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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

On August 27, 2026, at the 32nd International Horticultural Congress (IHC2026) held at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan, Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), delivered a plenary lecture entitled “Climate Change: Risks and Adaptation Strategies in the Agricultural Sector.”

The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), in cooperation with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), exhibited at the “Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show 2026 (MAHA 2026),” held in Malaysia from August 28 to September 1, 2026. JIRCAS showcased research achievements and recent initiatives aimed at the social implementation of next-generation biomass technologies that promote the effective utilization of underutilized biomass resources.

On Monday, August 3, 2026, JIRCAS welcomed 20 second-year students from Sapporo Asahigaoka Senior Senior High School for the 35th session of the Future Science Talent Academy. The lecture was delivered by Dr. MIYANAKA Noriki, Researcher in the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division, who introduced JIRCAS's efforts to address food security and environmental challenges through agricultural, forestry, and fisheries research in developing regions.

On Friday, July 31, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) successfully held the “Tsukuba Chibikko Hakase (Little Scientists) 2026 Open House,” welcoming 231 visitors.

On Thursday, July 30, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) hosted 20 second-year students from the Science and Mathematics Course of Fukuoka Prefectural Yahata High School for the 34th session of the Future Science Talent Academy. Dr. TAKAI Toshiyuki, Senior Researcher in the Crop, Livestock and Environment Division, and Dr. SAITO Minoru, Researcher in the Fisheries Division, handled the lectures.