In addition to having divisions concerned with administration, juvenile delinquency, and traffic research, the NIPS has two divisions of forensic science and works closely with the Identification Center, which is housed in the same building. One forensic science division deals with research in chemistry, medicolegal concerns, documents, and psychology. A second forensic science division deals with research in physics, acoustics, fire investigation, explosives, and machinery. The Identification Center has 'heavy' instruments and handles cases requiring special methods. The Tokyo Center has the following major instruments: electron microprobe, X-ray diffractometer, GC/MS/Computer, preparative HPLC, micro IR spectrophotometer spectra search computer for 140,000 spectra, 2 gaschromatographs, and minor equipment. The Japanese forensic science laboratory system is a unified system, avoiding duplications such as occur in the United States. It is also decentralized, incorporating over 50 laboratories. The staff appears to have no laboratory technicians responsible for maintenance and assistance functions. The continual training of staff through special courses and seminars and the manuals of standard procedures and research results ensure that research and development done at the NIPS THOSE DOING THEthe casework. A map shows the regional police bureau districts of Japan, and tabular data indicate the caseload of all of Japan's forensic laboratories in 1980.