U.S. and Japan Deepen Strategic Science and Technology Ties

The United States and Japan have signed multiple agreements to advance cooperation in science and technology, including a protocol extending the 1988 R&D agreement and a Memorandum of Cooperation on the Technology Prosperity Deal. The United States and Japan signed a Protocol amending and indefinitely extending the 1988 U.S.-Japan Agreement on Cooperation in Research and Development in Science and Technology with updated intellectual property protections on October 2, 2026. The Memorandum of Cooperation Regarding the Technology Prosperity Deal Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan was signed on October 28, 2025.

Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, met with Japan's Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Toshiharu Furukawa, in Kyoto on October 4, 2026. Their discussion focused on the bilateral science and technology relationship and progress on the Technology Prosperity Deal. Both nations committed to close coordination and will hold follow-on consultations to explore additional collaborative opportunities.

Quantum and Fusion Research Expands Through Joint Initiatives

The partnership includes commitments to advance quantum sector cooperation, secure supply chains, and accelerate commercial fusion development. Both sides committed to advancing cooperation to ensure secure supply chains in the quantum sector, strengthening measurement foundations and standards, and exploring collaboration on quantum sensing in healthcare.

U.S.-Japan fusion cooperation has strengthened across key areas. This includes joint research at Japan’s JT-60SA, which starts plasma heating operation in 2026, and negative-triangularity research at the U.S. DIII-D National Fusion Facility. A public-private partnership between the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Japan’s Kyoto Fusioneering is focused on fusion fuel-cycle and blanket development. This partnership is establishing a new test facility, UNITY-3, at ORNL and providing U.S. Researchers access to the UNITY-1 facility in Japan.

Joint Scientific Teams Launch Under $1 Billion Partnership

In June 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy and Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry entered into a historic $1 billion strategic partnership. This made Japan the first international partner in President Trump’s Genesis Mission. Since June, eleven joint scientific teams have launched.

These teams bring together resources from twelve DOE National Laboratories, one DOE Office of Science User Facility, and twelve leading Japanese research institutions. Their focus spans several critical fields:

In the same month, the U.S. Department of State, with Sandia National Laboratories, convened an exchange on research security risks and best practices. This exchange supported Japan’s research security guidelines launched in April 2026. The Department of State also partnered with the Middlebury Center for Nonproliferation Studies to provide reference materials for Japan’s institutions.

Space and Telecommunications Collaboration Advances

The U.S. and Japan have strengthened civil space and telecommunications ties. On August 30, NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency celebrated the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. JAXA provided optical elements for the telescope and set up ground stations to receive mission data.

On August 31, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Japan’s National Space Policy Secretariat signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Alignment of Launch and Re-entry Regulations. This aims to advance interoperability for the two countries’ respective commercial space transportation industries.

In telecommunications, the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications committed to co-chair the Global Coalition on Telecommunications in 2027. The aim is advancing leadership on secure and resilient telecommunications network supply chains. Both sides also committed to advancing cooperation on digital connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region, including through government financing that mobilizes the private sector.

Broadening the Innovation Ecosystem

Collaboration extends to super intelligence and other critical technologies. The United States and Japan committed to deepening cooperation, including through enhanced dialogue on Super Intelligence, to work toward best practices for industry standards and to advance a secure innovation ecosystem. They committed to advancing the adoption of trusted SI technologies and fostering a pro-innovation regulatory environment across the Indo-Pacific.

Other joint efforts are progressing. Both sides advanced efforts for joint R&D projects on Beyond 5G/6G-relevant technologies. They welcomed cooperation between Japan’s Rakuten Group and U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile for the development of Low Earth Orbit satellite infrastructure.

In healthcare, efforts are underway to address vulnerabilities in pharmaceutical supply chains by identifying essential active pharmaceutical ingredients for analysis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency established an information-sharing platform on advanced manufacturing. Also, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development are developing a joint Call for Proposals to establish collaborative biomedical research opportunities to increase the range of available therapeutics.

The United States reaffirmed a $20 million commitment announced at the 2025 APEC Summit. Toshiharu Furukawa said: "Japan expressed its intent to match the U.S. Commitment." The two allies will hold follow-on consultations to further advance bilateral cooperation and explore additional collaborative opportunities in strategic science and technology capabilities.