Tokyo, Japan — Japan International Cooperation Agency ("JICA") and Sony Group Corporation ("Sony") jointly announced today that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to enter a comprehensive business cooperation arrangement with the purpose of contributing to addressing challenges in developing countries and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Based on this memorandum, JICA and Sony aim to make the most of the expertise of the two organizations along with sensing and other technologies developed and possessed by the Sony R&D Center to promote collaboration primarily in the following areas.

Comprehensive business collaboration arrangement — core components

1. Empirical research with the goal of contributing to achieving the SDGs
   Sony's sensing and other technologies will be utilized in conducting empirical research in developing countries supported by JICA, with the aim of contributing to areas such as preventing environmental destruction, detecting signs of natural disasters such as river flooding and forest fires, and improving agricultural and livestock production.
2. Promotion of innovation in contributing to resolving social issues
   Sony will provide data acquired by using its sensing devices free of charge to startups in developing countries supported by JICA in order to promote innovation and help solve social issues.
3. Promotion of understanding of the SDGs and encouragement of human resources development in developing countries
   ‧JICA and Sony will work together to drive educational activities on the SDGs.
   ‧Sony will provide internship opportunities for international students supported by JICA.
   ‧Sony will dispatch employees to provide technical guidance at universities supported by JICA.
4. Other items, as agreed upon in the future by JICA and Sony

Junichi Yamada, Senior Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency, expressed high hopes for the arrangement: “JICA has succeeded in ensuring security for people and providing high quality growth in accordance with the Government of Japan’s Development Cooperation Charter. While working with our partners, we will take the lead in forging bonds of trust across the world, aspiring for a free, peaceful and prosperous world where people can hope for a better future and explore their diverse potentials. Through this comprehensive business cooperation arrangement with Sony, we will bring together Sony’s strengths in sensing and other technologies with JICA’s local networks and experience in development cooperation, as the two organizations promote co-creation.”

Toru Katsumoto, Executive Deputy President, CTO, and R&D Center President, Sony Group Corporation, had this to say: "Based on our Purpose (or reason for being) to "fill the world with emotion (or Kando) through the power of creativity and technology," Sony is pursuing the business strategy of "getting closer to people." People, society, and the planet must be healthy in order to connect people through Kando. Through this comprehensive business cooperation arrangement, we aim to use the many technologies available at our R&D Center to help contribute to achieving the SDGs, while working closely with JICA to steadily develop each and every step of the process."