About the Japan Initiative for Global Research Network on Infectious Diseases (J-GRID) – An Overview

J-GRID is an undertaking to enhance international research collaboration across national borders, which has been commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) to Japanese universities and research institutions. The undertaking includes the construction of bilateral collaboration centers in the counterpart countries and their networking. As the headquarters of this network, Center of Research Network for Infectious Diseases (CRNID) was set up at RIKEN. Since its initiation in 3 countries in FY2005, J-GRID has expanded to include 13 research collaboration centers in 8 countries (6 in Asia and 2 in Africa). J-GRID was highly appreciated as an ideal model of Japan’s science and technology diplomacy and an important platform to mitigate the risk of infectious diseases in the counterpart countries, our own country and the world. Recently, the Japanese government decided to create a new funding and managing body named Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), which is expected to start in 2015. The AMED selected 9 special topics of high priority. One of them is “The Control of Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases” and J-GRID is expected to enhance research capacity and make a great deal of contribution in this scheme. Here, I look back on the 10 years journey of J-GRID development since its initiation and discuss the future perspective.