Strengthening function as an international hub for providing strategic information on agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and mobilizing new research partnerships
As record-breaking heat continues across Japan and around the world, the free online video “2050 Weather Forecast (Ver. 2),” was released at 1:00 p.m. on August 3. The video was produced by the 2050 Weather Forecast Production Committee, in which NHK Enterprises serves as one of the lead organizations. Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), contributed to the project as an expert on food security issues.
From April 9 to 10, 2026, the “First ASEAN Consultation Workshop and Capacity Building: Development of Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture Systems Implementation Plan and Biochar Guidelines,” an event co-hosted by the ASEAN Secretariat and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) participated in the workshop at the invitation of the ASEAN Secretariat.
Rice, an essential part of the Japanese diet, is not immune to the effects of climate change. Rice production worldwide must simultaneously address multiple challenges, including high temperatures, water scarcity, pests and diseases, and the need to reduce environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions. One institution that has long tackled these issues internationally is the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), headquartered in the Philippines. Japan and IRRI have worked together for more than 60 years through rice research and exchanges among researchers.
In October 2026, IRRI, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) will jointly hold the International Strategy Forum and Technical Workshop on Heat-Resilient Rice Production Systems in Tokyo. This article introduces IRRI’s role and the history of its cooperation with Japan, while considering the research partnerships that will be important for rice production under a changing climate.
Japan’s annual mean temperature has risen over the long term, and the Japan Meteorological Agency reports that unusually warm years have occurred frequently since the 1990s. How do rising temperatures and heat waves associated with climate change affect rice yield and quality? This article explains how heat-induced sterility occurs and why it is important to combine heat-tolerant varieties, crop management, climate-impact assessment, and future projections. On October 13 and 14, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), JIRCAS, and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) will jointly hold an international forum and technical workshop to discuss research priorities and directions for international collaboration toward heat-resilient rice production systems.
On 10 September 2026, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) announced that the global-average surface air temperature in August 2026 was 16.96°C, tying July 2023 as the hottest month on record across all calendar months. This was 0.85°C above the 1991–2020 average and 1.65°C above the estimated 1850–1900 pre-industrial average. It was the first month since November 2025 in which the monthly global-average temperature exceeded the pre-industrial level by more than 1.5°C.
In a previous issue of the Southeast Asia Liaison Office Newsletter, we introduced durian as a Thai agricultural product registered under the Geographical Indication (GI) system. This article examines the Chaiya Salted Duck Egg, an unusual regional specialty from southern Thailand, through the links among the local environment, duck production, salt-curing technology, and the GI system. Rather than treating it only as a distinctive food tradition, the article considers how production standards, measurable quality attributes, and regional branding can add value to an agricultural product.
On September 2, 2026, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Limiting Overshoot: Navigating Exceedance of 1.5°C and Pathways towards Return. Recognizing that global average temperatures are likely to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels within the next few years, the report sets out the actions needed to limit the resulting impacts and return warming to below 1.5°C as soon as possible.