The year 2024 is the first year past the halfway point toward the target year 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Now is the time for Japan to review its strategy for the system of global co-innovation, I strongly advocate. The strategy means for what, what to go for, and what not to go for.
Japan has been cooperating with the SDGs activities, mainly through the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). JST had played an important role in the international community in terms of a framework for the development of science, technology, and innovation, which are said to be indispensable for the achievement of SDGs. It can be seen from the acknowledgments of "Guidebook for the Preparation of Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs Roadmaps" published in 2021 by United Nations Inter-Agency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (IATT) and European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC). Europe, won the authorship of the guidebook. The authorship was a great opportunity for Japan to change its position in the innovation and startup ecosystems.
For implementation of innovation, the company must overcome uncertainties regarding technology, customer needs, and ELSI (Ethical Legal and Social Issues: ELSI). Platform strategies appear in various phases of innovation-chain. Just like the smile curve in the global supply chain, there is a smile curve relationship in the innovation-chain. In addition, the fact that the benefit structure is part of an ecosystem would indicate the importance of the ecosystem.
In both innovation and startup ecosystems, opportunity to be exposed to actual challenges and networking with actors who are trying to solve them are important. For example, in start-ups in developing countries, entrepreneurs seeking to solve problems are seeking technological cooperation, and there are cases where Japan's advanced technological capabilities can contribute. Japan has historically been weak in terms of a system of networking with other countries. There is a lack of a common code that transcends language. SDGs, however, are a global agenda and serve as a common code that outlines a code of conduct for their realization, making the SDGs a tool to compensate for Japan's weakness.
At the annual high-level political forum on sustainable development, 204 side events were held in the most recent 2023 edition, 141 of which were face-to-face meetings. There are many people who are able to speak out about actual issues and who are willing to solve them, and they are diverse in nationality or ages.
The SDG Summit with quadrennial review cycle was held. At both meetings, it was shared that there was a crisis situation in the achievement of the SDGs, as some targets had been set back, partly due to COVID-19. The rescue plan for this critical situation was also presented. He strongly appealed for urgent action to strengthen all forms of cooperation, including financial.
Developing countries have long been seeking support from developed countries, and support programs for the creation of a roadmap for science, technology, and innovation toward the SDGs. Japan has yet to be named as a supporter. However, with regard to the review framework established as a midway point toward 2030, the EU was the first to present it, followed by 36 countries, and one more country followed, but Japan has not implemented it.
In order to change the positioning of Japan in the innovation and start-up ecosystems, it will be important for Japan. It will be effective to use SDGs as common code with the creation of roadmaps for science, technology, and innovation. Roadmapping, which shows the process of creation of roadmaps including revisions, is considered more important than roadmaps.
It is not too late to achieve SDGs. It is not too late for Japan to create and implement its own strategy. Let us take action so that Japan will not be left behind before we know it. Leave no one behind.
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