Bilateral Programs
Forecasted
Bilateral Programs support researchers in Japan and overseas through joint research, scientific seminars, and researcher exchanges to develop international collaborative research networks.
This grant was recently updated
The FY2027 Joint Research Projects/Seminars deadline is September 3, 2026, at 5 p.m., replacing September 3, 2025, at 5 p.m. for FY2026. New calls cover CONICET (Argentina) and AID (Uzbekistan); projects begin from April 2027 rather than April 2026, and other application details also changed.
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Due Dates (Anticipated): September 2027 (Application submission)
Funding Amounts: Joint research: JPY 1–2.5 million annually for 1–3 years, depending on scheme; seminars: JPY 2 million, up to one week
Summary: Supports international scientific cooperation through joint research projects, joint seminars, and researcher exchanges between Japan and overseas partners.
Key Information: Japanese applicants must hold a full-time or equivalent researcher position at a university or research institution in Japan when applying.
Description
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) operates Bilateral Programs to promote international scientific exchange between Japan and partner countries. Cooperation with overseas academies, research councils, and other science-promotion organizations is governed by agreements or memoranda of understanding. These arrangements support joint research projects, joint seminars, and researcher exchanges, with proposals jointly selected and supported according to the relevant agreement.
The program also offers Open Partnership Joint Research Projects/Seminars, introduced in fiscal year 2013. This route enables Japanese researchers to collaborate with researchers residing in countries that have diplomatic relations with Japan, plus Taiwan and Palestine. Both routes aim to develop international collaborative research networks through research and scientific exchange.
