Event: 1st International Symposium on Green Technology: Toward Circular Bioeconomy and Energy Recovery from Waste

Date & Time: 25th September 2026

Venue: Akira Suzuki Hall, Frontier Research for Applied Sciences Building, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

Hosts: Assoc. Prof. Mamoru Oshiki (Hokkaido University) and Prof. Adeline Seak May Chua (Universiti Malaya)

1. Introduction

The 1st International Symposium on Green Technology: Toward Circular Bioeconomy and Energy Recovery from Waste was held on 25 September 2026 at Hokkaido University under the JST-NEXUS Malaysia Program. The symposium brought together researchers from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and India working on anaerobic digestion, wastewater treatment, and biomass utilization, and also featured a special session for early-career researchers (ECRs) on building international careers in environmental engineering.

2. Opening Session

Assoc. Prof. Mamoru Oshiki (Hokkaido University) opened the symposium, followed by an overview of the JST-NEXUS Malaysia Program by Prof. Susumu Kuwabata (JST-NEXUS Program Officer, Osaka University).

3. Research Session: Innovations in Anaerobic Digestion and Circular Bioeconomy

Nine speakers from Japan, Malaysia and Thailand presented their latest research:

  • Dr. Li Yemei (Hokkaido University) – Synergistic effect of biochar and exogenous hydrogen on CO2 biological conversion
  • Dr. Yunjeong Choi (Hokkaido University) – Upcycling expired makgeolli for enhanced biogas production via magnetite-assisted anaerobic digestion
  • Dr. Benjaphon Suraraksa (BIOTEC / KMUTT, Thailand) – Biogas production technology from agro-industrial wastewaters in Thailand
  • Assoc. Prof. Chan Yi Jing (University of Nottingham Malaysia) – Anaerobic co-digestion of POME and empty fruit bunch for sustainable biogas recovery
  • Dr. Chuah Chong Yang (Universiti Malaya) – Development of microporous materials towards enhanced gas separation
  • Assoc. Prof. Takahiro Watari (Nagaoka University of Technology) – Resource-recovery and energy-saving wastewater management using sponge-based biofilm technology
  • Dr. Kyohei Kuroda (AIST) – Microbial ecology of anaerobic wastewater treatment systems treating terephthalic acid and related aromatic compounds
  • Prof. Shuichi Kawano (Kyushu University) – Statistical modeling for the identification of key microbial taxa in activated sludge
  • Prof. Kazuei Ishii (Hokkaido University) – Biomass utilization in Hokkaido toward Green Transformation (GX)

The presentations covered a wide range of topics, from microbial ecology and process engineering of anaerobic digestion to gas separation materials, data-driven analysis of microbial communities, and regional biomass utilization, highlighting the interdisciplinary approaches needed to realize a circular bioeconomy.

4. ECR Career Session: Building International Careers in Environmental Engineering

The special session for ECRs started with lightning career talks by Ms. Ruth Daniel (IIT Dhanbad), Dr. Hyungmin Choi (Hokkaido University), Dr. Toshikazu Fukushima (Nippon Steel) and Prof. Adeline Seak May Chua (Universiti Malaya), who shared their experiences of building careers across countries and sectors. This was followed by a moderated discussion with the audience and a senior commentary by Prof. Takashi Mino (The University of Tokyo).

5. Conclusion

The symposium provided a valuable platform for sharing recent advances in anaerobic digestion and energy and resource recovery from waste, and for strengthening the research network among Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and beyond. We sincerely thank all speakers, participants and supporting staff for contributing to the success of the symposium.