UK and Japan strengthen science and technology ties

• Multi-million pound investment into UK life sciences' gene therapy industry, and a partnership to deliver a national rare disease genomics pilot for Japan
• Millions in joint funding for quantum technologies to speed up drug discovery, secure data and improve navigation
• New £6 million UK-Japan research and innovation programme for seamless mobile coverage and stronger digital infrastructure

The UK and Japan have announced a major package of science and technology collaborations, strengthening ties between 2 of the world's leading innovation hubs.  

The announcements being detailed today (Tuesday 3 February) were confirmed during the Prime Minister's visit to Japan on Saturday, where he committed to deepening the science and tech ties between our 2 countries. 

These announcements span life sciences, quantum and connectivity tech. The projects are geared towards developing cures for rare genetic diseases and bringing ultra-fast mobile coverage to every part of the UK.   

Leaders also agreed to hold the Japan-UK Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology for the first time in 3 years, and to establish a new space consultation. 

In a boost for UK life sciences manufacturing, Orchard Therapeutics, the UK subsidiary of Japanese company Kyowa Kirin, is set to invest around £11 million in the UK. Subject to final agreement of terms and conditions of the UK government's Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, the funding will go towards the discovery of new drugs which could treat and beat diseases – transforming outcomes for patients. 

This package of news adds to the £33 billion in bilateral trade between the UK and Japan. From collaboration on breakthrough technologies, to cooperation in high-growth economic sectors like space and cyber, through to the opportunities offered through both countries' association to Horizon Europe, there are vast avenues by which the UK and Japan could go even further unlock the promise of science and technology to grow our economies and improve lives.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said: 

These announcements, covering life sciences, quantum and more, spotlight some of the key science-driven industries in which the UK and Japan are working together. The prizes on offer include new therapies for diseases that were previously considered untreatable, and critical infrastructure for the digital age. 

It's crucial that British and Japanese scientific and commercial partnerships continue to flourish, so we can grow our economies, create jobs, and give hope to patients battling some of the cruellest diseases.

The investment by Kyowa Kirin into Orchard Therapeutics paves the way for gene therapies for devastating illnesses to be researched and developed in the UK – supporting high‑skilled jobs and helping ensure patients can access the most innovative treatments, with further potential investment in R&D to follow.  

It builds on the success of Libmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel), a revolutionary treatment developed by the company to treat children with metachromatic leukodystrophy. This rare and fatal genetic disease causes severe damage to the affected child's nervous system and organs, but Orchard's gene therapy, which is available on the NHS, saves lives by inserting working copies of a faulty gene in a patient's own blood stem cells. 

And, in another step forwards in deepening UK–Japan collaboration in life sciences, innovative British genomics firm, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, will enter into a multi-year strategic partnership with Japanese genetic testing provider Genesis Healthcare (A.D.A.M Innovations).  Following a UK government-led engineering biology trade mission to Japan in October 2025, the 2 companies are agreeing Heads of Terms to initiate a national pilot focused on transforming screening for rare diseases. 

The UK and Japan are also launching 3 new joint quantum technology research projects, bringing together leading researchers from both countries to address challenges ranging from drug discovery and secure communications, to navigation in environments where GPS is unavailable. 

The projects – ranging from work on quantum computers, to more accurate quantum sensors, to work laying the foundations of a future quantum internet - are jointly funded by £4.5 million from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and just over £5.2 million from the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). 

The Prime Minister also announced a £6 million UK–Japan research programme on advanced connectivity technologies, jointly funded by both governments.  

These technologies will help to provide seamless coverage so that everyone can access digital services wherever they are, and ensure networks can reliably withstand cyberthreats and natural disasters. 

The programme is backed by £3 million from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, matched by £3 million from the Japanese Government. It will focus on artificial intelligence in telecoms, non‑terrestrial networks like satellite internet, and ‘optical' networks that promise to deliver ultra-high capacity and energy efficiency. 

Together, these announcements demonstrate the strength of the UK–Japan science and technology partnership and a shared commitment to innovation that drives economic growth, improves lives and strengthens resilience in an increasingly connected world. 

Notes to editorsOrchard Therapeutics Investment

The investment into Orchard Therapeutics is the latest positive step for the UK's critical Cell and Gene sector, which is currently home to over 90 advanced therapy companies. The UK government remains committed to keeping the UK at the forefront of cell and gene advancements, building on its existing status as a trailblazer in CAR-T cell therapy- primarily used to treat blood cancers – being the first in Europe to make it commercially available. 

Bobby Gaspar, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of  Orchard Therapeutics said: 

Since joining Kyowa Kirin, we have remained committed to accelerating the realization of our shared vision of ending the devastation caused by severe genetic diseases and delivering life-changing value in medical care.

We remain as true to our mission as ever, and bolstering our presence, infrastructure, and internal capabilities in our Hammersmith lab and office facility is a critical component to ensuring we remain well positioned to continue developing innovative cell and gene therapies for the benefits of patients, physicians, health care systems and society.

Kyowa Kirin President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Abdul Mullick, Ph.D., said: 

Orchard Therapeutics has become a core pillar of our mission.

By adding a gene and cell therapy modality with the potential to deliver one‑time treatments, we are making an investment fully aligned with our vision to create and deliver life‑changing value for patients. We also remain strongly committed to advancing innovation and development in the UK together with the government's support.

Oxford Nanopore-Genesis Healthcare partnership

The rare disease screening pilot will see Oxford Nanopore introduce its new advanced generation nanopore-based sensing technology to help consolidate numerous existing test approaches into a single, focused genome test, initially applied to neuromuscular disorders. 

Delivered by Genesis Healthcare, the test will allow screening for more than 70 currently under-diagnosed neuromuscular conditions. Set to begin in the second half 2026, the Oxford Nanopore-Genesis Healthcare partnership will directly support objectives to translate genomic research into clinical settings laid out in the recent UK–Japan Health Memorandum of Cooperation.   

This is expected to generate sustained, recurring demand for UK-manufactured sequencing platforms and consumables, supporting high-skilled jobs, strengthen life sciences supply chains in both countries and drive innovation in treatments, technologies, and models of care for these rare neuromuscular conditions.