How agricultural skills learned in Zambia revitalized tea farms in Shizuoka

Kakegawa in Shizuoka Prefecture, is one of Japan’s leading tea-producing regions. While local tea farms have been facing a serious threat to their survival, young people from the Tokyo metropolitan area and travelers from overseas are now visiting the area. Behind this trend lies what one young man learned from agriculture in Zambia.

Women shaping the future of peace: From the front lines of WPS

In many parts of the world, conflicts and disasters are occurring in succession, heightening the risk of women facing various forms of disadvantage. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) not only provides relief to such women as “victims,” but also positions them as “agents of peacebuilding,” pursuing a range of cooperation under the principles of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, Hirose Megumi, senior director of JICA’s Office for Gender Equality and Poverty Reduction, and journalist Hamada Keiko sat down to discuss the WPS agenda and related issues.

Japanese technology contributing to Ukraine's reconstruction four years into invasion 

February 2026 marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Although there is little indication that the fighting will end, infrastructure restoration and reconstruction efforts are underway in non-combat areas. JICA has been contributing to Ukraine's recovery through its support of Japanese companies possessing advanced technology in their efforts to enter the Ukrainian market. This is a report on these projects.    

Telemedicine project optimized in Thailand saves mothers’ and babies’ lives

JICA's international cooperation has produced many cases in which achievements in developing countries are returned to Japan, contributing to solving domestic challenges and supporting business activity. One such example is a perinatal telemedicine system that originated in Kagawa Prefecture, was further refined in Thailand, and then returned to Japan. In areas across Japan where the shortage of obstetricians is becoming more serious, the system's small heart-shaped devices are helping to protect the lives of pregnant women and their babies.

Aikawa Nanase's perspective: The Nikkei community connecting Brazil and Japan

In 2025, Japan and Brazil celebrated 130 years of diplomatic relations. Today's friendly relations owe much to the Nikkei Brazilian community —people of Japanese descent living in Brazil—which has overcome hardships to serve as a bridge between the two countries. Rock singer Aikawa Nanase, serving as a goodwill ambassador for Japan-Brazil friendship and exchange, reflected on this shared history and the current situation.