March 31, 2008 RIKEN and Singapore’s A*STAR (the Agency for Science, Technology and Research) agreed Extension of Memorandum of Understanding on General Collaboration (MOU), which first concluded in September 2005. Under this MOU, RIKEN and A*STAR intend to collaborate on scientific research, through their various institutes, in science and engineering research as well as life sciences and biotechnology, with a view to making large contributions to these fields and to international society.