Japan Embassy officials visit MMSU flagship research facilities; strengthen research ties
By Criztalene Victorio
To strengthen existing collaborations in research and innovation, officials of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines visited some of Mariano Marcos State University’s (MMSU) flagship research facilities today, October 2, including the Garlic Research Center (GRC), the Coastal Engineering and Management Research and Development Center (COASTER), and the Food and Innovation Center (FIC).
The delegation was composed of Minister of Economic Affairs Mr. Yokota Naobumi and Second Secretary Ms. Mukaigawa Yurie, together with program officers Ms. Kaye Cruz and Mr. Rune Ylade.
MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., warmly welcomed them to MMSU. In his message, Dr. Manzano reaffirmed the university’s commitment to strengthening MMSU’s ties with Japanese institutions across all areas of common interest.
Noting that such international collaborations are vital in scaling up the university's research capabilities and innovations, Dr. Manzano added, “Our existing partnerships with various Japanese institutions give opportunities to strengthen our programs, from research and extension to our core mandate of instruction.”
For his part as the university’s Vice President for Research, Development, and Innovation, Dr. Nathaniel Alibuyog, also with Dr. Manzano, expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government for its continuous technical assistance.
The delegation first visited the GRC to observe how black garlic production equipment provided through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), are being used by the center. They also aimed to learn how the assistance has supported the center’s operations, as well as its outcomes and impacts.
To recall, JICA, in partnership with Takara Inc., donated black garlic production equipment worth over ₱2 million in June this year. These include a tractor, a black garlic maturing machine, two refrigerators, four water pumps, four power sprayers, a sprinkler irrigation system, and many others.
The delegation also visited the COASTER to learn about the ongoing collaboration between MMSU and Kyoto University. This allowed them to assess the progress of the partnership focusing on capacity building in the use of the 2d wave flume laboratory in the university as well as student exchange programs over the years.
Through the visit, MMSU and Japan Embassy explored future directions of their partnership, supporting the continued knowledge exchange and support in research and innovation.
Oct, 02, 2026 01:29:pm
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