International Joint R&D Program in NEDO

I extend my sincere congratulations on the successful hosting of the 6th RD20 International Conference and the Tokyo Symposium. NEDO has been participating in RD20 since Fiscal Year 2020. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to AIST, METI, and other related organizations for their support.

As one of Japan's largest public research and development management organizations, NEDO has two main missions: first, to address energy and global environmental issues, and second, to strengthen industrial technological capabilities. We combine the expertise of companies, universities, and public research institutions to conduct our research and development. NEDO has also devised a comprehensive R&D strategy with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and establishing a sustainable, recycling-oriented society. We are focused on promoting the research and development of technologies needed to realize three systems: sustainable energy, circular economy, and bioeconomy, as well as digital transformation (DX) technologies that support these systems.

Furthermore, NEDO is taking direct action not only domestically but also internationally. Specifically, since 1993, we have been conducting demonstration projects overseas related to Japan's energy technologies, contributing to energy efficiency, decarbonization, and environmental impact reduction on an international scale. In addition, since 2020, we have been implementing international collaborative research and development projects to promote joint research among institutions in the clean energy and environmental fields. Through these programs, we support research and development in broad areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy system resilience.

Similar to RD20, our international joint research and development projects aim to enhance collaboration among research institutions from different countries, build networks among researchers, and generate innovation. NEDO’s earnest hope is to discover new international joint R&D projects through RD20 activities and support their commercialization, while also strengthening networking between research institutions.

I know this year's 6th RD20 International Conference will be held overseas for the first time in New Delhi, India. I sincerely hope that the conference will be successful and strengthen cooperation and networking among the participating countries even more than before.

Takashi Naruse
NEDO
Director of the International Projects Department

In 1988, he joined the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), where he was mainly involved in international work. In 2008, he was transferred to JETRO in New York for about 3 years. In April 2021, he was transferred to the NEDO International Department and appointed as Director of the Department in April 2024. Due to a reorganization, he has been serving as the Director of the International Projects Department since July of the same year.