Japan is a key strategic partner for Europe and bilateral research and innovation relations have developed steadily over the past two decades. An agreement on cooperation entered into force in 2011. Its key goals are to promote research excellence and increase growth and industrial competitiveness.
A joint vision adopted in 2015 aimed at deepening the strategic cooperation by
- continuing existing flagship priorities in ICT, aeronautics and materials (including critical raw materials) and stepping up cooperation in health/medical research, environment, energy and high-energy physics
- establishing a mechanism for joint funding of research projects
- developing measures enhancing the mobility of researchers such as the ERC-JSPS cooperation arrangement
- closer consultation and collaboration on policies such as open science
- promoting public engagement to give further visibility to the EU-Japan cooperation in research and innovation
A Letter of Intent was signed by both sides in May 2020 to strengthen cooperation in science, technology and innovation, and to enhance the synergies between the next EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe, and Moonshot, Japan’s research and development programme. It will enable researchers and innovators to be able to cooperate more easily on global challenges such as
- health
- climate change
- digital transition and ageing societies
- fighting the coronavirus pandemic, including through open access to research data and results
