Policy background
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
Funding opportunities
Horizon Europe is the biggest EU research and innovation programme ever with more than €90 billion of funding available over 7 years (2021 to 2027). It is open to the world, which means that participants from all over the world can participate in most calls..
International cooperation in Horizon Europe
Projects and results
Research project database
EU-funded research projects involving Japan
For previous framework programmes, please contact the Research enquiry service.
Examples of research projects with Japan
- JEUPISTE(2013-2017) was a Japan-EU partnership in innovation, science and technology project that supported EU-Japan STI policy dialogues, facilitated bilateral information services, held networking events and addressed the individual needs of researchers and research organisations
- EUJO-LIMMS (2013-2016) aimed to reinforce research collaboration between Europe and Japan to tackle new challenges in micro and nano technologies. It involved opening the activity of the international Laboratory for Integrated Micro Mechatronic Systems (LIMMS) in Tokyo to European partners.
More stories of particularly successful EU-funded research projects involving Japan.
Contact
National Contact Points
The National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon 2020.
Research enquiry service
You can contact the research enquiry service to find out more about research in Europe, the EU's research and innovation funding programmes as well as calls for proposals and project funding.
European Commission
RTD-04-ASSIST
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (DG Research and Innovation unit 04: International cooperation)
Documents
The EU-Japan Enhanced Dialogue on Advanced Materials aims to build on the success of EU-Japan collaboration in research and innovation in material sciences, by establishing a platform for the exchange of policy developments and identification of opportunities to pursue collaborative research in areas of mutual strategic interest.