The Japan Science and Technology Corporation funds basic research in Japan with a variety of specific and well-defined programs in the physical sciences and the life sciences. These programs were executed with a remarkable degree of independence from other government organizations. This type of funding earned considerable praise from the research community. Very recently, however, major organizational changes appear to be imminent in the policies related to Japanese research. Mergers of government agencies supposedly to reduce cost are being planned. Evaluations, both by national experts and by international reviewers are hence needed to appraise previous policies and to optimize future organizational changes.
Japanese universities, on the other hand, remained relatively poor and insufficiently supplied with modern research equipment. In Germany, on the contrary, universities insisted upon their historical Humboldt tradition, a mission of intimately combining research and academic instruction. Universities and an increasing number of national laboratories were created, while private industry tried to keep research expenses at a minimum. This tendency explains the German weakness in modern fields like information technology, modern measurement equipment, optics, software - especially when compared to Japan. Japanese companies traditionally hire young engineers and scientists and give them specialists' education within the company. German industry prefers older and highly specialized experts, thus shifting the expensive burden of financing advanced education to the government. Note that most of my students chose one the well-equipped industry laboratories for their postdoctoral stay in Japan - and not the universities. The majority of the Japanese postdocs in Stuttgart came from industry, often with definitive research projects, which were of strategic use.
One of the most fascinating examples was the forceful effort by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) to establish a viable Japanese industrial position in semiconductor microelectronics and all the necessary supporting disciplines, especially in sophisticated lithography, as required for semiconductor chip miniaturization. The detailed organization of this "VLSI" campaign (Very Large Scale Integration), the planning, the mix of cooperation and national competition, and the sheer volume of research and development eventually established a seemingly unassailable position in microelectronics and all its applications. Japan had achieved a truly dominant global role, again not based on a foundation of academic research but on highly coordinated and disciplined industrial development efforts.
The United States became increasingly concerned about the fact that over half of the world’s semiconductor devices were being fabricated in Japan.
Very much of the semi-conductor manufacturing equipment was being produced by Japanese companies, even including sophisticated high-frequency measurement apparatus, but especially litho-graphy devices, X-ray equipment, and electron microscopes. The strategic position of the US was seriously endangered. This competition became a presidential topic. In the US, a consortium was established with some government financing for a major collaborative effort on semiconductor manufacturing: the SEMATECH laboratories in Austin, Texas. Special envoys, such as Carla Hills or Michael Cantor, were sent as emissaries to the Japanese government to exert massive pressure on Japan to change her policy.
The strongest American argument was the so-called "free ride" on American basic research results for creating national industrial strength without contributing to the international treasure of fundamental scientific knowledge. Japan was pressured to increase her own contributions in basic, especially academic research, had to limit her world share in semiconductors to a specified percentage, was forced toward stronger imports, such as 20% of the semiconductor devices used in Japan. The Japanese government and Japanese industry apparently had no choice but to yield to the demands of their most important ally and customer USA.
This background of Japan-USA friction greatly determines today's research policy in Japan. Support for industrial development by government funds seems to have diminished strongly; in fact, so much that my close friends from industry now speak with noticeable bitterness of the last ten years a lost decade for modern development efforts. In addition, the recent Asian economic crisis with its weakness in industry has sharply reduced the financial means available for industrial research, especially the long-term projects of a more basic nature. On the other hand, the previously neglected university laboratories appear now to enjoy more attention and receive increased financing and help. The scientific disciplines are now also weighted differently. Technology-related fields seem no longer so intensely emphasized, but upcoming areas, above all the life sciences, are given higher priorities.
This political climate has already strongly affected the policies of JST.
The other important trends of influence for the JST policy stem from the fact of future necessary cuts in government spending, due to the alarming level of Japan's national debt and also due to political promises made to the voters that the number of public servants will be reduced. The personnel related to research and development is often the politically weakest, thus most vulnerable group. We felt apprehensions among our Japanese discussion partners that the proposed mergers of previously distinct, proven funding organizations and the anticipated reorganizations will hit the science sector especially hard.
This apprehension is justified and is probably one of the reasons for JST to obtain evaluations from national and international experts.
| A) | Holographic Electron Microscopy (Tonomura Electron Wavefront Project; ERATO, Post Project Phase), (Kitazawa Phase-Resolution Project, CREST) Hitachi Basic Research Laboratory, Hatoyama-shi |
| This very ambitious research concerns the
controlling of electron-optical wavefronts
in order to achieve holographic imaging with
very high resolutions. I had seen this labora-tory
several years ago and have tried to follow
progress in this endeavor. Holography is
relatively easy with laser-optical imaging,
but becomes difficult for electron optics.
The Hitachi company had constructed a truly
grandiose research center outside of Tokyo
and dedicated it to long-term basic research.
A major portion was Dr. Akio Tonomura's project
on 1 MeV microscopes. Hitachi is active in
the business of electron microscopy and correctly
estimated the need for such microscopes in
future work in nanometer-microelectronics
as well as in life sciences investigations
on atomic scales and possibly even in brain
research. This research requires very strong
financial commitments of the order of tens
of millions US dollars. This financial commitment
tended to become severely scrutinized under
the conditions of the overall weaker economic
conditions of the "Asian Crisis".
Termination of this project would have constituted
a serious sacrifice. JST came to a rescue,
allowing work to continue and to be now directly
coupled with Professor Kitazawa's (Tokyo
University) research on high-temperature
superconductivity materials. Without doubt,
this excellent project is unique in the world.
The approach and the results are impressive and are characterized by superb industrial professionalism. Three large high-resolution microscopes are available or under construction. Real-time observation of flux-line motion in superconductors has already been achieved and is now used to study flux-pinning and other intricacies of high-temperature superconductors. The cooperation between industry and academe seems excellent. This work, done under the guideline of "Challenge to the Unknown Region with Large Possibility" clearly fulfills the goals indicated by this title; it is certainly of top quality, even under the strictest measure for international research. |
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| B) | New Thermoelectric Materials (Assoc. Professor Ichiro Terazaki, PRESTO, Waseda University, Tokyo) |
| This project is being carried out in a
highly reputed private university by a 37-year
old materials scientist. In his studies of
oxidic superconductors and heavy-Fermion
materials, he found a novel layer compound,
a sodium cobaltate with properties that might
be useful for thermoelectric energy conversion.
The material is non-toxic, thus desirable
as en-vironmentally friendly. Terazaki presented
much data material; he was aware of the theoretical
background, had first-rate publications to
demonstrate. He supervises a fairly large
number of students, has moderately new but
adequate equipment and works in the typical
modesty and tightness of Japanese university
laboratories. The materials characterization
is of wide range, especially concerning crystal
structure determination. This young researcher impressed the committee by his knowledge, his enthusiasm, and his leadership. I have some doubts that this novel material might indeed present us with totally new properties for thermoelectricity, which would indeed be a major surprise. Nevertheless, this class of complicated materials is certainly worth major efforts. Terazaki was lively in our discussions. He was selected out of a very large number of applicants for PRESTO projects, had careful support by his mentor and the JST organization. This visit gave us a very positive example of a young, active, and confident university researcher. |
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| C) | Symbiotic Systems (Dr. Hiroaki Kitano, ERATO, Senior Researcher) SONY Computer Science Laboratory, Tokyo-Shibuya |
| Some irritating stomach disorder unfortunately
prevented me from participating in this visit,
but I had earlier known about this unusual
and truly interdisciplinary approach. Kitano,
originally trained as a physicist in elementary
particle research and later in software for
speech translation, now applies his knowledge
of handling large amounts of data to biology. He uses the general concept of symbiosis to tackle complex biology, especially gene-oriented mathematical models. A "virtual cell laboratory" has been established and is used for simulations of human cell development and of drosophila genetics. The second portion of this project relates to symbiotic intelligence, thus contributes to brain research. JST secures independence, because they supply the rent for Kitano's laboratories and provide assistance for students being trained in this novel research field. The committee members were highly impressed by this visit, the intellectual quality and, in particular, the transdisciplinary nature of this research. JST is to be congratulated for the sponsorship. Once again, we here see an example of preservation and actual extension of previously industry-based fundamental research, which might have had to be abolished under the current critical economic conditions. |
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| D) | Protonic Nano-Machine ( Dr. Keiichi Namba, ERATO) Matsushita Advanced Technology Research, Keihanna, near Kyoto |
| The Matsushita company initiated basic
research on very small, proton-driven molecular
flagellar motors. Bacterial mechanics was
chosen as a topic intended for a biomimetic
challenge to understand biological principles
for possible future imitations in very small
"nano-mechanics". Study of bacterial
motion via flagellae had a tradition in the Kyoto area; it had
previously been successfully supported by
an ERATO project (Hotani "Molecular
Dynamic Assembly"). Once again, JST
preserved and expanded a basic research project
out of a laboratory operated by electronics-industry,
now under the ERATO umbrella. Dr. Namba and his coworkers have their laboratories partly in the Matsushita building in the KeiHanNa (triangle between Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara) research park, rented by JST, and in a nearby multi-purpose hotel building. A very active and youthful group presented their interdisciplinary research. Once again, much emphasis is here placed upon highly detailed structural investigations, utilizing sophisticated X-ray and electron microscopy techniques. Synchrotron radiation is also utilized The atomic structure of the various, highly differentiated proteins is being evaluated in order to understand the functionality of the components, such as gaskets, membranes, flagellae and their growth mechanism. This research is of excellent quality and fascinates the observer by the astounding mechanisms of biological mechanics and energy supply via protons, which are transporting both energy and information. These functional arrangements differ strongly from man-made micro-mechanics or electronics. It is thus not foreseeable at all whether such principles will ever be directly or indirectly utilized technologically. Fundamental research is therefore required, yielding important information for both biology and nano-technology. First rate research! |
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| E) | Molecular Mechanisms of Aging (Professor Yo-ichi Nabeshima, Kyoto University; CREST) |
| Research is performed on mice in order
to identify specific genes as being related
to characteristic aging syndromes. Professor
Nabeshima, a senior researcher, and his students
had succeeded in raising novel mutant mice,
which were especially useful for this and
related types of research. This group has
already identified causative genes for some
disorders of aging, such as arteriosclerosis,
thymus atrophy, or emphysema. Comparison
of these phenomena in mice to those of humans
is a major goal of this research. Professor
Nabeshima cooperates with many other research
teams, both in Japan and internationally.
His specially bred mice are made available
to various other groups, which appears to
have been a positive factor for obtaining
CREST support by JST. The committee had to apologize to our host, since we did not have the experience necessary to fairly and adequately judge this research and to compare it to international standards. We were, however, much satisfied by the amount and quality of publications and the wide range of international cooperation. This visit to a typical laboratory of one of the most prominent Japanese universities drastically demonstrated once more the striking difference in facilities between industrial, private laboratories and government-financed academic institutions. Space is scarce, hence all the rooms and even the corridors are densely packed with equipment and supplies. We expressed surprise and genuine concern that safety regulations were actually not taken very seriously and just hoped that no fires or other accidents would happen. |
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| F） | Nanotubulites Professor Sumio Iijima (Meijo University, Nagoya and NEC Research Institute, Tsukuba, ICORP project in close cooperation with the C.N.R.S. Aime Cotton Lab., France |
| This site at Tsukuba is especially familiar to me, since many of my former doctoral students performed research as postdoctoral visitors, especially in the field of semiconductors. Here, we were greeted by a very well-known scientist: Sumio Iijima, discoverer of the carbon nanotubes. He is responsible for an international project, which, however, apparently needs a little more direct cooperation from the European partner. I had just attended a review talk of his at a Japan-German seminar on nanotechnology in Berlin. Iijima was previously a staff member of the NEC laboratories and now divides his time between Tsukuba and Nagoya. A very good project, initiated by industry is now continued, expanded to include an academic institution and elevated to an international project under support and guidance from JST. Besides the intense structural research (again: X-ray methods and electron microscopy!). There remain difficult questions as to possible applications for these tubes and "nano-horns". Storage of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly fuel for vehicles would be one such interesting application and is being pursued. This research is definitely of top quality and internationally recognized as such. JST is to be commended for the upkeep and international extension of this work. | |
| G） | Semiconductor Quantum Devices Dr. Tsai, NEC laboratories, Tsukuba |
| An additional short presentation was offered at the NEC laboratories in Tsukuba, given by Dr. Tsai, a native of Taiwan, concerning novel types of quantum devices, which operate at 30 mK, utilize the Coulomb blockade effect, and might become useful for quantum computing. This demanding project on quantum coherence is done with excellent tools, typically only found in good industrial companies, which are active in advanced semiconductor device development. The work is of excellent caliber, both in theory as well as in technological verification of complicated submicron structures. This project is again exemplary for the JST strategy of maintaining, continuing, and expanding fundamental work initiated in the electronics industry. | |
| H） | Nano-structured Liquid Crystals Dr. Hiroshi Yokoyama, formerly Electrotechnical Laboratory Now at Tsukuba Research Consortium; ERATO |
| Liquid crystals are currently used in large quantities for flat screen displays. Structuring these materials on submicron scales has thus far not been attempted. Dr. Yokoyama initiated such research at the Electrotechnical Laboratory in Tsukuba, maintained by the MITI ministry. This laboratory will soon cease to exist in its present form. Yokoyama and coworkers obtained ERATO funding from JST and moved into laboratories rented by the Tsukuba Research Consortium. The work is continuing in a well organized, interdisciplinary fashion, combining the chemistry of liquid crystals, their controlled nanoscale structuring, applicable theory, and research exploring possible novel device usage. Superstructures have already been achieved. The effect of self-organization is observed and cleverly used for unusual molecular arrangements. This project is very appealing because of its wide range and transdisciplinary nature. |
The most prominent program was and is ERATO: "Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology". International respect has been gained throughout the last decade. The usual period of support is five years, after which good projects might obtain extension either in a post-project phase or, sometimes in an extended or reshaped form, be continued and utilized in a PRESTO program. PRESTO stands for "Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology". International cooperation is supported by a special system, entitled ICORP Finally, TOREST ("Target Oriented Research for Embryonic Science and Technology ") and the yet more directly applicable SORST("Solution Oriented Research [for Science and Technology]") are recent additions, emphasizing applications, catering towards Japanese societal needs and global competitiveness.
Choice of scientific areas is extremely important. JST and their many advisors have done a very good selection, which is modern and show foresight, but do not simply imitate other countries and their fashionable "band wagons".
Great care has been expended to maintain instrumentation and other systems -such as software-, which had been initiated by industrial laboratories and are brought to usage in modern fields, such as biology. The great emphasis on electron microscopy is one example for this strategy.
Life sciences constitute a large portion of the more recent JST program portfolio. Here, our committee did not possess sufficient expertise to truly and fairly review programs and their success. Cell biology, genetics, membrane physiology, brain research, and related matter carry much weight in the present programs. Other, more theoretical fields, such as modern mathematics, software principles, philosophy and historical aspects of science, or technology directed towards social applications seem to have received less attention
The amount of financial assistance per project seems in general to be reasonable, often actually on the more generous side. There is enough flexibility for the recipients in spending the money and dividing it appropriately between equipment and salary expense. Timing is a very important issue, especially when the projects are strictly limited to five years. We convinced ourselves that there a practical ways of helping the researchers, such as officially starting a program only after the main equipment purchase has been completed. Most programs rely on competitive applications and strict selection.
Hierarchical frameworks are often found in research communities and obviously also prevail in Japan. JST, however, has dared to realize a revolutionary concept. A quick view into the appealing brochures for ERATO, for example, shows large color photographs of the young researchers. Their capitalized family names provide the project titles, e.g. "TARUCHA Mesoscopic Correlation". Such a personalization would be rather unusual in other countries. German custom, for example, would be to rather stress the topic and keep researchers' names modestly hidden in proper anonymity. JST clearly chose this mode of encouraging the young research leaders, but at the same time indicating their personal responsibility, which must be accepted with the research grants.
Role reversal is apparent.
In most government-funded research worldwide, the scientists are reduced to humble applicants, begging for money from big organizations. A glance at JST's handsome brochures reveals the opposite: JST proudly presents their program participants. It is to be hoped that such policy is recognized by the general public and the mass media; we had no way to determine whether this has been achieved.
Seniority is of particular seriousness in many societies, especially those with Confucian elements of expected reverence to "elder masters". The JST programs here display a most intelligent compromise. Youth is overtly favored in selecting the leaders, but the experienced senior professors are chosen as mentors or directors and are visibly mentioned and highlighted. Responsibility is therefore shared. This system appears to be well accepted, as we gleaned from many discussions, both with older and younger colleagues. JST thus seems to be acutely aware of the possible danger of estranging the younger research generation from their elders with long-earned status in the academic realm. The recipients of the generous JST funding with the concomitant strong publicity must not be barred from later reentry into regular university life. Envy and irritations on the part of the seniors is thus deliberately minimized.
Isolation of research groups, together with refusals to share information, is success-fully avoided by JST. Teams are formed and cultivated by senior mentors. Interdisciplinarity is a necessary attribute of any research proposal and is honored and rewarded. The information systems of JST are well cultivated and kept open.
Male dominance is still to be observed, especially in the earlier JST programs. This fact is not surprising, because entry into science by women is a fairly recent phenomenon in Japan. The younger programs, in particular for the life sciences and medicine-oriented fields, but also in chemistry and crystallography, indicate a definite increase in the participation of young female colleagues. I suspect that no reductions of quality requirements are made for female applicants, which would in fact be counterproductive.
Perpetuation of research projects is truly difficult to avoid everywhere, but again a termination of any project is probably even more serious in societies, where "loss of face" is a characteristic stigma Thus, one can wholeheartedly agree with the strict time limitation of program duration. Nobody is losing face upon termination of a project. It is also noteworthy that JST does not sponsor big institutions, which in most cases are resilient against closing.
Here again, the predominance of family names and not only research topics is useful in ending programs. Yet, there is a limited probability of some sort of continuation, such as a PRESTO follow-up to a previous ERATO project, but with different personnel and an altered, expanded mission, as seen -for example- in the wavefront electron microscopy project.
Nationalistic traditions do sometimes influence science activities, hence might prevent a modernization according to international standards. Such danger is now slight in Japan. The contacts to other countries, especially to the dominant United States, are healthy and strong. Publications are judged by international standards Acceptance of a manuscript by Nature or Science is -correctly- valued very highly. The young researchers, whom we met, all spoke and wrote good English, which is probably a necessary criterion to be met in the competitions for JST support. Some members of the older generation have not adapted sufficiently to the international lingua franca of science and technology.
Many of my older Japanese friends remarked with respectful surprise how JST management avoided falling into the trap of a bureaucratic system, which often provides good excuses for all kinds of deficiencies. Deviation from well-established bureaucratic modes of operation does require some courage and must be based on experience and international comparisons. At the same time, taxpayers and politicians want accountability for the money spent and the topics chosen. Here, JST seems to comply rather well.
The fraction of the funds not directly used for research but for internal JST management seems small indeed, if it is really only about 5 %, as told to us.
This surprisingly fresh and courageous management style appears to be based upon a charter of freedom and of limited scope of research funding. Our committee sensed everywhere a considerable apprehension that this exceptional and successful style might be irretrievably lost upon execution of the proposed mergers and reorganizations within the government agencies for science and technology. Japan would then lose a most efficient and modern means of sponsoring research!
