Japan's association to Pillar II of Horizon Europe announced

10.12.2025

The European Commission and Japan have agreed to conclude negotiations on Japan's full association to the Horizon Europe research and innovation program by the end of 2025. In future, Japan will enable research institutions, companies and other organizations to participate on an equal footing with EU partners in Pillar II ("Global Challenges & Industrial Competitiveness") - particularly in areas such as climate, energy, mobility, digital, industry and space.

This opens up a significant opportunity for SMEs and start-ups: international consortia with the participation of Japanese institutions could be formed more easily in future, facilitating innovation cooperation beyond Europe. At the same time, the expansion of the association signals a strengthening of Europe's global research and innovation networks. For Bavarian companies, this means: even more potential for participation in international projects with an Asian connection - a strategic interface that can, for example, open up new markets or access to the Japanese technology and innovation environment.
Companies and research institutions from Japan can contact the Enterprise Europe Network Japan to find suitable partners in Europe and examine funding opportunities.
Contact
If you need support in finding a partner, setting up your consortium or classifying your project idea in the current calls for proposals, BayFOR's SME advisory service will be happy to assist you. Contact them at an early stage - BayFOR' s SME advisory service will support you with preparation and networking!