From 7 to 11 September 2026, a delegation from the DFG Head Office, comprising Dr. Ingrid Krüßmann, Raoul Wagner, Tuyet Mai Hua-Lugbunari and Stephanie Schweimnitz, visited Japan to hold talks with the DFG’s Japanese partner organisations, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), as well as with Tohoku University.

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Impressions of the Visit in Japan

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The talks with the JSPS and JST focused primarily on ongoing and future joint funding activities, and on planning joint events.

Talks were also held with DAAD Japan and DWIH Tokyo, in addition to joint information events held in May („Your Path to Germany: Research Funding Seminar“) and September (Luncheon Seminar in connection with the RMAN-J Annual Meeting at Yokohama National University).

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Impressions of the Visit in Japan

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An exchange with representatives of Tohoku University explored opportunities for cooperation, with Professor Dr. Asako Sugimoto, Executive Vice President for Research, providing information on the transformation currently under way since Tohoku University was designated Japan’s first University for International Research Excellence (UREX1).

During the meeting with the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) Tokyo, the delegation bid farewell to Professor Dr. Franz Waldenberger, who stepped down as Director of the DIJ on 30 September after 12 years in office. The framework for future cooperation was discussed with his successor, Professor Dr. Verena Blechinger-Talcott. 

Professor Dr. Hiroko Masumoto of Kobe University took over as Head of the JSPS Bonn Office from Professor Dr. Masahiko Hayashi on 1 October. Overall, the talks demonstrated that there continues to be strong interest in cooperation on the Japanese side and that Germany and Japan, as reliable partners sharing common values, are also forging even closer ties in research.