Japan has launched a new international funding call through the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) aimed at advancing artificial intelligence applications in scientific research. The programme is designed to encourage global collaboration between researchers and institutions, supporting projects that develop new AI tools and methods for solving complex scientific problems across disciplines.
The initiative will fund around 20 research projects under its “International/Convergence” category, with each project receiving an initial budget of approximately ¥200 million (over €1 million), with the possibility of scaling up to around ¥650 million depending on project scope and progress. The programme is open to a wide range of scientific fields, with a focus on integrating AI into domain-specific research rather than simply applying existing technologies.
A key objective of the funding call is to support research that embeds AI into scientific discovery processes, enabling researchers to address previously unsolved questions through advanced computational methods, domain knowledge integration, and interdisciplinary approaches. The programme encourages innovation in areas where AI can enhance experimentation, modelling, and analysis across different scientific domains.
The call is part of Japan’s broader national strategy to strengthen its position in AI for science and deepen international partnerships, particularly with European research institutions. It reflects growing interest in collaborative frameworks that combine national strengths in AI development with global scientific expertise to accelerate innovation and technological breakthroughs.
The funding initiative also aligns with Japan’s wider ARiSE programme, which promotes AI-driven scientific exploration and supports both strategic domestic research and internationally collaborative projects. This approach is intended to build long-term capacity in AI-enabled science while fostering global research networks that can contribute to next-generation discoveries.
