Matilda Ernkrans to visit Japan with focus on climate and environment

Minister for Higher Education and Research Matilda Ernkrans will travel to Japan today, 4 October. Her programme will include a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and holding the opening address at the Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum on Sunday. The majority of the visit will take place in Kyoto and Tokyo, and the political focus will be on the climate and the environment.

Japan is a prominent research nation, and for many years Sweden has had a great deal of exchange with higher education institutions and companies, particularly on sustainability. In addition to following up on contacts with higher education institutions and companies, Ms Ernkrans will be a keynote speaker at a major international research policy conference.

“My task is to convey the importance of free research. We need to take joint responsibility to ensure that research reaches more people – quite simply, we must be better at spreading and communicating it to the public, to counter ‘fact resistance’ in various contexts. As a representative pf a feminist government, I also want to contribute to boosting Japanese women students and researchers,” says Ms Ernkrans.

The STS forum is an annual meeting gathering leaders in research, business, public authorities, media and policy for cross-border discussions on research and innovation.

Excerpts from the programme

Saturday 5 October

11.30 Speech at the EU-Japan Science Policy Forum, Kyoto

Sunday 6 October

08.00 Breakfast with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kyoto

11.00 Speech at the opening of the STS forum, Kyoto

12.00 Round-table discussions on international cooperation and challenging research and development, Kyoto

15.30 Meeting with Thai Minister for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Suvit Maesincee, Kyoto

16.00 Meeting with Japanese Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Koichi Hagiuda, Kyoto

Monday 7 October

08.00 Meeting with AstraZeneca, Kyoto Century Hotel, Kyoto

10.00 Visit to the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Kyoto

12.00 Meeting with women students and researchers at Kyoto University, Kyoto

Tuesday 8 October

08.00 Breakfast with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Tokyo

10.00 Visit to Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), Tokyo                    

13.30 Visit to Tokyo University, Tokyo

Wednesday 9 October

10.00 Visit to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba

Contact

Mirjam Kontio, Press Secretary to Minister for Higher Education and Research Matilda Ernkrans, +46 73-074 05 57