APAARI extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Hasegawa Toshihiro on his appointment as the new President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), a valued member of APAARI. We wish him great success in this prestigious role and looks forward to continued collaboration with JIRCAS.

Dr. HASEGAWA Toshihiro has been appointed President of the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) as they begin our 6th Medium- to Long-Term Plan. His specialization is in crop science and crop physiology, and for many years he has worked on issues surrounding climate change and agricultural production at universities and in research settings at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization. Together with researchers in Japan and abroad, He has contributed to advancing the assessment of climate change impacts in agriculture and to examining adaptation measures in regions including Asia and Africa.

He also served as a Coordinating Lead Author for the chapter on food and ecosystem products in the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), contributing to the communication of the latest scientific knowledge to the international community. This experience gave me firsthand insight into how scientific evidence can directly inform policymaking and international discussions. Building on this background, he hopes to apply the knowledge and international networks he has developed as a researcher to strengthen the management of JIRCAS and its external collaborations.