JIRCAS Report
Cross-Talk with JICA Tsukuba at the “Wednesday Night Science Café”<br><i>Rice Cultivation × On-the-Ground Challenges in Asia and Africa </i>
On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, the “Wednesday Night Science Café,” organized by the Tsukuba Science Tour Office, was held at the event space co-en in front of Tsukuba Station. This café is a science communication event designed to make science feel more accessible to the public. It is jointly planned by research and educational institutions in Tsukuba City and has been held every Wednesday evening from December 3, 2025, to March 4, 2026.
JIRCAS Exhibits Results of Biomass Energy Research at the 20th Renewable Energy World Exhibition & Forum (RE2026)
From January 28 to 30, 2026 (Wednesday through Friday), the 20th Renewable Energy World Exhibition & Forum (RE2026) was held at Tokyo Big Sight. JIRCAS introduced its latest research findings related to biomass utilization.
JIRCAS Research Highlights Presented at Kaset Fair 2026, Kasetsart University, Thailand
Kaset Fair 2026, an agricultural exhibition, is being held at Kasetsart University in Thailand from January 30 to February 7, 2026. Kaset Fair, Thailand's largest agricultural and food trade fair, is hosted annually by Kasetsart University. During the event, the university campus hosts a wide variety of exhibits, from research highlights related to the agriculture and food industry to sales of agricultural and food products, attracting many visitors.
JIRCAS and JICA Tsukuba Collaborate for the February 4 Wednesday Night Science Café
On February 4, JIRCAS and the JICA Tsukuba Center of the Japan International Cooperation Agency will jointly present a session at the “Wednesday Night Science Café.” The theme of this session is:
“Rice Cultivation × On-the-Ground Challenges in Asia and Africa — Connecting Technology and Human Resources through Communication, Application, and Collaboration.”
JIRCAS Participates in SAT Technology Showcase 2026 with Poster Presentations by Two Researchers
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the SAT Technology Showcase 2026, organized by the Science Academy of Tsukuba (SAT), was held at the Tsukuba International Congress Center. Two researchers from JIRCAS participated and presented their research findings.
The 56th TARF Public Lecture Successfully Held on January 23
The JIRCAS Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF, locally known as “Nekken”) successfully held the 56th TARF Public Lecture, titled “Understanding the Relationship Between the Environment and Nitrogen,” on Friday, January 23, 2026, at the Audio-Visual Room on the 2nd floor of the Ishigaki City Health and Welfare Center.
Senior Researcher ISEKI Kohtaro Receives Best Research Award at the International Symposium on Tropical Root and Tuber Crops
Dr. ISEKI Kohtaro, Senior Researcher in the Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division, received the Best Research Award at the “International Symposium on Tropical Root & Tuber Crops for Nutrition, Agri-food Systems, Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability,” held in Thiruvananthapuram, India, from November 17 to 21, 2025.
JIRCAS participated in various events at COP30 (held in Belém, Brazil)
From November 13 to 15, 2025, JIRCAS participated in various events at COP30 (held in Belém, Brazil) and introduced its research and collaborative activities.
The 55th TARF Public Lecture Successfully Held on December 17
The Tropical Agriculture Research Front (TARF; locally known as “Nekken”) of JIRCAS successfully held the 55th TARF Public Lecture for Citizens, titled “Plant Breeding Using African Rice,” on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, from 19:00 to 20:30 at the Audiovisual Room on the 2nd floor of the Ishigaki City Health and Welfare Center.
Fisheries Division Researcher SAITO Minoru Receives Best Oral Presentation Award at the 5th Thailand International Symposium on Natural History Museums (TISNHM 2025)
At the 5th Thailand International Symposium on Natural History Museums (TISNHM 2025), held at the National Science Museum of Thailand in Pathum Thani (near Bangkok) from November 27 to 29, 2025, Researcher SAITO Minoru from the Fisheries Division received the Best Oral Presentation Award. The event was organized to share knowledge and techniques related to natural history research and museum exhibitions and brought together researchers, museum professionals, and students from nine countries, mainly in Southeast Asia.