Outline of Strategic Basic Research Programs

Purpose of Program

　The purpose of Strategic Basic Research Programs is to advance strategic basic researches and create the seeds of innovative technologies, based on new scientific knowledge which will give rise to scientific and technological innovations leading to the social and economic transformation.

Program Overview

　Based on the national government’s science and technology policies and social and economic needs, under “Strategic Objectives” prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, JST establishes Research Areas to pursue and assigns Research Supervisors (Program Officers) to lead the Research Area. The Research Supervisor pursues strategic basic research aiming at creating the seeds of innovative technologies that will give rise to science and technology innovations leading to the achievement of solutions for the Strategic Objectives.
　Research Supervisors of JST consider and propose management policies and system reforms for each Strategic Basic Research Program. For “CREST” (Research projects pursued by research teams led by Research Directors (PIs)), “PRESTO” and “ACT-X” (Research projects pursued by individual researchers (PIs)), JST establishes Research Areas and assigns Research Supervisors based on prior evaluations by Program Directors.
　The Research Supervisor oversees his/her Research Area as a “research institute.” More specifically, the Research Supervisor acts as the lab director, builds a finite-period system for conducting research by organizing a research project and constructing an optimal organization connecting researchers from existing institutions and research fields—from industry, academia, and government— and, enlisting the cooperation of Research Area Advisors and others, oversees work in the Research Area to achieve Strategic Objectives. CREST Research Directors (PIs) and PRESTO/ACT-X Individual Researchers (PIs) are obliged to conduct research projects proposed by them under the Research Area management policy of their Research Supervisor, while being supported by him/her, and to have dialogs with their Research Area Advisors and build communication networks of researchers, domestically and internationally, to find a possible scheme of developing their research science and technology innovations.

Program Description

　For further information about the characteristics of CREST, PRESTO, ACT-X, please check the application guideline from the link below.
Some Research Areas has the original limitation about Total Budget and Research Period. Make sure of the Research Supervisor’s Policy for Selection of the Research Area which you are going to apply.

Research Type
Who proceeds the project	Research Team	Individual Researcher (PI)	Individual Researcher (PI)
Total Budget	150 Million Yen - 500 Million Yen	30 Million Yen - 40 Million Yen	4.5 Million Yen - 6.0 Million Yen (Acceleration Phase*1 : Max 10 Million Yen)
Research Period	No longer than 5.5 years	No longer than 3.5 years.	No longer than 2.5 years (Acceleration Phase*1 : Up to 1 years)
Application Guideline	-	-	-
Remarks	-	-	An individual researcher (PI) who has been a doctor for less than 8 years as of April 1, 2025 *2

Research Type
Who proceeds the project	Research Team
Total Budget	150 Million Yen - 500 Million Yen
Research Period	No longer than 5.5 years
Application Guideline	Chapter2
Remarks	-

Research Type
Who proceeds the project	Individual Researcher (PI)
Total Budget	30 Million Yen - 40 Million Yen
Research Period	No longer than 3.5 years
Application Guideline	Chapter3
Remarks	-

Research Type
Who proceeds the project	Individual Researcher (PI)
Total Budget	4.5 Million Yen - 6.0 Million Yen (Acceleration Phase*1 : Max 10 Million Yen)
Research Period	2 year and 6 months (Acceleration Phase*1 : Up to 1 years)
Application Guideline	Chapter4
Remarks	An individual researcher (PI) who has been a doctor for less than 8 years as of April 1, 2025 *2

*1
Acceleration Phase
　When adopted researchers wish, some subjects will be eligible for an additional support for one year.