A mission to Mexico on a project for Development of Wheat Breeding Materials for Sustainable Food Production in Afghanistan formed by Japanese researchers and JICA was conducted. The mission was planned to attend an opening ceremony organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico for a training course on Afghan researchers and visit research facilities of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). This project has been executed under SATREPS program between Japanese and Afghan researchers, but because of security unstableness in Afghanistan, a capacity building component and some research activities for Afghan wheat species have been done in Mexico under collaboration with CIMMYT and related institutions.
CIMMYT is famous as a principal research institution for the green revolution, which was a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives after WW II to increase productivities of wheat in developing countries led by Dr. Norman Borlaug who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970.
This project had faced difficulties because of the security issues in Afghanistan, but thanks to the collaboration with CIMMYT in Mexico this is going on toward research goals and capacity buildings for researchers both in Japan and Afghanistan.
The 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The AAAS is the world’s largest scientific society and also known as the publisher of the Science, the academic journal. The Japan Science and Technology Agency participated in this event and jointly run a booth named “the Japan Booth” with following organizations as exhibitors (in alphabetical order):
- High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
- Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- JEOL Ltd.
- RIKEN
- Tsukuba Comprehensive Special Zones for international Competitiveness Development
- World Premier International research Center Initiative (WPI)
Each organization introduced their activities and research output and development through the display boards, videos, and machines. The Japan booth provided diverse information about Japan’s leading-edge science technology and innovation. During the three-day exhibition, approximately 1,100 people visited our booth. Our exhibition appealed to a wide range of people, especially researchers and students. Many colleges and universities, including Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are located in Boston area, which is known as a higher education center in the United States. Visitors asked questions freely and had a vibrant exchange of views with exhibitors. People were vising our booth constantly.
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the U. S. National Institute of Health (NIH) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on medical research collaboration. The MoU signing ceremony between JST President Dr. Michiharu Nakamura and NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins was held at NIH headquarters in Bethesda Maryland.This MoU aims at facilitating the variety of scientific research cooperation in the biomedical field between the two countries. Both parties are expecting to gain collaborative activities such as workshops, lectures and funding bilateral medical research projects within the scope of this MoU.
Dr. Tomoko Steen delivered opening remarks at a special lecture on the new Japanese STI policy. The lecture was held by Professor Tateo Arimoto at the Library of Congress' Mary Pickford Theater in Washington, D.C. Professor Arimoto has served as the Director-General of the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) in Japan since 2006.
This lecture appealed to a wide range of people not only from the general public, but also from U.S. government officers. There were about forty people from the U.S. Department of State, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Academies, the Library of Congress, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and the U.S. Congress.
Professor Arimoto discussed the new Japanese STI policy after the Lower House election last December. He presented several points of view including 1) The great transformation of the world system, 2) New commitments and responsible conduct of Science and technology, 3) Making the new Japanese STI policy after the general election, and 4) New perspectives in STI policy. Mr. Arimoto had a vibrant and frank exchange of views with the audience about these issues during the Q&A session.
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) participated in the 2012 MRS Meeting & Exhibit in Boston, Massachusetts. During the three-day exhibition, approximately 150 people visited our booth. We introduced innovative devices, equipment, and new materials that have already obtained U.S. patents. The details about technology, patent number, and contact information are available on our website. If you need more licensable technologies, please visit here.
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