Greetings from JSBBA President
July 7, 2025 Last Updated
Mariko Uehara
The 65th President of the Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry,
I am Mariko Uehara, and was elected President of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry (JSBBA) on May 28, 2025. I would like to take this opportunity to greet all members.
"NOGEIKAGAKU in Japanese" means agricultural chemistry, often considered unique to Japan, is a broad and diverse field encompassing various interdisciplinary areas under the keywords "life, food, and environment." Furthermore, agricultural chemistry research outcomes have the potential to serve as tools for controlling and resolving various global issues, such as climate change, environmental destruction, and food security. Even before the term "SDGs" was coined, the pioneers of JSBBA collaborated with industry and contributed to these efforts, building a history of over 100 years.
JSBBA was founded in 1924, the year following the Great Kanto Earthquake. Recovery from the earthquake is still ongoing today, but 100 years ago, the difficulties must have been unimaginable. Amidst that chaos, Dr. Umetaro Suzuki's achievement in establishing this society is truly remarkable.
Recognized as an incorporated association by the Ministry of Education in 1957, the Society transitioned to a public interest corporation on March 1, 2012. In April 2025, the public interest corporation system was revised with the aim of "promoting efforts to enhance transparency and governance within the corporation itself and securing the trust of the public," thereby further activating private-sector public interest activities. Currently, the Society is facing financial difficulties and has been forced to scale back some operations; however, we aim to maintain a high level of quality.
As we approach our 100th anniversary, the "100th Anniversary Project Executive Committee" has planned a commemorative project called "FUTURE Agricultural Chemistry 100," which aims to nurture and strengthen young agricultural chemistry researchers for the future. Until the end of March 2025, we have been soliciting donations from the public, after which we will enter our 101st year. Thanks to your support, we have been able to recruit “Short-Term Overseas Stay Grant” and “Young Researcher Startup Grant” recipients, and the selection process is currently underway. Our goal is to support the research activities of young researchers, including graduate students, and to strengthen the foundation of young research talent as an investment in the future for the further development of agricultural chemistry. However, we will need to take longer-term measures in the future.
There is currently a serious shortage of human resources in growing fields such as digital and green technologies. The percentage of students studying science, engineering, and agriculture is extremely low compared to other countries. Although the government is investing large sums of money to strengthen these fields, the future remains uncertain due to the unpredictability of career paths after graduation. To address this issue, we must promote the appeal of these fields in higher education and in primary and secondary schools. Our association has hosted the Junior JSBBA from 2006, striving to raise awareness, but further improvement is desired. Creating a sense of fulfillment in work is also an important challenge, and our association hopes to foster a positive cycle of talent between academia and industry.
As part of the 100th anniversary commemoration events, the "Joint/Co-Sponsored Symposium: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Symposium Series" was planned. Through collaboration with other societies, it provided an opportunity to achieve what individual societies could not. Based on this event, we would like to promote international exchange projects in the future.
Additionally, JSBBA has seven branches that engage in various activities led by their respective chairpersons and other officers. Sometimes, multiple branches collaborate to hold symposiums, and we look forward to new activities by each branch.
As the 65th president of the JSBBA in its 101st year, I recognize that I am not fully qualified for the task. However, I would like to express my respect for the courage of this society's members in electing a female president as we celebrate our 100th anniversary and look toward the next 100 years. I also feel a connection to Dr. Umetaro Suzuki (please refer to the 100th anniversary commemorative magazine for details), which is why I accepted this position. I intend to work closely with all members, including board members, committee members, delegates, related companies, and the secretariat. I will consult with senior members of this society on the path forward and do my utmost to fulfill my duties over the next two years. I sincerely hope that, in the near future, electing a female president will become commonplace. However, this will require creating a society where all members can thrive regardless of gender. First and foremost, I aim to take the first step toward laying the groundwork for this. I humbly request your continued support.
