Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST, President: Koichi KITAZAWA) today (Wednesday June 1, 2011) announced the launch of "Friends of SATREPS", an online community (SNS) for SATREPS. SATREPS (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development) is a Japanese government program conducted through collaboration between JST and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Friends of SATREPS is a new service targeting people involved in SATREPS projects or with an interest in SATREPS. SATREPS participants, supporters, friends, and fans can register as members of Friends of SATREPS to join the conversation and take part in the SATREPS community.
Friends of SATREPS is designed to encourage and support the participation of individuals such as students, researchers, and people working in the private sector, NGOs, and development institutions. In addition to providing a platform for communication between researchers, students, and other people already involved in SATREPS projects, this service broadens the community and builds understanding and support for the SATREPS objectives by bringing in people who are new to SATREPS.
Friends of SATREPS takes the form of a social networking service (SNS), and operates in both Japanese and English. Through Friends of SATREPS, participants can (1) receive news about the SATREPS program, current projects, and information about related events, (2) take part in SATREPS community by cooperating with one of the current projects, (3) meet, communicate with, and find potential teammates, and (4) communicate with other participants in existing projects (Details: Attachment 1).
SATREPS is a Japanese government program that promotes international joint research targeting global issues*1, working through three- to five-year projects involving partnerships between researchers in Japan and researchers in developing countries. SATREPS projects are expected to lead to outcomes with potential for practical utilization*2, and to meet the needs of the developing country. The program is a collaboration between JST and JICA, providing funding through a combination of research contracts and Official Development Assistance (ODA) (Details: Attachment 2).
Friends of SATREPS URL: https://fos.jst.go.jp/
- *1 Global issues:
- Global challenges cannot be met by a single country or region acting on its own, so engagement by the international community is essential. SATREPS focuses on such global issues.
- *2 Potential for practical utilization:
- SATREPS projects are expected to lead to outcomes with potential for practical utilization.
<Attachments>
Attachment 1: Overview of the "Friends of SATREPS" Online Community
<Contact>
Mr. Masahiro Kumeta, Ms. Rui Kotani, or Ms. Eriko Inoue
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Research Partnership for Sustainable Development
5-3, Yonbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8666
Tel: +81-3-5214-8085 Fax: +81-3-5214-7379 E-mail: 
SATREPS URL: http://www.jst.go.jp/global/english/