Along with the start of the Frontier Research System for Global Change, the opening ceremony of the Institute for Global Change Research was held in October 1997, on the 7th floor of Seavans North building, into which the Institute moved, with the attendance of Mr. Uchida, and Mr. Hirano President of NASDA and JAMSTEC respectively.

On that day, Mr. Oda, the Secretary-General of Joint Promotion Office, officiated as M.C. at the ceremony, with the of audience over-flowing from the floor of the Institute (Research Center in Tokyo). After Mr. Uchida and Mr. Hirano, stated expectations that the Institute will greatly contribute to earth science research hereafter, Dr. Matsuno, Director-General of the Frontier, Drs. Yamagata, Yasunari and Manabe, (all program directors) and Dr. I keda, (Program Director of the IARC) earnestly expressed their own hopes for the future.