There are many dependable supervisors and senior colleagues at JIRCAS, and it is a good workplace with a cheerful atmosphere. On my day-offs and during lunch breaks, I enjoy playing baseball and tennis with my co-workers which deepen our exchanges. Some of the researchers are foreign nationals, so I enjoy being able to experience cultures from all over the world even though I am in Japan.

Some of you may be wondering whether or not to make a major change in your research field. Of course, it would be wonderful if you could follow through on your original intention, but there are many new things you will have to learn if you change fields, and I am sure there will be many difficulties. In fact, I sometimes feel that I have taken a detour by changing my field of study in the middle of my career. However, it is also true that through that detour, I was able to find an interesting research theme that I would like to work on in the future. Of course, a major change in research theme or methodology can be a risk, but it can also be a good chance to gain new insights.

My message is from the perspective of gender equality at JIRCAS. When my wife gave birth, I took several months of childcare leave (childcare leave) and paid leave. The effort that a woman puts into caring for a baby is very hard. I believe that young male researchers can lighten this burden and gain something by taking advantage of systems such as childcare leave. I would like to inform young female researchers that even if they take some longer leave for childbirth or childcare, the way is open for them to return to the world of research afterwards.
 

The soil that spreads out under our feet is the foundation that supports food production, but it is also a source of greenhouse gases and is subject to various problems such as soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. To solve these various problems, an approach based on correct scientific knowledge is necessary. I hope that you will challenge yourself in various ways, valuing your own interests, concerns, and awareness of the issues.

Many people may hesitate to go into research, but if they are interested, I hope they will not give up and give it a try. Currently, there has not been an explosive increase in the number of female researchers, and it is true that it is difficult to see what the future holds after completing university or graduate school. However, I believe that recently there has been a move toward creating a better working environment, such as the establishment of a nursery school available to employees within the university and the promotion of maternity leave at research institutes. Also, if you look outside of Japan, there are various career paths and lifestyles of female researchers, which removes the concept of what you should do if you are from a science background that is familiar to you. I hope that you will gather a variety of information, and from there, flesh out your own vague ideas about the future, and open the door to a bright future.

About half of the world's population is female. Almost half of the agricultural producers are women. In a world where men and women are not biologically and socially equal, what should researchers and research do to ensure that the voices of the other half are properly reflected in society? First of all, I believe there must be more female researchers!

JIRCAS is a workplace for various people including researchers, administrative personnel, technical specialists and others. This page contains messages from female and male researchers, as well as administrative and support staff, and is intended to give students, and young researchers an idea of what it is like to work at JIRCAS.