On 12 March 2026, the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) and the Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human Survivability (GSAIS) signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Kansai Center regarding the dispatch of students to Mexico and Thailand under the "Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) (Science and Technology Research Cooperation)" program, marking the first initiative of its kind in Japan.
As the signing ceremony began, Mr Masayuki Hirosawa, director-general of the JICA Kansai Center, emphasized the significance of the program, which dispatches Japanese early-career researchers to institutions in developing countries for collaborative research. He noted that the program, newly established to coincide with JOCV's 60th anniversary, aims not only to enhance the scientific and technological capacities of partner countries but also to advance joint research projects. He also pointed out that it could promote "international brain circulation" by bringing experiences and outcomes gained in host countries back to Japan.
Dr Yasuyuki Kono, Kyoto University's executive vice-president for international strategy, then delivered his own remarks. Referring to the University's long-standing tradition of overseas fieldwork -- underpinning its reputation as an "exploration university" -- as well as the accumulation of international joint research through its "On-site Laboratory" initiative launched in 2018, he welcomed the new framework as an opportunity to further expand global education and research activities.
Dr Takao Hirashima, director of the Division of Graduate Studies, followed by emphasizing the importance of early-career researchers -- particularly "scientists of tomorrow" such as doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows -- engaging directly in addressing societal challenges in overseas settings. He expressed strong expectations that the program would help cultivate transferable skills -- competencies that transcend specific disciplines -- thereby supporting more diverse career pathways for doctoral talent.
Prior to the MoU signing, Ms Etsuko Masuko, deputy director of the JOCV secretariat, outlined a key feature of the program -- that research activities themselves constitute volunteer service -- and encouraged participants to engage local researchers in co-creation of value and to build sustained partnerships with developing countries as part of their research.
Following the signing, DPRI Director Tomoharu Hori described the background to the Mexico dispatch, highlighting three factors: a long-standing collaboration with the Mexican National Center for Prevention of Disasters (CENAPRED); a joint statement signed by DPRI, CENAPRED, Mexico's Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (through the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation [AMEXCID]), and the JICA Mexico Office; and the role of the International Research Laboratory for Earthquake and Tsunami Risk Cognition and Reduction (iLETs), an On-site Laboratory. The goal of the initiative, he explained, is to contribute to reducing earthquake disaster risks in Mexico by introducing automatic earthquake detection systems, implementing technologies for their evaluation in society, and developing effective methods of information dissemination.
GSAIS Dean Akira Murakami then provided an overview of the Thailand dispatch, noting that it could serve as a form of "musha shugyo" (international practical training) or Project-Based Research (PBR) -- core components of the graduate school's curriculum involving practical experience at international and other organizations. He expressed hope that the program would foster collaboration with researchers at the Sustainable Environment Research Institute (SERI) of Chulalongkorn University, contributing to policy discussions and improvements aimed at achieving food production and agriculture in harmony with biodiversity conservation, while also promoting academic exchange and the development of early-career researchers.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr Shukei Oyanagi, a research student at DPRI's Research Center for Earthquake Prediction, who is scheduled to be dispatched to Mexico around August 2026 as the program's first participant. He expressed his aspirations stating: "I hope to contribute to reducing earthquake disaster risks in Mexico by advancing my research through dialogue -- taking into account local social infrastructure and culture -- and by implementing its outcomes in society."
The ceremony concluded with remarks from Dr Eiji Nawata, director of the Kyoto University ASEAN Center, who reflected on a case from 10 years earlier in which a student had to take a leave of absence to join JOCV. He shared that it was deeply moving to see the "JOCV (Science and Technology Research Cooperation)" program realized as he had long hoped for a system that would allow participation without interrupting research activities.
Kyoto University will continue to actively utilize this program -- in which participants work with local researchers to solve global challenges, broadening their research perspectives in the process -- as part of its ongoing efforts to foster the next generation of global leaders.
