JIRCAS Report
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.
Future Science Talent Academy – 26th Session: First-Year Students from Kumamoto Prefectural Uto High School Learn About the Use of Biotechnology in Agricultural Research
On Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) welcomed 19 first-year students from Kumamoto Prefectural Uto High School for the 26th session of the Future Science Talent Academy.
Certificates of Appreciation Received from the Minister of Education and Sports of Laos at the 50th Anniversary Ceremony of the Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Laos
On December 9, 2025, at the 50th Anniversary Ceremony of the Faculty of Agriculture of the National University of Laos (NUOL) held in Vientiane, the capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, JIRCAS Senior Researcher MARUI Junichiro was presented with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the Minister of Education and Sports of Laos by the President of NUOL. The award recognized his long-standing achievements in international collaborative research in the field of fermented foods.
Future Science Talent Academy – 25th Session: First-Year Students from Fukushima Prefectural Soma Agricultural High School Learn About Rice Breeding in Japan and Around the World
On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) welcomed 39 first-year students from Fukushima Prefectural Soma Agricultural High School for the 25th session of the Future Science Talent Academy.
Paper by Senior Researchers ARAI Miwa and IKAZAKI Kenta Selected for the JSSSPN English Journal Paper Award
The paper, “Protective role of reactive aluminum phases to stabilize soil organic matter against long-term cultivation in the humid tropics under volcanic influence, authored by JIRCAS Senior Researchers ARAI Miwa and IKAZAKI Kenta (both in the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division), has been selected for the 24th Japanese Society of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (JSSSPN) SSPN Award (English Journal Paper Award).
JIRCAS and Philippine Partner Institutions Review Five Years of Joint Research — Toward On-Site Demonstration of Sugarcane Cultivation Technologies
On December 1, 2025, on Negros Island in the Republic of the Philippines, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) held a symposium with its Philippine research partners to review the achievements of their five-year international collaborative research. Hosted by JIRCAS, the event was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ENDO Kazuya and First Secretary AKASAKA Hidenori from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, reaffirming the importance of Japan–Philippines cooperation.
Senior Researcher UEDA Yoshiaki Receives the 2025 (24th) Japan Prize in Agricultural Sciences, Achievement Award for Young Scientists
On Friday, November 28, 2025, the 2025 (24th) Japan Prize in Agricultural Sciences, Achievement Award for Young Scientists ceremony and recipient lecture were held at Yayoi Auditorium, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. The award is administered by The Foundation of Agricultural Sciences of Japan (FASJ).Dr. UEDA Yoshiaki, Senior Researcher in the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), received the award for his research on plant nutrient stress responses and resistance mechanisms. The award certificate and commemorative gift were presented by FASJ President TANGE Takeshi.
UN Food Systems Coordination Hub Highlights JIRCAS and NARO as “Japan’s Innovation Engine”
On November 28, 2025, the official website of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, which was established within FAO as a follow-up mechanism of the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), published an online article introducing the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) as "Japan's Innovation Engine" driving Japan-originated agricultural research innovations.
JIRCAS Exhibits Research Innovations at the Agribusiness Creation Fair 2025
From November 26 to 28, 2025 (Wednesday–Friday), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries hosted the Agribusiness Creation Fair 2025 at Tokyo Big Sight, West Hall 3.