Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2025
October 28, 2025
The Government of the United States of America, represented by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Government of Japan, represented by the Cabinet Office of Japan for the purposes of Science and Technology Policy (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Participants");
Expressing mutual interest in science and technology capabilities and standards to usher in the next Golden Age of Innovation to fortify freedom and prosperity for generations to come;
Affirming the value of bilateral science and technology collaboration to enrich the lives and livelihoods of citizens in both countries;
Recognizing that the rapid advancement of cutting-edge science and technology—including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, and biotechnology—has strategic implications for the future prosperity of our respective nations and underscores the importance of bilateral cooperation in these fields;
Noting the longstanding collaboration established under the existing Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan on Cooperation in Research and Development in Science and Technology;
Recognizing also the importance of deepening ties in science and technology with strategic partners across the Indo-Pacific as a means to strengthen stability in the region.
Have reached the following recognition:
Purpose
The purpose of this Memorandum of Cooperation (hereinafter "MOC") is to strengthen collaboration towards joint opportunities of mutual interest in strategic science and technology disciplines.
Areas of Cooperation
The Participants intend to collaborate in a number of disciplines, including but not limited to the following:
Accelerating AI Adoption and Innovation
AI promises a new Golden Age of Innovation by empowering individuals and supercharging progress across sectors like healthcare, biotechnology, and education. The Participants intend to collaborate closely on promoting pro-innovation AI policy frameworks, promoting exports across our full AI stack, ensuring the rigorous enforcement of existing protection measures while acknowledging the importance of strengthening such measures related to critical and emerging technologies, advancing shared work on industry standards, and safeguarding our children's digital wellbeing, with a shared commitment to promoting a secure and trustworthy AI ecosystem in a mutually beneficial manner. Focus areas for collaboration are intended to include:
Driving innovative research to accelerate the application of AI for science, industry, and society through use-inspired initiatives supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, RIKEN, and other relevant research institutions and funders;
Deepening cooperation to advance high-performance computing, leading-edge semiconductor technologies, and quantum computing that underpin the AI era to enhance the foundational infrastructure essential for AI performance and applications;
Advancing pro-innovation AI policy frameworks and initiatives to support the adoption of a
U.S. and Japan-led AI technology ecosystem;
Promoting exports across the full stack of U.S. and Japanese AI infrastructure, hardware, models, software, applications, and related standards;
Partnering to ensure the rigorous enforcement of existing protection measures, strengthen protection measures related to critical and sensitive technologies, and enhance supply chain resilience for the AI tech stack;
Promoting mutual understanding of guidelines and frameworks for AI development and adoption from the respective Participants, with the goal of harmonizing practices as applicable to encourage interoperability;
Advancing and refocusing the partnership between the U.S. Center for AI Standards and Innovation and the Japan AI Safety Institute towards a shared mission to promote AI innovation by fostering a secure and trustworthy AI ecosystem, including through working towards best practices in metrology for AI and industry standards development, improving understanding of both advanced AI models and sector-specific applications to drive continued AI adoption; and
Promoting education, innovation, and technology for children to flourish in the digital era and preparing future generations for the workplace of tomorrow.
Trusted Technology Leadership
The Participants intend to enhance longstanding collaboration on key technologies and practices to enable technology leadership in the global arena, including:
Research Security
Recognizing the importance of shared research security goals across critical and emerging technology research and development, the Participants intend to deepen collaboration to protect their technologies and their people. The Participants intend to collaborate on research security and identify and mitigate threats to the research enterprise including through supporting capacity building for universities, research organizations, and industry; and collaborating with allies and partners to share similarly rigorous practices to facilitate a trusted ecosystem of innovation.
Advanced Radio Access Networks, Beyond 5G/6G, and Connectivity
Expanding their partnership in telecommunications innovation and supply chain resilience, the Participants intend to collaborate on building a trusted, interoperable supply chain, using advancements such as Open RAN and AI–RAN, through a partnership between the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Participants also intend to collaborate on all-photonics networks and quantum networks, and to enable joint research and development in Beyond 5G/6G-relevant technologies through the U.S. National Science Foundation and Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and other relevant agencies. This work is intended to be supported
by joint efforts in standards bodies and in close partnership with industry, including in open testbeds, to shape global telecommunications standards with the Participants' shared priorities and accelerate trusted technology solutions to market. Recognizing Japan's critical role as a connectivity hub between North America and Asia, the Participants intend to expand ongoing collaboration on submarine cables in the Indo-Pacific region.
Securing Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Supply Chains
Highlighting the need to secure their mutual pharmaceutical and biotechnology supply chains, intellectual property, and innovation ecosystem, the Participants intend to accelerate progress towards the identification and remediation of vulnerabilities. The Participants intend to collaborate on supply chain security throughout all phases of development and across academic, government, and industry stakeholders, including contract research organizations and contract development and manufacturing organizations, to support resilient and healthy economies.
Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST)
Recognizing the universe of possibilities that quantum technologies unlock, the Participants intend to collaborate through leading quantum institutions and national laboratories to assess quantum performance, develop quantum algorithms, overcome challenges for quantum technologies in real-world environments, and enable scientific discovery. The Participants also intend to support the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. These activities are expected to be supported by aligning efforts in securing technology and supply chains to build a trusted ecosystem for the research, development, and adoption of new quantum technologies.
Unlocking the Promise of Fusion Energy
Appreciating the potential for fusion technologies to deliver safe, resilient, and abundant energy, the Participants intend to work together to facilitate a world-leading fusion industrial ecosystem. Areas of collaboration include supply chains for magnets and high-power components, fusion fuel cycle and blanket integration systems, neutronics modeling, and fusion materials. Participants intend to collaborate on fusion research and development, including the JT–60SA test facility, with the goal of supporting the commercial development and deployment of fusion reactors.
Space
Recognizing that research and development investments in space, including building capacity for human missions to the Moon and Mars, contribute to civilian mission needs, the Participants intend to continue their strong partnership in civil space and on aeronautics, science, and human exploration. Areas of collaboration include the International Space Station, future Artemis lunar surface exploration missions, and supporting enhancement of commercial space. The Participants intend to encourage further collaborative efforts to mitigate and remediate orbital debris and improve global coordination on space situational awareness.
Legal Character
This MOC does not create legally binding rights and obligations under domestic laws of either the United States and Japan or under international law. Nothing in this MOC is intended to affect any existing agreements between the Participants. Cooperation under this MOC is intended to take place within the respective legal framework. Nothing in this MOC commits the Participants to the expenditure of funds. Each of the United States and Japan declares their intention to abide by their respective domestic laws and international law.
Modification and Discontinuation
This MOC becomes operative when both Participants have signed. The Participants may modify this MOC by written decision of both Participants. Either Participant may discontinue this MOC and in such case should provide written notice of discontinuation to the other Participant.
The discontinuation is expected to commence on a date mutually determined by the Participants or, if the Participants cannot mutually determine a date, 180 days after the date on which notice of discontinuation is delivered.
The foregoing represents the recognition reached between the Participants on the matters referred to in this MOC.
Signed at Tokyo on October 28, 2025, in duplicate, in the English language.
For the Government of the United States of America: President Donald J. Trump | For the Government of Japan: PRIME MINISTER TAKAICHI SANAE |
NOTE: An original was not available for verification of the content of this joint statement.
Categories: Joint Statements : Japan, Prime Minister Takaichi, technology prosperity deal with U.S.
Names: Takaichi, Sanae.
Subjects: Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies; Japan, Prime Minister; Japan, science and technology cooperation with U.S.; Japan, trade with U.S.; Research and development; Space exploration, international cooperation.
DCPD Number: DCPD202501064.