Japan Joins the EU’s Horizon Europe Research Program

The European Union and Japan have agreed to let Japan join the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme (2021‑2027) under a new “umbrella” agreement that will also cover future EU programmes. The agreement, signed in Brussels on 20 March 2026, will take effect on 1 January 2026 and will be applied provisionally until all internal procedures are finished.

Why Japan?
Japan is a world leader in research and innovation: it spent 3.44 % of its GDP on R&D in 2023 (the third‑largest share worldwide), filed the third‑largest number of patents in 2024, and ranked 12th in the 2025 Global Innovation Index. Its strong science, technology and innovation (STI) system and top‑class research infrastructure make it a valuable partner for EU projects in health, climate, ocean, ICT, high‑performance computing, clean hydrogen, circular economy, semiconductors, space, aviation, photonics and critical raw materials.

Key elements of the agreement

• Horizon Europe Pillar II – Japan will participate in the “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness” pillar, gaining access to EU calls, joint partnerships and the possibility to join European Partnerships that tackle global challenges.
• Financial contribution – Japan will pay an operational contribution of €13.7 million for 2026‑27 (≈€6.873 million in 2026, including a €68 734.93 contingency reserve) and a participation fee of 3 % in 2026 and 4 % in 2027. The contribution is calculated from Japan’s GDP relative to the EU’s GDP.
• Automatic correction mechanism – If the amount of grants awarded to Japanese entities exceeds 80 % of Japan’s contribution, the EU can suspend the protocol for the following year.
• Joint Committee – A committee of EU and Japanese representatives will monitor the agreement, review performance, discuss future priorities and decide on new protocols.
• Open science – Both sides will promote open‑science practices in all joint projects.
• Digital and green cooperation – The agreement supports the EU‑Japan Digital Partnership (semiconductors, HPC, quantum) and the EU‑Japan Green Alliance (renewable energy, offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture).
• Anti‑fraud and financial safeguards – The EU will conduct audits and investigations in Japan, and Japan will cooperate with EU anti‑fraud bodies (OLAF, European Court of Auditors, EPPO).
• Protocols – A specific protocol for Horizon Europe will detail Japan’s participation rules, reciprocity (Japanese programmes such as CREST and ERATO), national contact points, and the financial contribution schedule.
• Legal basis – The agreement is grounded in EU treaties (Articles 186, 212, 218(6)) and respects the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

Budget impact
The agreement brings €14.180 million in assigned revenue to the EU for 2026‑27 (split as €7.080 million in 2026 and €7.100 million in 2027) but has no impact on EU expenditure.

Overall, the deal opens a wide range of research and innovation opportunities for both sides, strengthens cooperation on global challenges, and creates a framework for future EU‑Japan collaboration in science, technology and policy.