The world population continues to increase while the agricultural lands decrease sharply due to the environmental disruptions such as global warming and desertification. As the disparity between the global food supply and demand is expected to widen, the promotion of research and development in rice to increase food production becomes all the more crucial. Rice is one of the three major cereals of the world and demand continues to increase, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies. Under these circumstances, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Japan International Research Center for Agriculture Science (JIRCAS), and National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) established a Trilateral Committee for Promoting Research Cooperation on Rice to address problems affecting rice production particularly in the Asian region, and collaborate more closely in initiatives towards achieving sustainable rice production. This joint symposium, organized under the auspices of the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), aims to provide an overview of the current situation in rice research focusing high temperature tolerance, yield physiology and pest management.