“Enhancing STI Collaboration between the EU and Japan:
Opportunities and Challenges”
Organised bythe Delegation of the European Union to Japanin collaboration with Tohoku University
Wednesday, 25 January 2023
15:20-18:00
Collaboration in science, technology and innovation (STI) plays an increasingly importantrole in the overall EU-Japan relations. Cooperation in research and innovation (R&I) isbased on the bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement concluded in 2011,
the EU-Japan Strategic Partnership Agreement adopted in 2019 and the Letter of Intenton Strengthening Cooperation in STI between the European Commission and the Cabinet
Office of the Government of Japan exchanged in May 2020. In addition, cooperation on
STI with Japan underpins the different ongoing sectoral dialogues, in particular the DigitalPartnership, the Green Alliance and Connectivity Partnership.
In line with the Global Approach, the EU’s strategy on international cooperation on
research and innovation, the EU has offered to Japan the possibility of becoming
associated to the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation ‘Horizon
Europe’ (2021-2027). Association offers the closest form of R&I cooperation between an
EU and a non-EU country.
Building on this political momentum, the two sides announced at the EU-Japan Summit
in May 2022 that they had started exploratory talks on a possible association of Japan toHorizon Europe.
Horizon Europe, with its EUR 95.5 billion of EU contribution topped up by contributions
from Associated Countries (currently 16 countries are associated), is the world’s largest
and most internationally open civilian R&I programme of its kind. Inspired by a crosssectoral and mission-oriented approach, Horizon Europe presents similarities and possiblesynergies with Japanese R&I programmes and actions.
While discussions are ongoing on how to bring the cooperation with Japan to the nextlevel, Horizon Europe is already open to participation of Japan.
This seminar will provide an opportunity for European and Japanese policymakers,
academics and other STI stakeholders to discuss about enhancing their collaboration,
exploring synergies and building linkages. New collaboration opportunities under theHorizon Europe Work Programmes 2023-2024, adopted on 6 December 2022, will bepresented, as well as some inspiring testimonies and success stories of past cooperation
under the EU Framework Programmes.

1Agenda
Programme in English without interpretation

15:20-15:30

Welcome remarks-H.E. Mr Jean-Eric Paquet, Ambassador of the European Union to Japan-H.E. Mr Shigeki Ito, Deputy Director-General / Deputy Assistant Minister(Ambassador), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

15:30-16:00

Keynote addresses-Ms Signe Ratso, Acting Director-General for Research and Innovation and Chief
Negotiator for Association to Horizon Europe, European Commission-Dr Shuichi Sakamoto, Deputy Secretary General for Science, Technology andInnovation Policy, Cabinet Office-Mr Koji Kitayama, Deputy Director-General, Science and Technology Policy
Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Professor Motoko Kotani, Executive Vice President for Research, Tohoku
University

16:00-17:00

Collaboration Opportunities in the Horizon Europe Work Programmes
2023-2024-Ms Maria Cristina Russo, Director, Global Approach and International
Partnerships, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European
Commission - General introduction on international participation in Horizon
Europe-Ms Mirela Atanasiu, Head of Operations and Communication Unit, Clean
Hydrogen Partnership - Opportunities for Japan under the EU Clean Hydrogen
Partnership-Dr Maria Georgiadou, Senior Expert, Renewable Energy R&I Policy, Clean
Planet - Clean Energy Transition Unit, Directorate-General for Research andInnovation, European Commission - Horizon Europe call for international
cooperation under Mission Innovation on advanced biofuels (Cluster 5)-Ms Henriette Van Eijl, Head of Unit, Prosperity - Economic and Social
Transitions, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, EuropeanCommission - Cluster 1 on Health2

-Dr Stefan Kramer, First Counsellor, Science, Innovation, Digital, and Other EU
Policies Section, EU Delegation to Japan - Cluster 4 with a focus on Digital
Technologies-Mr Andrea De Candido, Policy Officer, Clean Planet - Future Urban and Mobility
Systems Unit, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, EuropeanCommission - Cluster 5 with a focus on Climate Action, Automated Driving andRenewable Energy-Ms Annette Scheegans, Head of Sector, Directorate-General for Agriculture andRural Development, European Commission - R&I Opportunities under theHorizon Europe Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”

17:00-17:10

Q&A

17:10-17:40

Testimonies and success stories from Japanese and European participants inthe EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation-Ms Kristin Danielsen, Acting Executive Director-Internationalisation and theresearch system, Research Council of Norway - Norway’s participation in theFramework Programme as an Associated Country-Professor Yasuyuki Taki, Tohoku University - Horizon 2020 e-VITA project on
ICT for healthy ageing-Dr Fabrice Stassin, Director Government Affairs Electromobility Projects,Coordinator for Asian Affairs, UMICORE (Belgium) - UMICORE’s participationin the EU R&I Framework Programme-Professor Teruoki Tago, Tokyo Institute of Technology - Horizon 2020
LAURELIN project on advanced biofuels

17:40-17:50

Q&A

17:50-18:00

Closing remarks-Ms Signe Ratso, Acting Director-General for Research and Innovation and Chief
Negotiator for Association to Horizon Europe, European Commission

3