ERCIM and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) have organised the first joint symposium on Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, held on 18 and 19 February 2021. The online symposium aimed to present recent results of research conducted in the context of the JST CREST programme, as well as relevant research results from European institutions. The meeting provided the opportunity to the participants from Japan and Europe to familiarize themselves with recent research results and consider collaboration prospects that will arise in the context of the Horizon Europe framework programme or relevant initiatives from JST. Approximatively 80 invited participants attended the event.