Based on intergovernmental agreements on science and technology cooperation, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have been executing the international joint research program called Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP) since FY2009, together with leading countries and regions and in research fields that have been strategically prioritized by Ministry Of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

The aim of this program is to contribute solutions to challenges facing world today and to bolster Japan's scientific and technological capabilities through collaboration with a broad range of countries.

JST liaises with funding agencies in counterpart countries and regions, and on an equal partnership basis selects research projects supported by both countries. JST provides large-scale funding to Japanese researchers though SICORP and counterpart researchers are to obtain project funding approximately equivalent to SICORP from funding agencies in their respective countries.

Strategic International Collaborative Research Program (SICORP)