Addressing societal challenges has always been an important pillar of Japan's science, technology and innovation (STI) policy. In recent years, there has been a growing need for broader efforts aimed at social transformation, such as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the realization of carbon neutrality. The realization of transformative innovation aiming at such social transformation requires a comprehensive and integrated policy approach, that goes beyond the conventional STI policy framework of research and development (R&D) and the social implementation of its results.

In this proposal, we propose the promotion of a "Mission-oriented Science, Technology and Innovation Policy" as a policy approach to meet this demand. Mission-oriented STI Policy is a policy approach that drives innovation and the utilization of R&D results by designing and coordinating a comprehensive package (portfolio) of policy measures and programs with a "mission," which is a clearly defined goal within a definite timeframe, toward the realization of a long-term strategy involving social transformation. Mission-oriented STI policy integrally utilizes policy measures of ministries and agencies related to societal challenges such as laws, regulations and procurement, in addition to research and development. It is intended to attract the efforts of diverse stakeholders, accelerate the resolution of societal challenges, create new industries, and promote the building of a co-creative innovation ecosystem among industry, academia, government, and the civil society.

Currently, leading efforts for such Mission-oriented STI policies are underway in European countries and the European Union (EU). In these countries and organization, efforts that go beyond the framework of conventional STI policies can be seen, such as the proactive participation of sectoral ministries and organizations related to societal challenges, and the use of various policy measures and funding. In Japan, it is necessary to promote Mission-oriented STI policies as a new approach that proactively involves organizations and parties concerned with societal challenges, in addition to the conventional R&D-driven approach. This will help achieve the goals of the 6th Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan, such as "a sustainable and resilient society that ensures the safety and security of the people" and "a society in which each individual can realize diverse happiness (well-being)," as well as Japan's long-term strategic goals, such as carbon neutrality and regional revitalization.

The implementation of Mission-oriented STI policies requires addressing the followings. First, ministries, organizations, and parties concerned with societal challenges should be proactively involved in setting missions. The missions should be shared with various stakeholders. Then, all the necessary measures and programs should be mobilized to achieve the mission, and efforts by industry, academia, government, and the civil society should be oriented and accelerated. It is also required to build a co-creative innovation ecosystem centered on local communities and the specific sites, and to promote various specific initiatives, including R&D and innovation, to achieve the mission within this ecosystem. In addition, new organizational capabilities will be required to deal with uncertainty and risk, such as constantly monitoring progress through the data, idicators, and information analysis, and making course corrections as necessary.

Based on the above, we proposes the following actions to promote Mission-oriented STI policies in Japan.

• (1) Set missions, and design and implement a portfolio of policy measures and programs to achieve them

  Set missions as clearly defined goals within a definite timeframe in order to realize longterm strategy involving social transformation, and design and implement a portfolio of policy measures and programs and their implementation plans necessary to achieve the missions. This will coordinate and utilize each policy and project in an integrated manner beyond the framework of conventional STI policy, direct and accelerate the utilization of R&D results and innovations, and flexibly respond to uncertainties and risks by incorporating a mechanism for evaluation and improvement throughout the entire process.

• (2) Establish a system that is responsibile for achieving the missions and can mobilizes necessary measuers

  Establish a system that can mobilize the necessary government-wide measures to achieve the mission.

• (3) Support mission design and implementation based on scientific knowledge

  Support a series of processes from mission design and implementation to evaluation and improvement based on scientific knowledge and data, including those in the humanities and social sciences.

• (4) Design and implement R&D programs and projects necessary to achieve the mission

  Design and implement R&D programs and projects of systems and solutions that can contribute to solving problems that constrain mission accomplishment and to realizing necessary capabilities, as well as on technologies and knowledge that are indispensable to such systems and solutions.

The following are possible ways to proceed with specific initiatives. First, a mission should be positioned as a specific goal within a definite timeframe to accelerate efforts to realize longterm strategies such as carbon neutrality and regional revitalization. Then, under the overall coordination function of the Cabinet Office, a promotion system including sectoral ministries and agencies related to the societal challenges will be established. In such a system, the sectoral ministries will play a leading role in the setting of the mission, the design and coordination of the overall portfolio of policy measures and programs, and the design and implementation of demand-side policy measures such as laws, regulations and procurement. The ministries in charge of science and technology are responsible for supporting the series of processes based on scientific knowledge, as well as for designing and implementing the R&D programs and projects necessary to achieve the missions. Scientific support functions will be established with public research institutions as the core, while also utilizing networks among industry, academia, government, and the civil society.

The R&D necessary to achieve the missions should be clearly positioned in the portfolio. Then, the challenges that need to be addressed and capabilities that need to be realized to achieve the mission must be clarified. The R&D goals and themes must be defined as the requirements for systems and solutions that can contribute to addressing such challenges and realizing such capabilities, or as the elemental technologies and knowledge that are indispensable for such systems and solutions. The R&D programs and projects should be designed based on sufficient prior consideration of the utilization of the results, dissemination and deployment, and scaleup, including the utilization of policy measures and programs of the sectoral ministries. Public research institutions are expected to serve as a venue for conducting such R&D projects by bringing together industry, academia, government, and the civil society. Funding agencies will be in charge of R&D programs which gather and test diverse ideas and approaches through public solicitation, and will also be responsible for R&D of technologies and solutions that could contribute to future missions envisioned based on the long-term strategy on which the current mission is based. Private companies will play an important role not only in R&D and commercialization, but also in providing various services related to the creation of innovations, such as finance and insurance. Universities will play a key role in providing scientific knowledge, research of various knowledge and approaches, including curiosity-driven research inspired by challenges, and human resource development. Needless to say, the promotion of basic research and human resource development at universities are important pillars of STI policy as fundamental efforts, and Mission-oriented R&D is possible only when such a foundation is well developed.

The above are the basic requirements and necessary measures to promote Mission-oriented STI policies. In order to actually promote such measures, careful consideration and design according to specific societal challenges are necessary, taking into account the context in Japan, while also referring to examples from other countries. In order to contribute to such discussions, CRDS will continue study and analysis on Mission-oriented STI policies.