Kumiko Okawa is Project Coordinator at the Department for Promotion of Science in Society in Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) where she oversees international coordination on activities between science and social relations toward their combined impacts for the betterment of society. She joined JST in 2008 and since then, she has been building her career at the Department of International Affairs engaging a funding program supporting international collaborative research between developing countries and Japan through Japanese ODA and competitive funds (SATREPS), and then acted as a key interface helping strengthen S&T ties at all levels between Japan and Europe at the Paris Office as Deputy Director. Prior to joining JST, Kumiko gained some experience working in public research institutes in both Japan and Germany.