Naoko Okamura
Naoko Okamura was appointed Assistant Minister / Director-General for International Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2022. She is also Secretary General of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO.
In 2000, Naoko was appointed Deputy-Director for Japan’s Nanotechnology promotion. In this capacity, she comprehensively evaluated ongoing national science and technology activities and set the direction for the “Basic Plan for Science and Technology”, later to be adopted by the Japanese government as the basic policy for the forthcoming national nanotechnology policy.
In the course of these activities, Naoko had a number of opportunities to cooperate with the Science and Technology Division of the EU-Representation in Japan. Nanotechnology was initially a policy area spearheaded by the U.S., but at the same time, this new policy was becoming a priority in both the EU and Japan and was being actively pursued by both actors.
In 2018, Naoko was responsible for organizing the Executive Committee of the Japan-sponsored meeting of Group on Earth Observation, of which the EU was one of the co-chairs.
She participated in discussions on behalf of the Japanese government as a member of the Multilateral Coordinating Committee on the International Space Station (ISS), promoted by the United States, Europe, Canada, Russia, and Japan (2018-2020). In 2018-2020, Naoko served as Japan's representative in international negotiations on the Artemis project, a lunar and Mars exploration project advocated by the United States and she contributed significantly to formulating the basic direction of Japan's participation herein.
Subsequently, she served as Director-General for International Cooperation and as Deputy Director-General for General Affairs at the National Space Policy Secretariat (NSPS), Cabinet Office of Government of Japan. NSPS is responsible for formulating an integrated space policy, coordinating space activities across the government, providing necessary advice and guidance for related ministries and agencies, and promoting the government’s overall space policy. As Deputy Director-General of NSPS, and Director-General for international cooperation of NSPS, she promoted bilateral and multilateral international cooperation, especially space policy dialogue.
Speaker's corner
It was a great honour for me to be selected as a participant of the EU Visitors Programme in 2005. I wanted to use the EUVP opportunity to discuss with EU counterparts on the topic of not only nanotechnology but also on broader perspectives of science and technology. At the time (in 2005),
I was Director for Planning of National Institute of Science and Technology, the position to comprehensively evaluate ongoing national science and technology activities and to set the direction for the “Basic Plan for Science and Technology”, to be decided by the government as the basic policy for the next national science and technology policy.
Therefore, I requested the EUVP Secretariat to have discussions not only with department related to nanotechnology, but also with people from various departments in charge of science and technology. I also had the opportunity to visit not only the European Commission, but also members of the European Parliament.
The discussions I had with my counterparts during my EUVP visit were very enriching and I learned a lot. I was particularly impressed to learn that the EU makes policy decisions based on a very deep consideration of the societal implications of science and technology. Even after returning from Brussels, I have maintained close and excellent relationships with EU officials in various fields and cooperated with them on various projects.
The EU is a remarkable supranational entity as it brings together people from different cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. I have been greatly impressed with the way EU colleagues closely communicate with each other.
In 2008, three years after my participation in the EUVP, I was posted to the Mission of Japan to the EU in Brussels as Counselor of Science, Technology and Education. Thanks to my EUVP experience, I had acquired a basic understanding of the administrative structures of the EU, in particular its two legislative branches (the European Parliament and the Council) as well as its executive branch (the European Commission). Most importantly, I had gotten to know many of the key counterparts prior to arriving in Brussels.
A diplomat's tenure in one country of assignment is three years at most. This means that the rapidity by which one grasps and understands the various backgrounds and information related to one’s mission and the connections one makes with key people, will greatly affect the outcome of the work.
During my tenure at the Mission of Japan to the EU, we were able to conclude the Japan-EU Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which had been under way for a decade. In any negotiation, it is important to understand not only one's own arguments but also the situation of the other party. This agreement would not have been possible without my excellent counterparts at DG RTD in the European Commission. I am pleased that various cooperation projects are still underway based on this agreement.
I have been in charge of promoting science and technology policies in a wide range of fields in Japan for more than twenty years. I have been involved in policy making, launching and promoting of many national projects such as nanotechnology, rare earth materials, global environment, oceans, Arctic and Antarctic, medicine, life sciences, nuclear power, earthquakes and natural disaster prevention, and space development.
International cooperation is indispensable in any field of science and technology administration. In recent years, I have been involved in international negotiations and have served to numerous heads of the Japanese Delegation to international cooperation fora.
Currently, I am appointed as Assistant Minister / Director-General for International Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology. I am also serving as Secretary General of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). My responsibility is to integrate and supervise all international activities of MEXT. Therefore, I still have many chances to work closely with the EU.
Since Japan chaired the G7 Summit in May this year (2023), MEXT also hosted the G7 Education Minister’s Meeting to which I was responsible for organizing and operating.
Overall, I have taken the initiative in formulating national strategies and policies in many fields of science and technology by use of the latest and most advanced R&D trends and taking into account human and social needs from a global perspective.
For example, I took the lead from the initial drafting stage to the making of the final decision on Japan’s policies on nanotechnology, science and technology for safety and security, science and technology for the earth's environment, research and development in the medical field, radiation medicine, genome medicine.
Various national projects are being promoted based on government policies, and at the same time, research and development in these fields are making rapid progress in the industrial world. In this regard, I consider policy planning and promotion to be one of the major achievements in my career.
As for my experience on Space, I think that my greatest achievement is that I could play a central role in the negotiations with the United States and European Space Agency, and in determination of Japan's participation policy in the Artemis Project (an international human spaceflight program led by the US).
I would wish young leaders in any fields, including politics, government, industry, academia or the press, to value careful communication and efforts to understand others, especially in situations where the interests of individuals, countries and communities are complex and at times conflicting.
Unfortunately, conflicts are breaking out and becoming more serious in many parts of the world. In addition, the damage caused to the Earth by human activities has reached a critical level. The Sustainable Development Goals should not be just a slogan.
I have recognized that the only way for the world to survive in harmony is through understanding, coordination and collaboration of diverse communities, such as the EU has long embodied.
Let us work together for the greater cooperation of people across the globe and for the peaceful coexistence of humankind.