Termites are found everywhere in the Pacific Rim region and numerous species are considered serious pests. Furthermore, many countries within the region have high market potential for termite management services and technology. Therefore, it is essential that we gain a far better and more detailed understanding of the diversity of termite-related problems within the region.

Several institutions in the Pacific Rim region have been conducting international collaborative projects on termites and their management. Examples include collaborations established by the CSIRO and Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere of Kyoto University with scientific institutions and universities in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and the US, such as Royal Forest Department of Thailand (RFD), Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Guangdong Entomological Institute of China and University of Hawaii-Manoa. 

The Pacific-Rim Termite Research Group (TRG) was founded in 2004 under the leadership of the late Dr Kunio Tsunoda of Kyoto University, Japan, along with the first two founding members, Mr Jim Creffield and Dr Michael Lenz (both formerly of CSIRO Australia).  The TRG was established to initiate purposeful collaborative research projects among scientists of countries neighboring the Pacific-Rim.

TRG was formed to create a forum to nurture and foster collaboration through linking universities, research institutions, and the pest management industry. A goal of the TRG is to accelerate the pace of mutually beneficial basic and applied research on termite biology and management.