Global Issues & ODA

• Courtesy Call on Foreign Minister MOTEGI by Professor OKI, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (April 8, 2026)
• The 9th Meeting of the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy (March 18, 2026)
• A Courtesy Call on Prof. MATSUMOTO Yoichiro, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, by the Jalisco State Delegation of the United States of Mexico (March 12, 2026)
• The 3rd Joint Committee on Cooperation between Japan and Romania in the Field of Science and Technology (February 24, 2026)
• Visit of Prof. MATSUMOTO, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston) (February 20, 2026)
• Extension of the Agreement between Japan and the US on Cooperation in Research and Development in Science and Technology (January 16, 2026)
• Visit of Prof. Matsumoto, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Denmark (December 26, 2025)
• The 8th Meeting of the Advisory Board for Promoting Science and Technology Diplomacy (December 25, 2025)
• Agreement in Principle on Agreement for Japan's association to Horizon Europe (December 22, 2025)
• The 1st Japan-Chile Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation (December 11, 2025)
• Visit of Dr. Kotani, Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the United Mexican States (December 9, 2025)
• A Courtesy Call by participants of the German-Japanese Junior Experts Exchange Program on Prof. MATSUMOTO Yoichiro, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (December 9, 2025)
• Visit of Prof. MATSUMOTO, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the Netherlands and Italy (November 19, 2025)
• Visit of Prof. Matsumoto, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, to Germany and Switzerland (November 4, 2025)
• Senior Deputy Minister AKAHORI’s Participation in High-level Multi-stakeholder Informal Meeting to Launch of the Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance (September 26, 2025)
• The 80th ISTC Governing Board Meeting and Special Day Events at World Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (August 27, 2025)
• 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

Science and technology constitute a critical foundation for national security, innovation-driven economic growth, and the advancement of our daily lives and welfare. In recent years, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing have developed rapidly, and their impact on diplomacy and security has grown significantly, exerting a substantial influence on the international order. Efforts that link science and technology with diplomacy are referred to as “Science and Technology Diplomacy,” and it has been recognized as important for Japan to leverage its strengths in this area to enhance its diplomatic capabilities. In today’s international community, which faces a wide range of global challenges, there is a growing need to implement science and technology diplomacy in a strategic and agile manner, from the perspectives of “Science for Diplomacy” and “Diplomacy for Science.

In this regard, based on the report of the “Advisory Panel on Science and Technology Diplomacy” in 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Professor Emeritus KISHI Teruo of the University of Tokyo in September of the same year as the first Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, in 2020, Professor MATSUMOTO Yoichiro, then President of Tokyo University of Science, was appointed as the next Science and Technology Advisor. To support the Advisor’s activities, Professor KANO Mitsunobu of Okayama University was commissioned as the Science and Technology Co-Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2022, followed by Professor KOTANI Motoko, then Executive Vice President for Research of Tohoku University, who was commissioned from 2022 to March 2026.

In April 2026, Professor OKI Taikan of the University of Tokyo was appointed as the new Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to promote concrete initiatives, including the establishment of Science and Technology Fellows at overseas diplomatic missions.

• 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) )