Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro, the new President of JIRCAS, shares his inaugural message as the Center begins its Sixth Medium- to Long-Term Plan.

 

On April 3, 2026, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Virender Kumar (Research Director), Dr. Saito Kazuki (Senior Scientist), and Dr. Iwanaga Masa (Board Member) from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for a courtesy visit and technical exchange.

On March 13, 2026, a delegation led by Mr. Adam Nowak, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland, visited the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS). They exchanged views on agricultural challenges with President KOYAMA Osamu (at the time) and others.

On March 26, 2026, Senior Researcher KASHIWA Takeshi of the Biological Resources and Utilization Division received the Young Scientist Award at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Phytopathological Society of Japan, which was held from March 26 to 28 at Setsunan University’s Hirakata Campus in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. 

From February 6 to 15, 2026, the KMITL Agricultural Fair 2026 was held at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Bangkok, Thailand. This fair is a comprehensive annual exhibition in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food organized by the university, and it is the largest event of its kind in eastern Bangkok. The venue featured a wide variety of programs, including the sale of local agricultural products and processed foods, research presentations by students and researchers, and hands-on activities, attracting many visitors throughout the event.

From March 3 to 4, 2026, the 3rd International Workshop on Sustainable Management of Sugarcane White Leaf Disease was held at Khon Kaen University in Khon Kaen, Thailand.
This workshop was organized based on the contents of the “Healthy Seedcane Propagation and Distribution Manual Against Sugarcane White Leaf Disease,” which was jointly developed by JIRCAS, Khon Kaen University, and the Department of Agriculture of Thailand, and published in 2021 by the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board under Thailand’s Ministry of Industry. 

In April 2025, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) launched the Future Science Talent Academy to provide middle and high school students, who will lead the future of science and technology, with opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research and scientific thinking.

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.

At the Biomass Expo / 11th [International] Biomass Exhibition, held as part of “Smart Energy Week” at Tokyo Big Sight from March 17 (Tue) to 19 (Thu), 2026, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) introduced its “Next-Generation Biomass Upcycling Technology,” which enables the advanced utilization of unused biomass resources.

On Thursday, March 19, 2026, as part of the Future Science Talent Academy, JIRCAS held its 28th session as an outreach lecture at Nagoya Municipal Hisakata Junior High School. The school organizes career talk sessions aimed at helping students learn the value of work, understand how to engage with others, and consider their future career paths. This lecture was conducted as part of that program. Students selected sessions based on their interests from six fields—food research, medical technology, beauty technology, illustration, automobile dealerships, and professional sports—and a total of 109 first-year students participated.