About
The Moonshot Research and Development Program launched by the Cabinet Office(CAO） promotes high-risk, high-impact R&D aiming to achieve ambitious Moonshot Goals and solve issues facing future society such as super-aging populations and global warming.
- The basic approach for the Moonshot Research and Development Program
- Guidelines for Operation and Evaluation of the Moonshot R&D Program
Deciding the Moonshot Goals
The Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI) [Moonshot Goal 1-6] and the Headquarters for Healthcare Policy [Moonshot Goal 7] determined the Moonshot Goals.
Research Promotion Scheme
To achieve the Moonshot Goals the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) have created concepts for ambitious R&D. The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Bio-Oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution (NARO-BRAIN), and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) are responsible for running the program using multi-year funding to support this ambitious R&D.
Please note that this website describes R&D being promoted by JST.
As for R&D being promoted by other funding agencies, please refer to their respective websites.
- Moonshot Goal 4 "Realization of sustainable resource circulation to recover the global environment by 2050"
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization（NEDO） - Moonshot Goal 5 "Creation of industry that enables sustainable global food supply by exploiting unused biological resources by 2050"
Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization（NARO-BRAIN） - Moonshot Goal 7 "Realization of sustainable care systems to overcome major diseases by 2040, for enjoying one’s life with relief and release from health concerns until 100 years old"
Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development（AMED）
JST’s R&D Promotion System
The general management of JST’s Moonshot R&D is supervised by the Governing Committee organized by JST. Each goal is managed by its respective Program Director (PD), appointed by JST to achieve their MS Goal and realize the R&D concept.
The PDs select and advise Project Managers (PMs) for individual R&D projects, strategically construct portfolios*, decide which projects to start after refinement, and conduct project evaluations. The PDs do this with the advice of external experts assigned by JST.
*Portfolio refers to a management plan combining R&D projects and assessing the distribution of resources.
Under each PD, PMs advance their own R&D projects and use backcasting** techniques to direct their projects towards achieving the relevant MS Goal.
** Envisioning the ideal future scenario through the framework of the Moonshot Goals and working backwards to assess the steps necessary for its achievement.
JST has also established subcommittees for the cross-sectoral supports, including Mathematical Sciences Subcommittee, ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Issues) Subcommittee, etc.
Governing Committee
*1 Chair *2 Sub-chair
| FUJINO Yozo *1 | President, Josai University |
|---|---|
| WATANABE Katsuaki *2 | Former President, Toyota Motor Corporation |
| ASAI Shojiro | Adviser, Rigaku Corporation |
| EMURA Katsumi | NEC Fellow, NEC Corporation |
| OHASHI Tetsuji | Chairman of the board, Komatsu Ltd. |
| SAKAKI Hiroyuki | Managing Director, Toyota School Foundation |
| FUKAMI Kiyoko | Professor, The School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science |
Cross-sectoral Function
* Chair
| Mathematical Sciences Subcommittee | |
|---|---|
| WAKAYAMA Masato * | Vice President, Tokyo University of Science |
| KOKUBU Hiroshi | Professor, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University |
| TSUBOI Takashi | Professor, Department of Mathematical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Musashino University |
| NISHIURA Yasumasa | Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido University |
| ELSI Subcommittee | |
|---|---|
| KOBAYASHI Tadashi * | Specially Appointed Professor, Center for the Study of CO*Design, Osaka University |
| OSUMI Noriko | Vice President, Tohoku University/Professor, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University |
| KOBAYASHI Masahiro | President, HANAMIZUKI LAW OFFICE |
| SHISHIDO George | Professor, The Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo |
| TAKEDA Yasushi | Senior Manager, External Relations Division, NEC Corporation |
| DEGUCHI Yasuo | Professor, Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University |
| NOZAKI Akiko | Professor, Division of Liberal Arts Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University |
| FUJIGAKI Yuko | Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo |
Program Director (PD)
| HAGITA Norihiro | Chair and Professor, Art Science Department, Osaka University of Arts （Realization of a society in which human beings can be free from limitations of body, brain, space, and time by 2050.） |
|---|---|
| SOBUE Gen | Chairperson, Aichi Medical University （Realization of ultra-early disease prediction and intervention by 2050.） |
| FUKUDA Toshio | Professor, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Meijo University （Realization of AI robots that autonomously learn, adapt to their environment, evolve in intelligence and act alongside human beings, by 2050.） |
| KITAGAWA Masahiro | Professor, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University （Realization of a fault-tolerant universal quantum computer that will revolutionize economy, industry, and security by 2050.） |
Figure: R&D Promotion System
