The "Key-Molecule-Network in Plant Reproduction" (KEPLR) was selected for the "International Leading Research" funding from 2023. In conjunction with this, a kickoff symposium titled "Plant Reproduction Research by International Networking" was organized by Professor Tetsuya Higashiyama, along with Sílvia Coimbra's new European project CRISPit. The symposium took place at the University of Tokyo on June 4, 2023.

The event had 61 participants, and the program included an introduction to the project's objectives, presentations by domestic and international collaborating researchers, and discussions on travel opportunities for young researchers to interact with overseas principal investigators.