White paper on science and technology, 1991 : globalization of scientific and technological actibities and issues Japan is encountering / edited by Science and Technology Agency, Japanese Government.

  • Japan. Kagaku Gijutsuchō.
Date:
[1992], ©1992
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Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: White paper on science and technology, 1991 : globalization of scientific and technological actibities and issues Japan is encountering / edited by Science and Technology Agency, Japanese Government. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1.1.1.3. International Coordination in Scientific and Technological Activities As local production increases through direct investment, local R&D facilities have been established to meet market needs, in addition to sales and production centers. Increasing globalization of economic activities has resulted in the same tendency not only in scientific but also in technological activities. This has been accompanied by problems caused by differences in national administrative systems and science and technology practices, e.g. different treatment of intellectual property rights and technology require close international cooperation. 1.1.2. Globalization of Scientific and Technological Activities Japan has been using technological progress as a driving force for its economic growth and for the internationalization of its economic activities. These technological advances were the rapid development of information/electronics technologies starting in the 1970s, and the nation’s positive approach toward technological innovation which combined communication and computers in the 1980s. While Japan’s economic prosperity benefits from science and technology, we should not forget that achievements in basic research in Europe and the US have played a significant role in the development of science and technology. Results obtained through long-term investments by mankind into basic research activities provided a common basis for S&T development worldwide. Now in this paper we are starting to deal with the current status of globalization in science and technology and the relative standing of Japan. In this section, the level of basic research and technology is at first compared internationally. Then, science and technology indicators (human resources, papers, information, patents, technol- 4 7 ogy trade, etc.) are examined to assess the progress of S&T globalization and to study Japan’s position and the role Japan plays in the Also, the at public context. scientific and global technological activities research institutes and private corporations are analyzed from a global point of view. Furthermore, international cooperation on those issues which require joint effort, such as global environment issues and “mega-science”, will be reviewed. 1.1.2.1. The Position of Japan’s Science and Technology in the International Community and the Development of _ International Exchange as Seen from Indicators 1.1.2.1.1. International Comparison of Scientific and Technological Levels . Increasingly, national governments are recognizing the importance of science and technology, and are promoting policies dealing with science and _ technology activities. Consequently, there has been heightened interest in comparisons of national science and technology levels. In the US, the Departments of Commerce and Defense have presented comparative studies of promising, future, key technologies. Their efforts are designed to result in more focused science and technology policies. Before discussing the globalization of scientif- ic and technological activities, this White Paper will describe the levels of achievement of various countries in the areas of basic research and technology. 1.1.2.1.1.1. Basic Research The number of Nobel prize laureates is often used as an indicator of the level! of basic research. Forty percent of the Nobel prize laureates are from the US. The UK is second, followed by Germany and France. Japan is ranked in the 12th position, with only 5 laureates so far. Based on these figures, some have argued that Japanese people lack creativity and that Japan has a weak foundation in basic science. The number of