In the 2026 Spring Conferment of Decorations, Dr. IWANAGA Masa, former President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in recognition of his long-standing contributions to solving agricultural and food issues in Japan and the international community, as well as to the advancement of international agricultural research.

The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) has added Japanese and English subtitles to the archive videos of the 2025 Japan International Award for Young Agricultural Researchers (Japan Award) and the JIRCAS International Symposium 2025, and has released them on YouTube via the “JIRCAS Channel.”

Dr. HASADA Katsumi, Senior Researcher in the Rural Development Division, has compiled the results of his research on food security conducted in Laos and published them as a book series on March 31, 2026.

In conjunction with Science and Technology Week (April 13–19, 2026), the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) will host a special online event, “JIRCAS Science Online 2026: Bringing Research Results to Future Society.”

In April 2026, JIRCAS released an introductory video and an infographic poster that clearly explain “P-dipping,” a fertilization technique developed as a research outcome of the “Africa rice farming system” project.

Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, the new President of JIRCAS, shares his inaugural message as the Center begins its Sixth Medium- to Long-Term Plan.

 

On April 3, 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Virender Kumar (Research Director), Dr. Saito Kazuki (Senior Scientist), and Dr. Iwanaga Masa (Board Member) from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for a courtesy visit and technical exchange.

On March 13, 2026, a delegation led by Mr. Adam Nowak, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland, visited the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). They exchanged views on agricultural challenges with President KOYAMA Osamu (at the time) and others.

On March 26, 2026, Senior Researcher KASHIWA Takeshi of the Biological Resources and Utilization Division received the Young Scientist Award at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan, which was held from March 26 to 28 at Setsunan University’s Hirakata Campus in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. 

From February 6 to 15, 2026, the KMITL Agricultural Fair 2026 was held at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Bangkok, Thailand. This fair is a comprehensive annual exhibition in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food organized by the university, and it is the largest event of its kind in eastern Bangkok. The venue featured a wide variety of programs, including the sale of local agricultural products and processed foods, research presentations by students and researchers, and hands-on activities, attracting many visitors throughout the event.