Press Releases

1. The sixth Japan-Finland Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on Cooperation in Science and Technology was held at Mita Kaigisho on March 9, 2016, on the occasion of the visit to Japan by H.E. Mr. Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland, with H.E. Mr. Makoto Katsura, Ambassador for Science and Technology Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan, and Mr. Jari Gustafsson, Permanent Vice Minister of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) (and former Ambassador to Japan) of the Republic of Finland serving as co-chairs for the Japanese and Finnish sides respectively.

2. Participants in the meeting included representatives from the Cabinet Office (CAO), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) from the Japanese side; representatives from the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) and The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation (Tekes) from the Finnish side; and related institutions from both countries. Participants exchanged information and opinions on the progress of specific research cooperation activities and the appropriate frameworks for promoting research grants and research cooperation in the fields such as recent science, technology and innovation policies; arctic research; bioeconomy; clean technology; and health with a focus on aging societies.

3. During the meeting, a signing ceremony was held for a revised memorandum of understanding between the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) to further expand research collaboration, including in the above-mentioned areas.

4. The next Joint Committee Meeting will be held in Finland.