Hon Dr Wayne Mapp
Minister of Research, Science and Technology
Minister of Defence

29 October 2009
Media Statement

Stronger science links with Japan

An agreement between New Zealand and Japan that will strengthen New Zealand’s collaboration with Japan’s scientists was signed in Tokyo yesterday by Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada.

Minister of Research, Science and Technology Wayne Mapp said that the New Zealand-Japan Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement sets a new benchmark for the science relationship between the two countries.

“This Agreement builds on many years of co-operation between New Zealand and Japanese scientists.

“Programmes jointly funded by the New Zealand Government, together with the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, have helped develop our scientific collaboration. This Agreement raises our co-operation to the next level,” Dr Mapp said.

New Zealand and Japan have shared interests in areas such as biotechnology, functional foods, agriculture, nanotechnology, earth sciences and biomedical research. Japan ranks in the top ten in terms of New Zealand’s science collaboration with other countries.

ENDS

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