Abstract: Strategic-oriented basic research focuses on national strategic needs and scientific frontiers. It involves systematically deploying major fundamental research projects to address key scientific issues in economic and social development, thereby providing foundational support for cultivating new quality productive forces. However, China’s organizational system for strategic-oriented basic research remains insufficient to fully support high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, necessitating learning from the implementation practices of developed countries. Since the 21st century, major countries have introduced a series of strategic plans targeting cutting-edge technologies and industrial fields, to enhance the forward-looking layout of strategic-oriented basic research. Among these, Japan’s JST has launched a series of strategic basic research programs dedicated to funding high-level basic research in areas aligned with future societal needs and national strategies, establishing a mature organizational framework that has yielded significant original breakthroughs. This paper first examines the strategic positioning and funding management systems of JST’s strategic basic research programs: frontier breakthroughoriented programs and application spiral-propelled programs. Subsequently, it conducts a detailed analysis of the CREST program, ERATO program, and JST-Mirai program as case studies, exploring their project organization methods, funding scales, selection and evaluation criteria, and outcomes. Finally, based on the analysis of the status and key challenges in China’s strategic-oriented basic research organizational system, policy recommendations are proposed across top-level design, funding patterns, evaluation systems, and ecosystem development.

Key words: Strategic-oriented Basic Research; JST Strategic Basic Research Programs; Science and Technology Program; Organizational Pattern; International Experience