CHIBA, Japan — Kotaro Yokote, President of National University Corporation Chiba University (Chiba, Japan) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Academic Exchange with Henrique dos Santos Pereira, Director of the National Institute for Amazonian Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia: INPA, Amazonas State, Brazil) to promote academic and technical exchange as well as international joint research.
An online signing ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, from 7:30 to 8:30 AM JST /Monday, October 19, 18:30–19:30 Manaus time, attended by representatives from both institutions and Consul-General Yuichi Miyagawa of the Consulate-General of Japan in Manaus. Through this MOU, both organizations will leverage their respective strengths to advance collaborative research, researcher exchange, and technology transfer.
1. Background and Objectives
The rich biodiversity of the Amazon holds potential to unravel the mechanisms of life and lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Chiba University and the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA) will engage in international joint research to contribute this potential toward science that promotes human health and the development of human resources.
In June 2026, Professor Yosuke Kurashima of Chiba University’s Institute for Advanced Academic Research/Graduate School of Medicine/Synergy Institute for Futuristic Mucosal Vaccine Research and Development (cSIMVa) visited Manaus, the central city of the Brazilian Amazon, meeting with major local institutions including INPA, the Federal University of Amazonas, and the Consulate-General of Japan in Manaus.
During discussions at INPA, both parties agreed on the immense potential of fusing INPA’s world-class biodiversity resources and natural product libraries with the cutting-edge mucosal immunology, infectious disease research, and vaccine R&D capabilities cultivated by cSIMVa, confirming a shared goal of combining the strengths of both countries to open up new research fields. This meeting served as the catalyst for repeated discussions between both institutions, leading to the formal signing of this MOU.
2. Key Areas of Collaboration
Over the five-year period, Chiba University and INPA will engage in joint projects and academic exchanges focused on the following key areas:
3. Highlights of the Online Signing Ceremony
The online ceremony commenced at 7:30 AM JST. Following university introductions, President Kotaro Yokote of Chiba University and INPA Director Henrique dos Santos Pereira delivered speeches expressing strong commitment and enthusiasm for the partnership. During the ensuing discussion, with the support of the Consulate-General of Japan in Manaus, Chiba University and INPA agreed to work together toward organizing a commemorative event to mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese settlement in the Amazon in 2029, with the aim of advancing research and education. The signing, exchange of documents, and a commemorative photo session took place in a warm and collaborative atmosphere.
4. Future Outlook
This agreement will serve as a foundation for both institutions to jointly take on challenges from Amazon's biodiversity toward global health issues.
Beginning with joint research in immunology and infectious diseases, Chiba University will integrate multidisciplinary expertise across pharmaceutical sciences, science, and horticulture. In the long term, the university aims to holistically utilize Amazonian natural resources to develop a "Multidisciplinary Joint Research and Education Hub" encompassing environment, natural resources, and health.
About the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA)
Established in 1952 under Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), INPA is headquartered in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil. As a premier research center in the Amazon region—home to the world's largest tropical rainforest—INPA conducts comprehensive research on biodiversity, natural environments, and sustainable resource utilization, serving as a vital hub for science, technology, and innovation in the region.