Japan has officially associated to Horizon Europe, becoming the 23rd non-EU country to join the EU’s flagship research funding programme. The agreement entered effect on 30 July and means that Japanese researchers can now access parts of the Horizon programme on the same terms as EU researchers.
With a budget of €93.5 billion (£80 billion), Horizon Europe is the world’s largest research fund. Negotiations on Japan’s association to the programme were completed in December 2025, and transitional arrangements have since meant that Japanese researchers have already been able to apply to funding calls.
The agreement means that Japan is now fully associated to Horizon’s pillar 2, which has a budget of €52 billion and covers major global challenges across several broad themes, including health, digital transition, climate and agriculture. Japanese researchers will be able to participate on the same terms as researchers from EU member states, meaning that they will be able to lead international research consortia applying for funds. They can also participate in collaborations that receive funding from Horizon’s other two pillars.
The Japanese government is to pay €14 million to cover the country’s participation over the next two years. With a population of 123 million, Japan is the most populous country now associated to Horizon Europe.
The European Commission notes that Japan’s association to Horizon ‘marks an important step’ in the EU–Japan Strategic Partnership, a bilateral agreement first signed in 2018 to promote closer political economic and political cooperation between Europe and Japan.
‘Science thrives when talent, ideas and innovation cross borders,’ said Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European commissioner for startups, research and innovation. ‘As Horizon Europe’s 23rd associated country, Japan strengthens a growing global community that believes openness, excellence and international cooperation are essential to turning research into innovation and innovation into prosperity.’
