Japan is set to sign an agreement to join the EU’s €93.5 billion Horizon Europe research and innovation programme by the end of the year. This move marks a significant step in strengthening collaboration between Japanese and European researchers.
Although Japan is currently classified as a third country in relation to the EU, its researchers are no strangers to EU-funded projects. Typically, third countries are not eligible for funding but can participate in projects and even secure funding under certain select schemes. To date, 84 Japanese organisations have participated in Horizon Europe 169 times, receiving €1.25 million in funding.
The new association agreement will allow Japanese researchers to join EU partners on equal terms for 2026 and 2027, the final two years of the current Horizon Europe programme. Formal negotiations on this association began in November 2024, although the EU has been courting Japan’s involvement for several years.
Japan’s decision to open its doors to this agreement comes as the country seeks to reconfigure its science and technology policy amid changing global dynamics. This partnership is expected to foster deeper collaboration and innovation between Japan and the European Union in the years to come.
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/r-d-funding/horizon-europe/data-corner-japan-horizon-europe
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