Abstract
Do Japanese companies define basic research differently than Western companies? This question, though often discussed in recent years, is not easy to answer. In part this is because separating basic from applied research is in itself a difficult and controversial task. This paper discusses defining basic research: why people define basic research; what are the problems with official definitions; can a classification scheme appropriate to corporations be devised? The analysis makes particular reference to the Japanese context. The aim of the paper is to clarify discussions of the relative level of basic research being performed in Japanese companies.
