3 Science and Technology Diplomacy

Science and technology constitute the foundational elements for peace and prosperity that support socioeconomic development, and play a vital role in ensuring safety and security. By harnessing its own advanced science and technology, MOFA promotes Science and Technology Diplomacy, thereby contributing to the development of science and technology at home and abroad, the promotion of relations with other countries through science and technology, the peace and stability of the international community, and the resolution of global challenges. As part of science and technology diplomacy efforts, Japan places emphasis on initiatives implemented through the activities of the Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In September 2015, MOFA established the post of Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and appointed Prof. KISHI Teruo, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, as the first Science and Technology Advisor. Following the end of his term, Prof. Kishi was replaced by Prof. MATSUMOTO Yoichiro, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo as the new advisor in April 2020. Moreover, Prof. KANO Mitsunobu, Professor of Okayama University, has assumed the post as the first Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs to support the work of the Science and Technology Advisor in April 2019. In April 2022, Dr. KOTANI Motoko, Trustee and Vice President of Tohoku University, was newly appointed as the Science and Technology Co-Advisor for the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Together, Prof. Matsumoto and Dr. Kotani support the activities of the Foreign Minister from the perspective of science and technology, and provide advice on the utilization of science, technology and innovation in the planning and coordination of various foreign policies to the Minister and relevant divisions.

Additionally, the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Network, composed of academic experts in a variety of science and technology fields, has been established under the supervision of the Science and Technology Advisor, aiming to make further contributions in the process of planning and formulating various diplomatic policies. As part of this network, “The Advisory Board for Promoting Science & Technology Diplomacy,” consisting of 20 experts from related fields, with Prof. Matsumoto as the chair and Dr. Kotani as the vice-chair, hold meetings regularly to discuss various topics aimed at enhancing the structure and function of science and technology diplomacy. In 2022, the Advisory Board meeting was held in March and August. In June, Prof. Matsumoto and Dr. Kotani submitted their recommendation for strengthening the foundation of science and technology capabilities to Foreign Minister Hayashi.

Furthermore, Prof. Matsumoto and Dr. Kotani exchanged views with the scientific advisors of the U.S., the UK and Switzerland, among various countries, in an effort to build and strengthen networks. Both deepened discussions about the role of science and technology in resolving global environmental issues and approaches to scientific diplomacy and scientific advisory in the current geopolitical situation at meetings of the Foreign Ministries Science & Technology Advice Network (FMSTAN), involving the scientific advisors of each nation's government.

With the movement of people, which had temporarily stopped due to COVID-19, resuming, Prof. Matsumoto traveled to the U.S. in June, Berlin (Germany) and Geneva (Switzerland) in Europe in October, to take part in discussions on science and technology innovation policy and science and technology diplomacy initiatives with researchers as well as science and technology policymakers in these countries. Dr. Kotani visited Brussels (Belgium) in July to hold discussions with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation along with relevant parties for science and technology institutions in Europe. She also attended the World Science Forum 2022 held in South Africa in December where she introduced Japan's initiatives for science and technology diplomacy.

Prof. Matsumoto regularly hosts science and technology diplomacy seminars aimed at raising the level of knowledge within MOFA. Prof. Matsumoto also hosted online meetings participated in by officials in charge of Science and Technology at overseas diplomatic missions in countries with advanced science and technology, where they discussed the further utilization of overseas diplomatic missions for science and technology diplomacy.

In terms of international science and technology cooperation, Japan has concluded 32 science and technology cooperation agreements bilaterally, and these are now in force with 46 countries and the EU¹⁷. Based on these agreements, it organizes regular joint committee meetings with these countries to engage in intergovernmental dialogue. In 2022, joint committee meetings were held with Israel, Canada, France, Brazil, South Africa, Sweden and Australia, respectively. Attended by delegates from the relevant ministries and agencies, consultations were held on the current status of cooperation in diverse sectors, and on the future direction of cooperation.

With regard to multilateral cooperation, as a member of the Board of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), which was established to support research for peaceful purposes conducted by researchers on weapons of mass destruction from the former Soviet Union, and now involved in a wide range of research and development such as chemistry, biology, radioactive materials and nuclear power, Japan works to provide support mainly to countries of Central Asia. Japan also participates in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of nuclear fusion energy.

• 17 For the breakdown, see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (Japanese only):
  https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/technology/nikoku/framework.html
  Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan each inherited the Japan-Russia Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement on different dates. In 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia respectively took over the Japan-Czechoslovakia Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement. Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia (the name of the country at that time), Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro inherited the Japan-Yugoslavia Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement on different dates.
  

The author

Science and technology (S&T) in diplomacy has become increasingly important in recent years, as seen in efforts to address global issues such as climate change, infectious diseases, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in international competition and coordination in the fields of critical and emerging technologies in relation to economic security. More than ever, it being asked how S&T diplomacy can be developed strategically and effectively. As S&T Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, I chair the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy comprising leading experts with diverse backgrounds, with the aim of providing scientific knowledge on foreign policy objectives and adding depth to Japan's diplomacy activities by utilizing S&T, and work to promote the S&T diplomacy.

It is important to possess outstanding S&T capabilities in order to strengthen economic security, which has received increasing attention in recent years. For example, rare metals are vital raw materials of high value-added components and products that support Japan's industries, and its demand has been growing in recent years. However, they are known to pose a high geopolitical resource risk due to the uneven distribution in production regions. Accordingly, possessing technologies for recycling rare metals, as well as alternative technologies to reduce the use of rare metals, can mitigate the supply chain risk while also contributing to economic security. As for emerging technologies with their remarkable technological innovations, it goes without saying that research and development is necessary to secure technological superiority. Moreover, such technologies are characterized as an accumulation of various scientific knowledge and basic and fundamental technologies. Therefore, it is vital to constantly secure a wide range of S&T seeds (scientific knowledge, technology, knowhow, etc., that can be a source of technological innovations) through diverse scientific research and technological development.

Nurturing human resources in research and development is the key to strengthening S&T capabilities. Japan has positioned its S&T capabilities as its strength so far, but recently, various indicators have given rise to concerns over the decline of Japan's international presence regarding S&T capabilities. At the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy, we have summarized the necessary efforts to strengthen the foundation of Japan's S&T capabilities, particularly from the perspective of human resource development and utilization, and submitted them as recommendations to the Foreign Minister. Developing S&T human resources who can play an active role in the international arena, circulating and networking between industry-academia-government sectors, as well as domestically and abroad, and enabling their active participation, can contribute to the strengthening of Japan's S&T capabilities as well as its S&T diplomacy.

Strengthening S&T capabilities cannot be achieved through domestic efforts alone, but with calls for international collaboration. MOFA's networks in countries across the world, mainly developed through its diplomatic missions overseas, are valuable assets, and I believe they can be further utilized in the future toward strengthening networks and the global brain circulation in the field of S&T. The values of freedom and fairness, which Japan emphasizes in its diplomacy, are also important in the field of S&T. There is a need to advance international joint research and S&T cooperation in strategic coordination with other countries while securing academic freedom and research integrity. We also need to promote necessary domestic and foreign policies in a unified manner, and to build an ecosystem toward promoting and strengthening S&T diplomacy.