On July 29, 2026, the “Children’s Kasumigaseki Tour Day 2026,” hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), was held at the ministry’s headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. The event attracted numerous visitors, particularly families with children. The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) cooperated in the Tsukuba City exhibition booth titled “Save the Earth with Potato Chip Oil! An SOS from the Tropical Rainforest: Solving Tough Challenges with Cutting-Edge Technology and Innovative Ideas.” Dr. OMORI Keisuke, Director of the Information and Strategy Program at JIRCAS, served as lecturer.

On July 13, 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), in collaboration with the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and the Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region (FFTC), held the international workshop entitled “2026 JIRCAS-NARO-FFTC Joint International Workshop on Soil Health and Multifunctionality: Integrating Science and Practice for a Sustainable Future” at the Tsukuba International Congress Center. 

On June 2–3, 2026, the “Second ASEAN Consultation Workshop and Capacity Building on Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture Systems,” co-organized by the ASEAN Secretariat, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the European Union (EU), was held in Denpasar, Indonesia, with the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) participating at the invitation of the ASEAN Secretariat.

From April 9 to 10, 2026, the “First ASEAN Consultation Workshop and Capacity Building: Development of Regenerative and Resilient Agriculture Systems Implementation Plan and Biochar Guidelines,” an event co-hosted by the ASEAN Secretariat and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) participated in the workshop at the invitation of the ASEAN Secretariat.

On March 16, 2026, the award ceremony for the Japanese Forestry Society was held during the 137th Annual Meeting of the Society at the Tsukuba International Congress Center.
At the ceremony, Dr. TANAKA Kenzo, Senior Researcher in the Forestry Division of JIRCAS, received the Society Award, while Dr. KATSUURA Hiiragi, Researcher in the same division, received the Young Scientist Encouragement Award.

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.