By examining scientific articles cited by patents, we can understand the strength of linkage between technology and science. The authors studied Japanese patents, which are rarely surveyed, and measured the strength of the linkage between four priority technological fields in the Science and Technology Basic Plan and science. First, this article states the necessity and merit of studying science linkage based on Japanese patents. Then, it reviews the history of bibliometrics and prior study of science linkage. Lastly, it explains methodology of the measurement of the science linkage in four priority areas in detail.
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