The Japanese-German Symposium on Sustainable Catalysis was held on 27-28 November 2025 at the Otto-Bayer Lecture Hall, RWTH Aachen University. This symposium marked the second bilateral event following the first meeting hosted by the University of Osaka in March 2024, and served as an important milestone in strengthening ongoing research collaboration between Japan and Germany through the University of Osaka (UOsaka) and RWTH Aachen University (RWTH).
The symposium opened with an overview of the project, “Unified Catalysis Concepts from Molecular Design to Sustainable Chemicals and Materials,” selected by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) International Leading Research initiative and the long-standing academic exchange and joint research activities between UOsaka and RWTH, presented by Prof. Dr. Takashi HAYASHI of UOsaka. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Dr. Mitsushi SUZUNO, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Germany, and Prof. Dr. Masahiko HAYASHI, Director of the JSPS Bonn Office. Prof. Dr. Sonja Herres-Pawlis of RWTH then introduced RWTH’s perspective and future plans for expanded cooperation.
Across the two days, principal investigators delivered research presentations, 7 from RWTH and 8 from UOsaka, covering diverse topics in sustainable catalysis and related interdisciplinary fields. On the morning of the second day, the symposium featured a special lecture by Prof. Dr. Dörte Rother, Group Head of Biocatalysis, Forschungszentrum Jülich. Prof. Dr. Wataru MIZUKAMI of the Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology, UOsaka, also joined the program, which attracted strong interest from the German side. 
To encourage early-career networking, young researchers including students and postdoctoral fellows presented posters, 9 from RWTH and 11 from UOsaka, and delivered short flash talks prior to the poster session. Approximately 60 participants attended the event, reaffirming a shared commitment to advancing sustainable catalysis through international collaboration.