Tokyo NODAI held a signing ceremony for a Declaration of Intent of Cooperation (DIC) with the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment of France (INRAE).

At the signing ceremony, remarks were delivered by President EGUCHI Fumio of Tokyo NODAI and Vice-President Thierry CAQUET of INRAE, followed by the exchange of signatures on the Declaration of Intent.

This agreement aims to promote comprehensive collaboration in the fields of agriculture, food, and environment, including joint research, researcher exchange, and human resource development.  It may also be extended in the future to involve higher education institutions associated with INRAE, in order to strengthen academic cooperation and student mobility.

From left: Dr. Thierry CAQUET, Vice-President of INRAE, and Dr. EGUCHUI Fumio, President of Tokyo NODAI.

INRAE is one of Europe’s largest and most prestigious research institutions, with more than 10,000 staff, including approximately 2,000 researchers. Through this partnership, both institutions will strengthen collaboration, particularly in “fermentation & food science” and “agroecology”, while promoting joint research, researcher exchanges, and training. Furthermore, in light of Japan’s participation as an associated country in the EU’s major research funding program Horizon Europe from 2026, this initiative is expected to contribute to the development of an academic network connecting Europe and Asia and to serve as a pioneering model for Japanese universities engaging in European research frameworks.

A sake made using a yeast strain isolated from the rose “Princess Michiko,” by a professor of Tokyo NODAI,was served for the toast.

The photograph shows participants of the signing ceremony

Front row, from left to right :
Dr. CAQUET Thierry (Vice-President for International Policy, INRAE) and Dr. EGUCHI Fumio (President, Tokyo NODAI)

Back row, from left to right:
Dr. ISHIKAWA Morio (Vice Dean, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo NODAI )
Dr. Akihito Endo (Deputy Director, Center for Global Initiatives, Tokyo NODAI)
Dr. MIYAURA Rie (Director, Center for Global Initiatives, Tokyo NODAI )
Dr. GOTO Kazuhisa (Deputy Director, NARO Development Strategy Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO))
Dr. MARIE Pierre (Director of International Relations, INRAE)
Dr. MIHARA Machito (Vice President (International Affairs), Tokyo NODAI )
Dr. TAJI Teruaki (Director, NODAI Research Institute, Tokyo University of Agriculture NODAI
Dr. YAMAMOTO Yuji (Dean, Faculty of Applied Bioscience, Tokyo NODAI)
Mr. IWAI Shin ichi (Director, International Affairs, University Secretariat, Tokyo NODAI)