On 4 September 2024, we held a ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the JSPS London Office and the 20th anniversary of the JSPS Alumni Association of UK and the Republic of Ireland at the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK. The ceremony was attended by approximately 100 individuals, including representatives from UK and Japanese funding agencies, officials from UK National Academies and UK universities, the Japanese Embassy in the UK, members of the alumni association, Japanese researchers working in the UK, and staff from JSPS's Tokyo headquarters and London office.

The JSPS London Office was established in 1994 and is marking its 30th anniversary this year. The JSPS UK and the Republic of Ireland Alumni Association was formed in 2004 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The ceremony commenced with opening remarks from JSPS Executive Director Tetsuya Mizumoto, Professor Alison Noble, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, and Minister Kyoichiro Kawakami of the Embassy of Japan in the UK. In his address to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the JSPS London Office, Executive Director Mizumoto expressed his profound gratitude to all those who have provided invaluable support to the London Office over the years and for attending the ceremony. Professor Noble and Minister Kawakami also presented congratulatory remarks that were both meaningful and pertinent to the occasion. Also speaking were Naoto Kobayashi, Director of the JSPS London Office, who provided an overview of the Office's achievements over the past 30 years and shared insights into its future direction; Professor Andrew Quantock, President of the JSPS UK & Ireland Alumni Association, who presented an account of the Association's history; and Professor Peter Norreys and Professor Ekaterina Hertog of Oxford University, both alumni members, who delivered a research presentation. Furthermore, a comprehensive range of content was implemented, including an Alumni Award ceremony for researchers in the Alumni Association who have made significant contributions to UK-Japan collaboration through JSPS initiatives, such as the re-invitation of foreign researchers and the symposium schemes organized by the JSPS London Office.

The second half of the ceremony comprised a panel discussion by British and Japanese intellectuals on the theme of The Importance of UK-Japan Academic Collaboration and Future Directions. The discussion was characterized by a fruitful exchange of views, with participants offering insights such as the value of Tackling Global-scale Issues, which is a key aspect of international research cooperation.