AGREED MINUTES OF TWENTY-FIRST NCI-JSPS JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE U.S.-JAPAN COOPERATIVE CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM
March 9. Friday, Ginza Tobu Hotel. Tokyo, Japan
(DRAFT)

The 21^st NCI-JSPS Joint Steering Committee Meeting of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Cancer Research Program was called to order at 15:00 on March 9, 2001 (Friday) at Ginza Tobu Hotel, Tokyo, Japan, by the moderators of the meeting, Dr. Masaaki Terada and Dr. Joe B. Harford.
Mr. Koji Nakanishi, Executive Director, JSPS, delivered opening remarks in which he expressed his sincere thanks to the NCI delegation members and to both the U.S. and Japanese coordinators for their tremendous contributions to the success of the symposium and the program. He also praised the results and achievements obtained through long-term collaborative efforts between NCI and JSPS. Dr. Harford, Associate Director for Special Projects, NCI, cordially thanked the Japanese delegation members for hosting the U.S. participants and expressed his expectation for the program's further development. Highlights of the discussions included the following.

1. Review of JFY 1999 and JFY 2000 Activities
A total of 6 scientific seminars and 27 scientist exchanges were conducted in JFY 1999 and JFY 2000 under the three program areas. These were reported and reviewed by the coordinators, namely Dr. Terada and Dr. Thorgeirsson in the field of Basic Science, Dr. Tsuruo and Dr. Christian in the field of Clinical Science, and Dr. Kitagawa and Dr. Hiatt in the field of Epidemiology/Behavioral Science.
Based on the reports submitted by scientists who had participated in the seminars and exchanges conducted in JFY1999 and JFY2000, the coordinators evaluated these programs as being on the whole "good."
With regard to exchange of personnel. it was pointed out that there were no American scientists visiting Japan for collaborative research in recent years. It was noted by Dr. Tsuruo that a number of American visiting scientists had been remarkably downward after the first two terms in the program. The Japanese coordinators also mentioned possible causes why many American younger scientists hesitate to participate in the long-term exchange program outside of the US. However, JSPS emphasized that the program encourages the exchange of scientists between the two countries in the Guidelines and expressed their wish NCI to make more effort for the exchanges.

2. Report on Large Symposium 1999
Dr. Harford reported that approximately 160 people had attended the FY1999 Large Symposium held in Bethesda on February 22-23, 2000, and that favorable comments were received from both the speakers and attendants, particularly from the younger Japanese scientists, who expressed appreciation for the chance it gave them to interact and network with the group of senior Japanese scientists in attendance.

3. Report on Large Symposium 2000
Dr. Kitagawa thanked the coordinators for their collaboration in convening this symposium and appraised the presentations delivered as being of high level and great interest. At the same time, he noted that the number of audience members, was fewer than had been expected. Dr. Harford commented on the tight schedule for delivering the presentations, about which some of the speakers had complained. With a view to the next symposium, it was agreed that the program agenda should be carefully arranged so as to allow sufficient time between sessions.

4. Project Plan for JFY2001
4. 1 Selection of Seminars
The discussion between the U.S. and Japanese coordinators focused primarily on an issue in the field of Clinical Science, namely the selection of a seminar for JFY2001. It was agreed by the coordinators to adopt the seminar proposed by Dr. Teshima and Dr. Owen. However, Dr. Tsuruo said that its title may not be appropriate given the objective of the seminar and that he would ask the organizers to modify both the title and proposal appropriately. It was suggested that the seminar proposal be adopted under the condition that the application form be re-drafted.
A discussion was held on how to handle project selections in case of a split between the two sides on whether or not to adopt a proposal. JSPS stated its desire for final selection decisions to be made before the holding of the steering committee meeting, especially in the case of seminars to be held early in the year. The two sides agreed to prepare a list of the email addresses of all the U.S. and Japanese steering committee members in order to facilitate communications between them in making decisions on project selections and program modification without having to gather in meetings.

4.2 Large Symposium
NCI offered two possible dates in February and in March 2002 for the next symposium, scheduled to be held in Bethesda. JSPS promised to give NCI a quick response on this matter. For the symposium's topic, it was discussed whether to pick one cancer site or a small-specialized topic. The coordinators stated a preference for the former suggestion, and considered which cancer site would attract a large audience. The U.S. coordinators suggested colorectal and liver cancers, whereas the Japanese coordinators favored lung cancer.

5. Amendment of the Guidelines for the Sixth 5-Year Plan
5. 1 Original Guidelines: 2. I Scientific Seminars (the fifth para.)
"JSPS will introduce open nationwide calls for seminar proposals in Japan, from which highly competitive seminar plans will be selected jointly by JSPS and NCI."
Both JSPS and NCI will introduce open nationwide calls for seminar proposals in Japan and in the U.S. respectively. To avoid duplication of applications, it was agreed that the applicants be allowed to submit their applications to their respective agencies, either NCI or JSPS, and that two agencies exchange copies of the applications and forward them to coordinators on the other side. As to the application deadline, NCI agreed to adopt JSPS's deadline, which is September 14. Both sides also concurred to make final selection decisions and issue notices by November 14.
Regarding the way of making public announcements, the U.S. members suggested the possibility of conducting joint advertising in science magazines. In response JSPS pointed out differences in recruiting systems between Japan and the U.S. It was concluded that JSPS and NCI would pursue separate courses of advertising in their respective countries. Concerning the contents of the application instructions and forms, it was suggested that they be unified between the two sides to the extent that they contain the same type of information and questions. It was agreed that JSPS would provide NCI drafts of its instructions and forms for JFY2002 translated into English. and that NCI would include pertinent information from them in its own instructions and forms.
With regard to the Guidelines, NCI reaffirmed that it will apply them as criteria for selecting seminar topics and participants and will include these criteria in their instructions, so as to inform applicants of the bases upon which their applications are judged. Dr. Christian proposed adding a fifth criterion to the Guidelines, and it was agreed that it should be "Potential for future collaborations to evolve from the seminar."
On the subject of financial support for seminars, referring to Article III. 1) of the draft Details for Implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific Seminars, JSPS said it could agree to covering the international travel and lodging expenses for up to 7 participants as the sending agency and the domestic travel and lodging expenses for up to 12 participants and the meeting expenses as the receiving agency. JSPS added that it applies this criteria to all seminars held under JSPS programs. In this regard, NCI stated that there should be an equilibrium in the number of participants from the U.S. and Japan sides, and that NCI and JSPS should pay the travel and lodging expenses for the participants from their respective sides. It was agreed that travel and lodging expenses should be provided for 10 participants from each side.
NCI said it would at least like to propose a concept for sharing meeting expenses more evenly, as 8 out of the 9 seminars held over the period of 1999-2001 were in the U.S. Under the concept for meetings held in Hawaii, NCI would make the meeting arrangements, and the meeting expenses would be equally divided between JSPS and NCI. In response to this proposal, JSPS promised to consider it carefully, including the technical matter of paying for meeting expenses in Hawaii.

5.2 Original Guidelines: 2.2 Large Symposia (the first para.)
"One large symposium will be jointly organized each fiscal year; covering one or more of the three program areas."
Dr. Terada pointed out that holding smaller-sized seminars may yield more productive outcomes than large symposia. This is because it is observed in large symposia, some of the speakers and attendants leave the meeting in midstream, missing the chance to interact with other scientists.
For ensuing symposia, it was suggested that the program agenda be loosened up to provide more time for discussions and breaks to facilitate informal interaction among the scientists. A consensus was reached that NCI and JSPS would evaluate the performance of the symposia and the seminars after a few years of implementation, based on mutually agreed upon criteria.

5.3 Original Guidelines: 3.2 Joint Steering Committee Meeting
"The Joint Steering Committee Meeting will be held every other year: alternately h the US. and Japan, and will act in place of the Scientific Advisory Committee stipulated hl the Agreement concluded l)2 1974. "
It was agreed by JSPS and NCI to hold the steering committee meeting every year in tandem with the large symposium, instead of every other year. Also, JSPS notified NCI and the U.S. coordinators of a possibility of changes to be made in the Japanese coordinators in August.

The committee meeting adjourned at 17:50.