Abstract
After WW II, the Japanese industry was eager to introduce and master American and European technology. In the next phase, MITI lead a number of cooperative projects, in which the government, academic circle and industry cooperated, to develop original technologies. As a result of this policy, leading Japanese businesses have reached a level comparable to American counterparts in many areas of advanced technology. During the so-called trade friction, MITI had to practically abandon this type of policy under Washington's pressure against the "targeted policy". Then the United States succeeded in restoring its technological superiority to Japan by promoting technology transfer from the military to the civil sector, and providing the semiconductor and communication industries with strategic support, deftly modeled on the Japanese technology policy, to development of next-generation technologies. These experiences motivated establishment of the National Technology Strategy, which specifies principal development goals in each industry, in April 2000. The number and quality of Japanese researchers and engineers are at fairly satisfactory level. However, the country is much in need of technical managers capable of implementing plans, organizing people, and managing effectively the whole process from R&D to new industries. Such talents can be fostered only through research and education in MOT, as our society has been advocating for fifteen years. It should be emphasized again that organizations for research and education of MOT is a prerequisite for revival of the Japanese industry based on the National Technology Strategy.
