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13. May 2016
051/2016
Federal Research Minister Wanka travels to Japan
G7 Ministerial Meeting in Tsukuba follows up on key issues discussed in Berlin
Wanka: Working together for sustainability
The G7 Ministers of Science are strengthening their cooperation on research to address
global challenges such as poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases (PRDs and
NTDs), the future of the oceans, and clean energy. At this year’s meeting in the Japanese
city of Tsukuba from 15 to 17 May, the G7 Ministers of Science will thus follow up on topics
discussed at the last G7 science ministers’ meeting in Berlin in October 2015.
Since the meeting in 2015, recommendations for sharing national data and research
activities on poverty-related diseases have been developed with a particular focus on
infectious diseases. Furthermore, a new scheme for international cooperation in marine
research has been developed and international projects to explore microplastics in marine
systems have been launched under the European Joint Programming Initiative on “Healthy
and Productive Seas and Oceans”. The projects are aimed at developing norms for
measuring microplastics, mapping the distribution of microplastics in marine ecosystems and
exploring the potential toxicological effects of plastics on marine organisms. Building on the
decisions taken on clean energy by the G7 Ministers of Science in Berlin in 2015, the Mission
Innovation initiative was launched at the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) in November
2015. In addition to the G7, this initiative involves a large number of other nations. Within
Mission Innovation, the G7 Science Ministers are re-affirming their commitment to clean
energy and are working to actively advance the initiative together.
Naturally, there are also new topics on this year’s agenda. These include the promotion of
research and innovation relating to active ageing and elderly care, expanding the
participation of women in science and technology, providing support for the next generation
of scientists and asking how we can ensure the principle of Inclusive Innovation, i.e. that
research and innovation benefits all people, in industrialized countries and around the world.
At the meeting in Tsukuba, the Science Ministers want to step up their efforts to improve the
coordination of research activities. “The good cooperation among the G7 Science Ministers
last year has allowed us to take the 2015 issues further at this year’s meeting. Our
coordinated efforts will enable us to discuss and agree additional concrete measures to
address the issues of poverty-related diseases, the future of the seas and oceans, and clean
energy. I especially welcome this because of the sustainable impact which we want to
achieve,” says Federal Minister of Education and Research Professor Johanna Wanka.
Minister Wanka will also meet with her Japanese counterparts to discuss how bilateral
cooperation between Japan and Germany can help fulfil the goals of the G7. Being research
nations of excellence with a long tradition of scientific cooperation, both countries are in a
strong position to do so. One case in point is the utilization of the KEK centre for research in
high-energy physics in Tsukuba by German researchers. Furthermore, there are now more
than 600 German-Japanese university collaborations. German research organizations are
also in close contact with their Japanese partners; the Max Planck Society, for example, has
been cooperating with Japan’s largest comprehensive research institution RIKEN for over 30
years.
Minister Wanka will also use the opportunity offered by the occasion of the G7 Science
Ministers meeting to have discussions with representatives of German research-led
companies with branches in Japan. These include such companies as Bosch, BMW, Daimler
and BASF. The aim is to learn about corporate perspectives on scientific and technological
cooperation with Japan. One focus of the discussions will be on the challenges facing
research and innovation posed by an ageing society; another will be research on automated
and networked driving.
This year’s Meeting of the G7 Science Ministers is the fourth of its kind. Previous meetings
were held in Okinawa, Japan, in June 2008, in London in June 2013, and in Berlin in October
2015, with the first two meetings being held in the G8 format.
The “Group of Seven” or G7 provides an annual forum for discussion among the world’s
major industrialized countries. The group is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, the UK and the USA. The G7 became the G8 with the admission of Russia in 1998.
However, in March 2014 the members reverted to meeting as the G7 after they excluded
Russia on account of its conduct over Crimea.
Further information:
https://www.bmbf.de/de/g7-wissenschaftsministertreffen-in-japan-2016-2840.html
https://www.bmbf.de/de/japan-seit-vier-jahrzehnten-ein-starker-partner-473.html