With a population of around 123 million, Japan is now the largest country associated with Horizon Europe. Since January 2026, transitional arrangements have enabled Japanese organisations to apply for funding under Horizon Europe Pillar II and be assessed as eligible participants. Focus on global challengesJapan’s association covers Horizon Europe Pillar II, which has a budget of €52.4 billion and supports multinational research and innovation projects tackling major societal issues. These include the Excellent Science pillar, the Innovative Europe pillar and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which provide support for doctoral education, postdoctoral training and international research collaboration. Horizon Europe has a total budget of €93.5 billion for the 2021–2027 funding period, making it the EU’s largest-ever research and innovation programme.