Japan has officially joined Horizon Europe, the European Union’s €93.5bn flagship research and innovation programme. The agreement allows Japanese researchers and organisations to tap EU funding and take part in Horizon Europe on equal footing with the bloc’s member states and the programme’s 22 other associated countries, including the UK, Ukraine, Canada and Israel. This pillar, according to the EU, funds multinational research and innovation projects that address challenges related to climate, energy, health and the digital economy. Japan will also contribute financially to Horizon Europe’s budget, the EU said, by covering for the Japanese organisations participating in the programme. Japan takes the title for the most populous country associated with the programme, with a population of 123m.