Overview of SICORP

Background and Objectives

Based on interministerial agreements on science and technology cooperation, JST have been executing the international joint research program called SICORP since FY2009, together with leading countries and regions and in research fields that have been strategically prioritized by MEXT.

The aim of this program is to contribute solutions to challenges facing world today and to bolster Japan's scientific and technological capabilities through collaboration with a broad range of countries.

JST liaises with funding agencies in counterpart countries and regions, and on an equal partnership basis selects research projects supported by both countries. JST provides large-scale funding to Japanese researchers though SICORP and counterpart researchers are to obtain project funding approximately equivalent to SICORP from funding agencies in their respective countries.

General Description

1) Research fund for joint research projects (selected through open call for proposals)

  • Financial support of about JPY 6 - 100 million is granted on Japanese side per project per year, for 3 - 5 years. (The amount and period of support are determined flexibly through coordination with a counterpart country.)
  • Financial support includes costs for (1) goods, (2) personnel, (3) dispatch and invitation of researchers, (4) workshops, and other costs necessary to execute projects.

2) Joint implementation with funding agencies in counterpart countries

  • Under the guidance of Program Director (PD) and Program Officer (PO), JST implements joint call and joint review of international joint research projects in coordination with the counterpart funding agency (FA).
  • Counterpart research groups will be funded by FA of their own country at equivalent level as JST does for research groups of Japan side.

Structure of SICORP

事業の仕組み

Introduction of Program

プログラムの紹介

Bilateral collaboration

Accelerate scientific and technological development through international collaboration

  • ■Research period : 3 - 5 years
  • ■Funding : ¥5 - 100 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2009 -

Active international collaboration is key to the excellence of mutual scientific and technological endeavors. Aiming at further development of science and technology, JST is enhancing active international research collaborations through solid partnerships with counterpart countries. SICORP is the equal partnership program which provides research funding to projects selected through an open joint call and joint selection procedure.
JST's operation of SICORP is implemented under the supervision of a Program Director (PD) and Program Officer (PO).

Multilateral collaboration

AJ-CORE

Africa-Japan Collaborative Research

Africa-Japan multilateral research and innovation partnership

  • ■Research period : 3 years
  • ■Funding : ¥6 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2021 -

AJ-CORE (Africa-Japan Collaborative Research) is a multilateral research framework connecting three (or more) countries: Japan, South Africa, and at least one other African country.
Researchers from other African countries cooperate on an equal-partnership basis with those from Japan and South Africa, together contributing to issues of local and global significance.

e-ASIA

Tackling Asia's regional challenges through equal partnership

  • ■Research period : 3 years
  • ■Funding : ¥11.7 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2012 -

The e-ASIA Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP) is an international joint initiative between public funding organizations of the East Asia Summit member countries. With a central focus on Southeast Asia, the e-ASIA JRP co-funding mechanism aims to strengthen regional research and development capabilities and resolve common challenges in the region.

EIG CONCERT-Japan

Aiming to further develop science and technology cooperation between Europe and Japan

  • ■Research period : 3 years
  • ■Funding : ¥6 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2013 -

CONCERT-Japan began as a platform for international research cooperation activities under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7).
After the conclusion of the FP7 iteration in December 2014, activities continued under the new European Interest Group (EIG) CONCERT-Japan name with 13 science, technology and innovation (STI) funding agencies from 11 European countries and Japan (as of 2019) partnering to further research collaboration and exchange.
Through STI policy knowledge sharing, research exchange, network building and joint funding calls, the program supports Japanese-European research collaboration in a variety of fields.

Collaboration Hubs for International Research Program (CHIRP)

Measuring the spread of local societal outcomes from the formation of international partnership based on hubs

  • ■Research period : 5 years
  • ■Funding : ¥5 - 100 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2015 -

This program promotes long-term collaboration in International Joint-Research Hubs together with ASEAN countries India and China. It aims to stimulate open innovation through cooperation between Japanese and local researchers, and connect with industry to provide direct solutions to locally and globally shared challenges.

Belmont Forum

A high level group meeting of the worldwide organizations involved in funding global environmental change research

  • ■Research period : 3 - 5years
  • ■Funding : ¥5 - 10 million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2012 -

The Belmont Forum gathers the world's major and emerging funders of global environmental change research and international science councils to mobilize and coordinate resources towards its mission of advancing environmental sustainability research. The Forum works closely with the scientific community as well as other key actors such as the Future Earth initiative.

J-RAPID

Putting to use the lessons learned from urgent research and investigation of large-scale disasters towards restoration and mitigating future disasters

  • ■Research period : 6 months - 1 years
  • ■Funding : ¥several million per project per year to the Japanese side
  • ■Start: FY2011 -

The J-RAPID(*) program supports collaboration between Japanese and overseas researchers in response to disasters, aiming to play an initial response role by promptly supporting research activities before more standard projects are implemented by the national government, academic societies, or others. J-RAPID supports joint projects in partnership with overseas funding agencies and research institutes.