Since merging on April 1, 2019, Center for AIDS Research in Kumamoto University and Center for Chronic Viral Diseases in Kagoshima University have integrated to create the Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection. Such an inter-university research center between the National University Corporations is a pioneering enterprise in Japan. Our center focuses on the prevention and eradication of human retroviruses, the latency of which has made it a challenging global health problem. To this end, we promote worldwide research/education based on our research achievements regarding the pathogenesis of human retroviruses. We also further develop our strengths (AIDS Research in Kumamoto campus and HTLV-1/HBV research in Kagoshima campus) by utilizing economies of scale and our parental center resources, clarifying our goals, educating the next generation of researchers, and extending our competitive edge in the world.