1. Building a database for specimens of small mammals (including, bats, rodents and moles) and coastal mollusks (mainly gastropods - Gastropoda and marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts - Bivalvia) has been previously collected in programs in cooperation with Japan; Additional field (if necessary) to assess species diversity of research subjects (by the Vietnamese side).
2. Building a database on genetic barcoding (DNA barcording) for a number of samples collected during project duration from 2018-2020 (by the Japanese side).
3. Sharing data on the global biodiversity information base (GBIF) for research, management and conservation (by the Japanese side).
4. Supporting the training of young research based on collected samples and international publication (the two sides work together).
The importance of missions for Vietnam:
- Update the collected specimen database with full information, serving as a scientific basis for future research and teaching.
- Share specimen information for national and international experts interested in biodiversity and conservation research in Vietnam.

The Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources has built a scientific research cooperation with the National Museum of Natural and Science, Tokyo, Japan from 2002 to present. During the joint research process, experts of both Japan and Vietnam have had many cooperative research programs that meet the objectives of each party. The research results have been published in prestigious international journals, affirming a close cooperative research relationship in the fields of biodiversity, evolutionary genetics, and wildlife conservation. The construction of a standard sample collection for the Museum of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has supported for research, teaching. Currently, the samples are being managed strictly follow the standards at the Department of Vertebrate Zoology and the Department of Aquatic Ecology of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources. Among the collected research samples, many endemic holotype samples have recently been collected in Vietnam.
To share research samples with colleagues, within the framework of the bilateral cooperation program between the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST, Vietnam) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS, Japan), the research group has built a research topic " Advanced establishment of basis of biodiversity informatics in Vietnam” and has some result as following in below:
In order to achieve these objectives, the two sides conducted statistical analysis of previously collected samples in 18 national parks and nature reserves in 14 provinces. Combined with other research projects, we collected additional samples in 17 national parks and nature reserves in 12 provinces.
Analysis of small mammals samples collection gave results, including:
- 147 species of small mammals (bats, rodents, insectivores, treeshrew) were recorded in 22 provinces with basic database information on the basis of previously collected samples as well as additional samples combined selective references.
- The basic data information for 44 species of bats, rodents and insectivores has been developed to aim to information sharing on the global biodiversity information system.
- A data on genetic barcoding (DNA barcoding) for a number of additional samples during the project has been created, including: 1 species of treeshrew, 4 species of insectivores, 15 species bats and 7 species of rodents.
- Basic data for 18 species of bats were shared on the global biodiversity information system follow link:
 (https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?offset=0&country=VN&dataset_key=ce93b7a1-6103 -45fc-9858-159dae55ef7d).
- Complete the data for 23 species of bats, 1 species of shrew and 5 species of rodents, continue to share data on the GIBF system in the shortest time.
- International publication of scientific articles (10 articles) on the basis of the collected samples and supporting the training of young researcher on the basis of collected samples.
Analysis of coastal mollusks samples collection gave the following results:
- 136 taxa belonging to 54 families of 2 classes Gastropoda and Bivalvia was recorded in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Nam Dinh provinces on the basis of collected samples at survey sites.
- The basic data information for 100 species of gastropod and molluscs has been established for research and information sharing.
- Complete the data for collected samples, continue to share data on the GIBF system in the coming time.
- Support to publish 01 monograph.

- Publications:
1.    Görföl, T., Kruskop, S.V., Vuong, T. T., Estók, P., Nguyen, T. S., and Csorba, G. 2020. A new genus of vespertilionid bat: the end of a long journey for Joffre’s Pipistrelle (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae). Journal of Mammalogy, 101(2): 331-348.
2.    Fukui Dai, Vuong Tan Tu Hoang Trung Thanh, Arai Santoru Harada Masashi, Csorba Csorba, and Nguyen Truong Son. 2020. First record of the genus Plecotus from Southeast Asia with notes on the taxonomy, karyology and echolocation call of P. homochrous from Vietnam. Acta Chiropterologica, 22(1): 57–74.
3.    Bui Tuan Hai, Masaharu Motokawa, Shin-ichiro Kawada, Alexei V. Abramov and Nguyen Truong Son. 2020. Skull variation in Asian moles of the genus Euroscaptor (Eulipotyphla: Talpidae) in Vietnam. Mammal Study 45 (2020) DOI: 10.3106/ms2019-0058.
4.    Son Truong Nguyen, Thomas J. O’Shea, Jeffery A. Gore, Khoi Vu Nguyen, Thanh Trung Hoang, Masaharu Motokawa, Phuong Huy Dang, Minh Duc Le, Tham Thi Nguyen, Tatsuo Oshida, Hideki Endo, Tuan Anh Tran, Hai Tuan Bui, Tu Ngoc Ly, Duong Thuy Vu, Hang Thi Chu, Tu Tan Vuong. 2020. Bats (Chiroptera) of Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Dalat Plateau, Vietnam. Mammal Study. Accepted.
5.    Nguyen Thi Tham, Ly Ngoc Tu, Vu Thuy Duong, Bui Tuan Hai, Nguyen Dinh Duy, Alexei V. Abramov, Sergei V. Kruskop, Le Duc Minh & Nguyen Truong Son. 2020. First surveys of small mammals of Cham Chu and Bac Me nature reserves, northeastern Vietnam. Russian Journal of Theriology. Accepted.
6.    Hideki Endo, Truong Son Nguyen, Dinh Duy Nguyen, Ngoc Tu Ly, Motoki Sasaki, Junpei Kimura, Tatsuo Oshida, Masaya Yago and Masaharu Motokawa. 2020. Zoogeographical barriers causing discontinuous osteometrical variations in the northern tree shrew skulls. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae_Accepted.
7.    Bui Tuan Hai, Ly Ngoc Tu, Vu Thuy Duong, Le Duc Minh, Nguyen Thi Tham, Nguyen Truong Son. 2019. Supplementary data of insectivores (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla) in Vietnam. TAP CHI SINH HOC, 41(2se1&2se2): 393–407; DOI: 10.15625/0866-7160/v41n2se1&2se2.14185.
8.    Ly Ngoc Tu, Bui Tuan Hai, Masaharu Motokawa, Tatsuo Oshida, Hideki Endo, Alexei V. Abramov, Sergei V. Kruskop, Nguyen Van Minh, Vu Thuy Duong, Le Duc Minh, Nguyen Thi Tham, Ben Rawson & Nguyen Truong Son. 2019. Small mammals of the Song Thanh and Saola Quang Nam Nature Reserves, central Vietnam. Russian J. Theriol. 18(2): 54–70.
9.    Satoru Arai, Keita Aoki, Nguyễn Trường Sơn, Vương Tân Tú, Fuka Kikuchi, Gohta Kinoshita, Dai Fukui, Hoàng Trung Thành, Se Hun Gu, Yasuhiro Yoshikawa, Keiko Tanaka-Taya, Shigeru Morikawa, Richard Yanagihara & Kazunori Oishi. 2019. Đakrông virus, a novel mobatvirus (Hantaviridae) harbored by the Stoliczka’s Asian trident bat (Aselliscus stoliczkanus) in Vietnam. Scientific reports, 9:10239; doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46697-5.
10.    Satoru Arai, Fuka Kikuchi, Saw Bawm, Nguyễn Trường Sơn, Kyaw San Lin, Vương Tân Tú, Keita Aoki, Kimiyuki Tsuchiya, Keiko Tanaka-Taya, Shigeru Morikawa, Kazunori Oishi and Richard Yanagihara. 2019. Molecular Phylogeny of Mobatviruses (Hantaviridae) in Myanmar and Vietnam. Viruses, 11, 228; doi: 10.3390/v11030228.
Book
1. Đỗ Văn Tứ, Takenori Sasaki, Lê Hùng Anh. 2020. Những loài ốc (Mollusca: Gastropoda) phổ biến ở ven biển, ven đảo Việt Nam. Nhà xuất bản Khoa học tự nhiên và Công nghệ. 478 trang.