Strengthening ASEAN's Position, Japan Invests In Technology And Science Research Worth IDR 1.6 Trillion

Japanese Representatives at The 9th Science and Technology in Society (STS) Conference (photo: dock. BRIN)

JAKARTA Japan emphasizes the importance of collaboration between countries in ASEAN in strengthening technology and science research. Therefore, they have invested more than US$ 123 million (Rp1.6 trillion).

The investment value was disclosed by Toshihide Fukui, Japan's Deputy Director-General Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Cultural, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) while attending the 9th Science and Technology in Society (STS) Conference organized by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

Fukui explained that the investment was made through the formation of the Networking Exchange United to Serve (NEXUS) in 2023. This program not only supports collaborative research, but also supports the exchange and development of talents in ASEAN countries.

NEXUS is part of the 50th anniversary of relations between Japan and ASEAN countries. So far, NEXUS has supported green technology with Thailand and Malaysia. The program also supports the development of semiconductors with Vietnam.

The Japanese government is also using this program to support smart agricultural research and water safety with Kenya, food production with Indonesia, and air quality with Singapore.

"International cooperation in science and technology is no longer an option, but a necessity, especially in the midst of a complex global crisis," Fukui said, quoted on the official BRIN website on Friday, July 25.

Following Fukui's statement, Atsushi Arakawa from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) stated that the Japanese government also provides programs such as Sakura Science and Wartec to strengthen human resources in ASEAN.

Wartec, as the latest program, was created to expand the scope of long-term research exchanges. This exchange is not only valid from ASEAN to Japan, but also vice versa.

"Wartec is a further form of Sakura Science, with a focus on developing longer-term capacity that has more impact," said Arakawa.