Global Initiatives

International Visitors

Agricultural Officer of U.S. Embassy in Japan Visit NARO

On June 16th, 2022, Mr. Zeke Spears, the Agricultural Attaché, and Mr. Tomohiro Kurai, the Agricultural Specialist, the Embassy of the United States of America in Japan visited NARO. They toured the metabolic experiment facility for the measurement of methane emissions in cattle belch at the Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, and the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission control facility for the measurement of GHGs from paddy fields at the Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences. In addition to introducing the research methods, we actively exchanged opinions on future research cooperation between Japan and the United States.

The Japan-U.S. Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership, an annex to the U.S.-Japan Summit Joint Statement of April 16, 2021, includes Japan-U.S. cooperation on sustainable and climate-friendly agriculture in relation to climate change. In the attached fact sheet of the U.S.-Japan Summit Joint Statement of May 23, 2022, it is announced that joint research to mitigate methane emissions from rice paddies and livestock (*) will start in 2022.

* FACT SHEET: The Japan-U.S. Competitiveness and Resilience (CoRe) Partnership, The Japan-U.S. Joint Statement, "Strengthening of a Free and Open International Order" (May 23, 2022) 100347255.pdf (mofa.go.jp)

Metabolism experiment facility for cattle at the Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science
Left picture - Dr. Mitsumori, Director (Right) explaining the method for measuring methane emission in cattle belch to Mr. Spears, Agricultural Attaché(Left).
Paddy field for determining methane emission at the Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences
Left picture - Dr. Shirato, Manager, Division of Climate Change Mitigation Research (Left) explaining GHG determination in paddy fields

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