Global Issues & ODA

• Courtesy Call on Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi by Dr. Pietro BARABASCHI, Director-General of ITER Organization (July 14, 2025)
• Courtesy Call on Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa by Dr. Pietro BARABASCHI, Director-General of ITER Organization (July 11, 2025)
• The 25th Japan-Germany Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology (May 27, 2025)
• 10th STI Forum (May 16, 2025)
• The 6th Japan-Switzerland Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation (April 21, 2025)
• Courtesy Call by Ms. Karina ANGUELIEVA, Executive Director of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), on Dr. NAKAMURA Kimitake, Ambassador, Director-General of the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department (April 17, 2025)
• Visit of Dr. Kotani, Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the UK (April 11, 2025)
• Visit of Dr. Kotani, Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to San Francisco (February 5, 2025)
• Parliamentary Vice-Minister ERI’s attendance at the Science, Technology and Innovation New Year’s Reception (January 23, 2025)
• Appointment of Mr. KAWAMURA Hiroshi as Ambassador for Science and Technology Cooperation (January 9, 2025)

• Archives

In recent years, the influence that science and technology exert over the areas of international cooperation and diplomacy has been increasing. Spanning from national security to technological innovation, science and technology are important factors that support the development of our everyday life and social welfare. The idea to merge science and technology with diplomacy was then named ‘Science and Technology Diplomacy’. For some time now, Japan has been emphasizing the importance of further enhancing its diplomatic power by utilizing science and technology. In the current international society with all its global issues, Japan has more opportunities to bring its science and technology to the fore in diplomacy.

In order to promote ‘Science and Technology Diplomacy’, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Prof. KISHI Teruo, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, as the first Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 27 September 2015. This newly established position was based on the report presented to the Foreign Minister by the ‘Advisory Panel on Science and Technology Diplomacy’ (chairman: SHIRAISHI Takashi, Director of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, at that time), which convened in May that year. Since he assumed office, Prof. KISHI had played an active role by offering his expertise, giving recommendations, strengthening networks abroad, and publicizing Japanese science and technology overseas. Moreover, to support Prof. KISHI in his advisory activities, Prof. KANO Mitsunobu, Professor at Okayama University, was commissioned the business of Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in April 2019.

On 1 April 2020, Prof. MATSUMOTO Yoichiro, then President of Tokyo University of Science, was appointed as the new Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and on 1 April 2022, Dr. KOTANI Motoko, Executive Vice President for Research of Tohoku University, was commissioned as the new Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. This advisory system is expected to further strengthen Japan’s Science and Technology Diplomacy.

Additionally, the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Network, composed of specialized experts from various science and technology fields, has been established under the Science and Technology Advisor, aiming to make further contributions to the foreign policy planning process. As part of this network, ‘The Advisory Board for Promoting Science & Technology Diplomacy’, consisting of 21 experts from related fields, is held regularly.

In 2023, the Science and Technology Fellows were established in diplomatic missions abroad based on the recommendations “Strengthening the Foundation of Science and Technology Capabilities” prepared by the Advisory Board.

• Recommendation "Strengthening the Foundation of Science and Technology Capabilities" (summary (Japanese) (PDF) / full report (Japanese) (PDF) )
• Achieving an innovation ecosystem together with Africa - Recommendations towards TICAD7 (summary (PDF) / full report (PDF) )
• Recommendation on Science, Technology and Innovation to Achieve the SDGs and its Guiding Tool, the STI Roadmap - To Think, Proceed and Create Together with the World - (summary (PDF) / full report (PDF) )
• Achieving Innovative Solutions for Arctic Challenges Science and technology for the Arctic Japan’s role through five “i”s (summary (PDF) / full report (PDF) )
• Achievements and Future Directions of Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (summary (PDF) , full report (PDF) )
• Recommendation for the Future (STI as a Bridging Force to Provide Solutions for Global issues: Four Actions of Science and Technology Diplomacy to Implement the SDGs) (summary (PDF) , full report (PDF) )
• TICAD VI outline of recommendations (A More Prosperous Africa with the Power of Science, Technology and Innovation) (English (PDF) , French (PDF) )