A Japan - French cooperation was initiated in 2001 between Yoshimi Suzuki, Beatriz Casareto (Shizuoka University) and Loïc Charpy (IRD). It was decided that Loïc Charpy would come to Japan during summer time in the context of coral reefs ecosystem studies in Bora Bay (Miyako). The RITE ( R esearch I nstitute for innovative T echnology for the E arth - Japon ) have financed this two-months mission and IRD have financed the participation of Jean Blanchot because of his competences in flow cytometry.

Following that, Dr Suzuki proposed a french-japan research program in indian ocean on coral reef ecosystem.

As part of the « Japan-France joint research project on marine cyanobacteria » approved by the oceanography sub commission, three French-Japan expeditions had been carried out in November 2003, December 2004 and February 2007. The French participation had been financed by this commission managed for the French side by IFREMER, by IRD and by the university of Shizuoka . These expeditions had been done in the framework of the “Chemical and Biological study in coral reef around La Réunion Island : Biogeochemical cycling related to the bleaching of coral".

In June 2004, a special session of the 10th international coral reef symposium had been organized by B Casareto (Laboratory of Aquatic Science, Japan) and J Blanchot (IRD, France) focusing onto the plankton- benthos relationship in coral reef ecosystems with a special focus on cyanobacteria. A keynote lecture had also been presented by Loïc Charpy on the role of cyanobacteria in coral reefs ecosystems.

In June 2005, a special session of the ASLO 2005 Summer Meeting, Santiago de Compostela , Spain , had been organized by Y Susuki, B Casareto and L Charpy : Linkage Between Pico, Nano-plankton and Biogeochemical Cycle in the Ocean.

In the framework of a new programme called HCORE two expeditions were carried on in Sesoko island (Okinawa), at Sesoko Tropical Biosphere Research Center , on 26 july - 4 august 2005, and on 8 - 16 october 2006. These expeditions gathered members of Shizuoka university, Ryukyus university and IRD. The participation of L. Charpy (IRD) was financed by the Shizuoka university (2005) and the Japan-French commission and IRD (2006). The participation MJ Langlade (IRD) was financed by the Shizuoka university (2005, 2006). The studies, performed in the framework of HCORE program, were “Benthos and plankton metabolism of Sesoko island coral reef ecosystem” .