Progress Report on Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project Compiled

Oct 19, 2026

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) released the Japan-Global South Co-creation Progress Report 2026, which compiles the progress and outcomes of projects supported under the Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project. The Report provides a comprehensive view of the Project by categorizing the 464 projects supported from fiscal 2024 through fiscal 2025 across 81 countries, by region, field, and use case. By showing the outcomes of projects that made significant progress during the Project period, as well as the benefits they bring to both Japan and Global South countries, the Report aims to support the commercialization of the projects currently being assisted, facilitate their scaling, and contribute to the creation of new co-creation projects.

METI implements the Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project ("the Project") as part of its efforts to strengthen collaboration with the Global South, a region expected to see strong future growth and that plays an increasingly important role in economic security. METI has allocated an annual budget of 150 billion yen (approximately USD 1 billion) to the Project each fiscal year from fiscal 2023 through fiscal 2025 to support co-creation projects in which Japanese companies and local partners in Global South countries collaborate to address social challenges, drive local industrial growth, help Japanese companies enter new markets, enhance supply chain resilience, and create innovation that drives growth in both Japan and the Global South.

From fiscal 2024 through fiscal 2025, the Project supported 464 projects across 81 countries. As more projects transition from the feasibility study and demonstration phase to the commercialization and investment phase, METI released the Japan-Global South Co-creation Progress Report 2026, which compiles the Project's progress and outcomes to date. The Report aims to drive the commercialization of the supported projects and facilitate their scaling, and to contribute to the development of new co-creation projects.

The Report allows readers to view the entire portfolio of the Project by categorizing the 464 projects it supported across 81 countries from fiscal 2024 through fiscal 2025 by region, field, and use case. In addition, the Report also organizes the Project's outcomes from the perspectives of the development of Global South countries, contributions to summit and ministerial diplomacy, the growth of Japanese companies, and other angles, highlighting the benefits delivered to both Japan and Global South countries.

The Report also includes a comprehensive list of all the supported projects, organized by region and use case. For the 36 projects that made particularly significant progress during the Project period, the Report showcases their progress status and the benefits delivered to both sides in concrete terms, using quantitative indicators and stakeholder feedback from partner countries.

Furthermore, METI conducted interviews to learn more about the projects that have made progress and identified the key factors critical to commercialization. For Japanese companies looking to commercialize their projects and scale them more broadly, the Report provides practical insights useful for future business in Global South countries.

METI supports Japanese companies in implementing feasibility studies and demonstration projects in Global South countries. These projects are designed to address social challenges through green transformation (GX) and digital transformation (DX) initiatives in collaboration with local companies by leveraging each partner's strengths, while also promoting crisis management investments that contribute to supply chain resilience and economic security.

METI is conducting a second call for applications for subsidy recipients in relation to the Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Project Subsidy Program under the Fiscal 2025 Supplementary Budget (large-scale demonstration projects, small-scale demonstration projects, and feasibility study projects).

Small-scale demonstration/feasibility study projects

Applications accepted from: Friday, October 2, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Application deadline: Friday, October 23, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon)

Large-scale demonstration projects (ASEAN region / Non-ASEAN regions)

Applications accepted from: Monday, December 14, 2026, 12:00 p.m. (noon) (scheduled)
Application deadline: Friday, January 22, 2027, 12:00 p.m. (noon) (scheduled)

Special websites for open call (in Japanese) ：