PRESS RELEASES

The Opening Ceremony of Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP)

1 March 2016

The opening ceremony of Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform (JASTIP) was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 26 February 2016.

Participants from Japan to the opening ceremony included Prof. Kayo Inaba, Executive Vice President, Kyoto University, which is implement agency of JASTIP, Mr. Kazuo Todani, Deputy Minister, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Mr. Ei Takeuchi, Director, International Science and Technology Affairs Division (MEXT) and Mr. Taku Kawahara, First Secretary of Mission of Japan to ASEAN. From ASEAN, representatives of National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA, Thailand), Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI, Indonesia), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT, Malaysia) and Alexander Lim, Head of Science and Technology Division, ASEAN Secretariat attended the ceremony. Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between Kyoto University and the three organizations in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia on this occasion.

On 27 February 2016, 1st JASTIP Steering Committee Meeting was held in Bangkok to discuss future plans of international collaborative research between Japan and ASEAN in the field of environment and energy, bio-resources and biodiversity and disaster prevention.

This program funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) since this year. Building of the results of past international research activities and existing networks, the aim of the program is to promote sustainable joint research and cooperation through visible support from Japan and to contribute to solving global challenges and issues and inducing innovation.

ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology and the Japan-ASEAN Summit held on November 2015, cited the JASTIP as an endeavor to acceleration for the benefit of the ASEAN Economic Community and promote international collaborative research and innovation.

JASTIP, a platform for innovation and a symbol of science and technology collaboration between Japan and ASEAN, is expected to contribute to promoting collaborative research through setting up a network of research hubs in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Research activities are intended to benefit as many ASEAN countries as possible in the five years.