On February 9–10, 2026, an international workshop titled “Environmentally Adaptive Forestry Techniques for Southeast Asian Tree Species” was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The workshop summarized the achievements of the medium- and long-term plan under the grant-funded project “Environmentally Adaptive Forestry.” Launched in fiscal year 2021, this project aims to develop technologies for the restoration of forest resources in tropical forests degraded by overharvesting and to establish methods for selecting tree species and varieties with enhanced environmental adaptability.

On January 28, 2026, Dr. ABE Hisashi, Director of the Forestry Division at JIRCAS, attended the 30th Executive Committee Meeting of the Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI) held in Coimbatore, India. The meeting took place as part of a session within the International Conference on Population and Conservation Genetics 2026.

On January 27, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM) signed the Record of Discussions for the FY2025 technical cooperation project titled “Enhancing Biomass Utilization for Sustainable Management of Oil Palm Plantation and Promoting Circular Economy by Utilizing Applied Biotechnology Methods.” This marks the official launch of a new international cooperation initiative in Malaysia aimed at transforming untapped resources into food.

On Monday, June 3, 2024, Dr. Johari Abdul, Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives, visited the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and exchanged views with senior officials, including President KOYAMA Osamu.

On November 20, 2025, the “JIRCAS–FRI Joint 30 Years Anniversary Symposium: Findings from ecological and aquaculture research mainly focused on mangrove estuary areas in Peninsular Malaysia” was held in Penang, Malaysia.

On September 2, 2025, the “42nd JAMECA-MAJECA Joint Conference” was held at the Tokyo International Forum. This meeting, hosted by the Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA) and the Malaysia-Japan Economic Association (MAJECA), is held biennially by the two countries and aims to strengthen economic relations between them.

At the Panasonic Group pavilion, “Nomo no Kuni," at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, the innovative “PALM LOOP^®"—developed through the SATREPS Oil Palm Trunk (OPT) Project—has been adopted as an interior material for the VIP reception room, showcasing a significant technological achievement.

The 2024 Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agrotourism Show (MAHA 2024) was held from September 11 (Wed) to 22 (Sun) at MAEPS Serdang in Malaysia. MAHA, organized by the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) and held every two years, is one of the largest agricultural events in Malaysia. This year, the exhibition attracted a record number of approximately 5.51 million visitors.

The 51st TARF Public Lecture entitled "Exploring the Diversity of Tropical Fruit Trees Around the World" was successfully held at the Ishigaki City Health and Welfare Center on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The event was attended by 52 people.

The new MOU was signed by MARDI Director General, Dr. Mohamad Roff Mohd Noor, and JIRCAS President, Dr. IWANAGA Masa, on September 8, 2020 in an on-line signing ceremony organized by both institutes.