Memorandum of Cooperation between the Department of Industry of Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development of Canada and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on Industrial Science and Technology 

The Department of Industry, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development of Canada, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”,

Recognizing that Canada and Japan are global leaders in science and technology and have strong and diversified science, technology, and innovation relations;

Recognizing that, to support the growth of their industries, fostering partnerships with key international partners and ensuring effective collaboration between academia, industry, and government, is critical;

Recalling that the leaders of Canada and Japan confirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation in the area of economic security and innovation on the occasion of the Canada-Japan Summit Meeting in January 2023 and that they also concurred to work together towards accelerating the cooperation on industrial science and technology on the occasion the Canada-Japan Summit Meeting in May 2023;

Acknowledging recent positive developments related to industrial science and technology cooperation between Canada and Japan and welcoming the formation of the Canada-Japan Industrial Research and Development Policy Dialogue;

Noting the Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of Japan on Cooperation in Science and Technology, done at Tokyo on May 7, 1986, and the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Research Council of Canada on Research Cooperation and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology of Japan, signed at Tokyo on October 9, 2019;

Recognizing the necessity of strengthening cooperation in industrial science and technology between Canada and Japan in view of the common values shared by the two countries;

Reaffirming the importance of enhancing and reinforcing partnerships and coordination on science, technology and innovation between Canada and Japan, in support of Canada’s “Indo-Pacific Strategy”; the “Canada-Japan Action Plan for contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific region”; and Japan’s “New Plan for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP)”;

Emphasizing the importance of advancing international industrial research and development (“R&D”) collaborations in mutual priority areas utilizing all their support mechanisms such as co-funding initiatives and the importance for Participants to foster cooperation to this end;

Emphasizing the importance of R&D, and social implementation for quantum technologies in Japan’s Quantum Technology and Innovation Strategy adopted in January 2020, Vision of Quantum Future Society adopted in April 2022 and Strategy of Quantum Future Industry Development adopted in April 2023;

Underscoring the importance of talent, research and commercialization for quantum technologies in Canada’s National Quantum Strategy released in January 2023;

Have reached the following non-legally binding understanding:

1. Objective
   1. The objective of this Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) is to facilitate the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the Participants in industrial science and technology through a new Canada-Japan Industrial R&D Policy Dialogue.
2. Areas of Cooperation
   1. The Participants will work with relevant organizations to promote closer collaboration with particular attention to the following technology areas:
      1. Advanced manufacturing;
      2. Artificial Intelligence (AI);
      3. Clean technology, clean energy and carbon reduction technologies;
      4. Life sciences;
      5. Quantum;
      6. Semiconductors; and
      7. Other areas mutually decided by the Participants.
3. Forms of Cooperation
   1. The Participants intend to pursue cooperation and harness the constant creation of new knowledge, understanding, and insights from their innovation ecosystems, to advance interconnected, vibrant, and secure R&D by:
      1. Embarking on good-faith cooperation underpinned by their shared values such as freedom of inquiry, merit-based competition, openness and transparency, accountability, reciprocity, promoting protection and enforcement of intellectual property, safe and inclusive research environments, rigor and integrity in research, research security, and reducing administrative burdens;
      2. Creating inclusive industrial scientific research communities and tackling cross-cutting issues of common interest such as equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility;
      3. Utilizing bilateral industrial science and technology co-funding mechanisms such as the Canadian International Innovation Program and other programs, as well as multilateral cooperation frameworks, and pursuing new implementation pathways, such as utilizing Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI Technology (G-QuAT) in the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), as appropriate, to promote cooperative R&D efforts;
      4. Facilitating interactions between their governments, as well as with academia and the private sector to discuss and understand research trajectories, which in turn will inform the identification of overlapping interests, gaps, and opportunities for future cooperation;
      5. Cooperating in advancing international standards setting activities including information sharing, and supporting effective standards setting relevant to industrial science and technology;
      6. Enabling opportunities to build the global market and supply chain for research and commercialization, and supporting economic growth by engaging stakeholders, including industry consortia, research, policy, and business stakeholders, to grow a future marketplace;
      7. Utilizing bilateral and multilateral opportunities to exchange information, discuss matters of international importance and relevance to policy issues on industrial science and technology;
      8. Promoting multidisciplinary research and the cross-fertilization and sharing of, on a voluntary and mutually decided basis, research methodologies and data, including through collaboration in activities, such as workshops, seminars, conferences, and the exchange of people, particularly between centers, hubs and universities participating in R&D, to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers;
      9. Encouraging broad and inclusive participation in the collaboration activities of industrial science and technologies for the benefit of our respective economies and society.
   2. The Participants concur that their cooperation will include:
      1. Promotion of joint seminars, symposia, conferences (e.g., RD20), networking events, and workshops;
      2. Promotion of business-to-business collaboration by facilitating joint industrial R&D projects and innovation among startups and enterprises through initiatives of matchmaking, dissemination of information on support programs, evaluation of project proposals, and identification of suitable funding mechanisms, in both Canada and Japan. The Participants will be supported in these activities by organizations including, but not limited to the National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
4. Governance
   1. The Participants will apply this MOC through a new Canada-Japan Industrial R&D Policy Dialogue which will be established on a mutually decided date.
      1. The Dialogue will be co-chaired by an Assistant Deputy Minister from one of the Canadian Participants and by a Bureau Director-General from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan;
      2. The Participants will meet once every two years in person or virtually to carry out the Policy Dialogue and review cooperative activities, including their effectiveness. Representatives from government and other agencies (e.g., National Research Council of Canada, Japan External Trade Organization and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) will be invited, where relevant.
   2. The Participants will also establish a Director-level Committee to support the Dialogue and cooperative activities. The Committee will meet at least on an annual basis, and more frequently if mutually decided, to facilitate the cooperative activities.
   3. The Participants will discuss strengthening bilateral science and technology cooperation utilizing bilateral consultations, including through the Canada-Japan Joint Economic Committee (JEC) and the Canada Japan Joint Committee (CJJC) on Science and Technology.
5. Differences in Interpretation and Application
   1. The Participants will endeavor to resolve any issue regarding the application of this MOC through consultation.
6. Status
   1. This MOC is not legally binding.
7. Intellectual Property
   1. If any intellectual property matters are expected to arise from the application of this MOC, the Participants will address them in separate appropriate instruments. Such instruments could include non-disclosure agreements, licensing agreements, collaborative research agreements, or other contracts.
8. Final Dispositions
   1. This MOC will come into operation on its last date of signature.
   2. This MOC may be modified by written consent of the Participants.
   3. This MOC may be discontinued at any time by any Participant by providing written notice. Any intention to discontinue this MOC should be notified to the other Participants at least three (3) months in advance. The Participants decide that any information shared by a Participant prior to such discontinuance will continue to be protected in line with this MOC.