Japan is planning to significantly increase its budget for scientific research from 2026 to 2030, according to the economic newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun. The proposed amount of 60,000 trillion yen (approximately 330 billion euros) is double the threshold set for the previous five-year period.
This increase is part of the government’s strategy to promote scientific technologies and innovations over the next five years. The government is expected to adopt this strategy by the end of the month. While the 330 billion euros remains an objective and not yet integrated into the state budget, the Japanese press highlights this announcement as a turning point.
In recent years, Tokyo has faced criticism from scientists for the declining state investments in research. Immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi, a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2025, lamented the insufficient state support for fundamental research. Subsidies to universities have been decreasing since 2004, leading to a lasting and structural weakening of Japanese research.
In the international ranking of the most cited scientific publications, Japan dropped from fourth place in 2001-2003 to thirteenth place in 2021-2023. Journalist Momoko Suda notes this and expresses optimism about Japan’s aim to reclaim the third position by 2036. The government plans to invest the funds in AI, space exploration, and nuclear fusion technologies, with applications in both civilian and military sectors.
Overall, this announcement has been welcomed as excellent news for the scientific community.
