The FP7 ICT work programme for 2007-2008 underlined the strategic interest of S&T cooperation with Japan and South Korea: several challenges and objectives specifically called for cooperation projects with these two countries. Then, new developments have occurred:

• the ASIACOOP initiative, supported by DG Infso and coordinated by the COJAK coordinator, has allowed to check the readiness of the Japanese and South Korean authorities to enter a strengthened R&D partnership with the EU,
• in April 2007, during ministerial meetings held in Tokyo and Seoul, Commissioner Viviane Reding reassessed European determination to enter it as well.

The COJAK project aimed to support this momentum, and, building upon ASIACOOP achievements, has developped activities contributing to the development of policy dialogues and of cooperation projects between the EU and Japan / South Korea.

Among the set of activities that has been developed over the 18-month project period:

• Organisation in Europe of a EU-Japan cooperation Summit on ICT and of a EU-South Korea cooperation Summit on ICT (about 200 delegates attended to each event), follow-up events to the ones organised by ASIACOOP in Japan and South Korea end of 2007 – beginning of 2008,
• Support to DG Infso in the operations of two “Steering Committees”, one involving DG Infso and Japanese authorities, the other one DG Infso and Korean authorities (6 meetings planned over the project period, alternatively in Asia and in Europe),
• Activities aiming at ensuring the widest project impact and the largest involvement of the ICT communities of both regions: web site, preparation and dissemination of project documentation, direct promotion of the project in the EU and Japanese South Korean ICT communities, etc.

The COJAK project was supported by ETSI, by the EU Chambers of Commerce in Japan / South Korea, and by leading institutions devoted to the development of EU-Japan / EU-South Korea cooperation.