Japan officially became, on Thursday 30 July, the 23rd country associated with the EU Research Framework Programme, Horizon Europe. The association agreement was signed in Brussels by Maria Cristina Russo, representing the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, and Takashi Hamada, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Mission of Japan to the EU.
The agreement relates specifically to the programme’s ‘Pillar II’, focused on major societal challenges and industrial competitiveness and endowed with €52.4 billion for the 2021-2027 period. Japanese organisations and researchers will now be able to lead international consortia and receive European funding on an equal footing with their counterparts from EU Member States.
Cooperation between the two sides will extend across several priority strategic areas: semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, clean hydrogen, marine biodiversity and the space sector. Joint work will also be carried out in electronics, sustainable construction and data science, while also drawing on Japanese expertise in the management and prevention of natural disasters.
“Cooperation through Horizon Europe is also expected to play an important role in building innovation ecosystems, a key priority of Japan’s updated, free and open Indo-Pacific”, Mr Hamada welcomed.
In return, Japan will contribute financially to the budget of Horizon Europe. Its entities will retain access to the other parts of the programme open to non-associated third countries.
With 123 million inhabitants, Japan becomes the most populous nation to join this network. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)