JIRCAS Report
Research Staff Recruitment
We have opened applications for research staff positions commencing on 1 April 2027.
The application period runs from 23 October 2026 to 15 November 2026. Please apply via the JREC-IN Portal.
JIRCAS and IRRI Sign Research Collaboration Agreement for Sustainable Rice Farming
On October 13, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) held a signing ceremony in Tokyo, Japan, for a research collaboration agreement aimed at advancing sustainable and climate-resilient rice production. During the ceremony, Dr. Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, and Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, President of JIRCAS, signed the agreement.
The 57th Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) Public Lecture Held on October 1
On Thursday, October 1, 2026, the Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF) of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) held the 57th TARF Public Lecture, titled
“Developing Sugarcane Production Resilient to Water Shortages: Future Agriculture Supported by Subsurface Irrigation.”
Dr. OKURA Fumi Receives the 2026 Research Encouragement Award from the Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering
On August 25, 2026, Dr. OKURA Fumi, Researcher in the Rural Development Division of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), received the Research Encouragement Award at the 2026 Japanese Society of Irrigation, Drainage and Rural Engineering (JSIDRE) Awards Ceremony held at Osaka Metropolitan University.
Delegation from the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) Visits JIRCAS
On September 17, 2026, a delegation from the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) visited the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). The delegation, which included Associate Professor Nurulakmar Abu Husain, Dean of MJIIT, and Dr. Pramila Tamunaidu, Manager of the Malaysia-Japan Linkage Office (MJL), was accompanied by Mr. SHIMAZU Hideki, Chief Advisor to the JICA MJIIT Project, and Ms. HAMADA Emiko, JICA Project Coordinator. Representing JIRCAS were Dr. OMORI Keisuke, Program Director for Information and Strategy; Dr. MARUI Junichiro, Head of the Public Relations Partnership Unit; and Dr. MURANAKA Satoru, Senior Researcher in the Biological Resources and Post-Harvest Division.
Delegation from Taiwan’s Department of Agricultural Science and Technology Visits JIRCAS
On September 18, 2026, a delegation led by Director General Kuo Kun-feng of the Department of Agricultural Science and Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan, together with representatives from the Taoyuan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, the Fisheries Agency, the Agricultural Technology Research Institute (ATRI), and other related organizations, visited the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). The purpose of the visit was to share experiences and exchange views on initiatives and mechanisms for linking research and development with the practical needs of industry.
Work Plan Signing Ceremony Held with Thailand's Royal Forest Department (RFD)
On September 17, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and Thailand's Royal Forest Department (RFD) held a signing ceremony for a work plan developed under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on research cooperation.
TERRA Africa Project Workshop Held in Nigeria <br> —Toward the Development and Implementation of Regenerative Agriculture Packages—
On August 27 and 28, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) held a workshop for the TERRA Africa Project at the headquarters of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria. The workshop, themed “Strengthening Science-Based Regenerative Agriculture Packages for Sustainable Farming Systems in Africa,” was attended by approximately 35 researchers and stakeholders from Japan, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Uganda, and Ethiopia, including representatives from the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), universities, national research institutions, IITA, and the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). An additional 10 participants joined online.
JIRCAS Exhibits Research at Thailand National Science and Technology Fair 2026 and Receives Award for Contributions to Science and Technology Education
From August 15 to 23, 2026, the Thailand National Science and Technology Fair 2026 (NST Fair 2026) was held at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand, under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) of Thailand. Approximately 200,000 visitors, primarily local elementary, junior high, and high school students, attended the nine-day exhibition.
Release Ceremony Held in Madagascar for the New Rice Variety “Besalohy”
On September 1, 2026, a release ceremony for the new rice variety Besalohy was held in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar. The variety was jointly developed by the National Center for Applied Research on Rural Development (FOFIFA) and the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS).