data Portal is Japan’s central-government open-data catalog, developed and operated by the Digital Agency. It organizes public data held by government organizations that is made available as open data, so users can search across datasets and understand what each dataset contains, including its files or URLs. Visitors can browse by subject category or providing organization, search for datasets, and explore showcases that group related datasets around a theme. The site also has a communication area where users can read evaluations, comments and requests, examples of data use, and issue reports posted about datasets. Signing in allows users to submit their own contributions to those discussions. The portal is designed to make Japanese government open data easier to discover, understand, and reuse; it is a catalog and discovery service rather than the publisher of every underlying dataset.

jSTAT MAP is the Statistics GIS web application linked from Japan’s e-Stat government statistics portal. It displays statistical results on maps at prefecture, municipality, small-area, and regional-mesh levels, allowing users to explore geographic patterns and compare areas. The official guide describes creating statistical maps and charts from government statistics or user data, drawing analysis areas, and producing simple reports in HTML or Excel. It presents these functions as useful for basic planning and analysis in areas such as disaster prevention, facility development, and market analysis. The start page and help documentation distinguish guest from signed-in use: maps, graphs, area creation, and simple reports are available without an account, while saving data, geocoding, importing or exporting data, and rich reports require an e-Stat account.

RESAS, the Regional Economy Analysis System, is a Japanese government web system for exploring regional economic big data through maps and charts. It brings together analytical views on marketing, tourism, population, industrial structure, regional economic circulation, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and medical and long-term care. The official site describes examples such as examining the surroundings of tourist destinations, consumer sales trends, passing-population mesh data, business-location patterns, business environments, and changes in population composition. Users can select a topic and visualize indicators to develop an evidence base for understanding a locality or considering regional policy and business ideas. The homepage states that RESAS is free to use and does not require ID registration. Its footer identifies teams within Japan’s Cabinet Office regional revitalization office and the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of METI.