It has recently been reported that some venture businesses, started by researchers who have spun out of research organizations involved in the human genom project, are trying to complete the decipherment process several years earlier than foreseen and obtain patents for their results. Determination of the base sequences of genes in nothing but a verification of basic factors in biology. Granting patents for people who discovered those facts will restrict applied research ensuing from the discovery, even before its application potential becomes clear. It is not only unfair in the philosophy of modern law, but also jeopardizes free exchange of information as the basis of modern science. On the other hand, progress of the Japanese genome project has not been repid enough, simply because the program in the field of basic research does not provide prospects for big commercial profits, while pharmaceutical giants in Europe have reportedly started their own full-fledged research programs. Traditionally, the Japanese government, businesses and universities have all been aimed at being "the second best". This resulted in their lack of basic stance towards cutting-edge technologies. Thus the key to Japan's success in the biobusiness is in the hand of the nascent venture businesses. People in this field are encouraged to have enthusiasm to lead the research in an international scale.

View full abstract

Turning the national universities into independent administrative corporations is now a foreseeable event in several years, since the Ministry of Education recently accepted the basic idea. The general law concerning the administrative corporations has already been established;the Ministry has just proposed a special law. But the Ministry's draft has much incongruence with the general law, and its intention is not likely to materialize in final legislation. The universities' reaction to the idea of independent administrative corporation has not been very vigorous. Judging from my own experience in lecturing on the subject in several campuses, many professors are against the idea, but few universities have gone so far to launch an opposing view publicly. National opinion does not seem either to be much interested in the issue. Such indifference is alarming in view of seriousness of the potential impact of the issue on the higher education and research. Indeed, it should be considered as a challenge to activities hitherto in the national universities.

View full abstract

In October 1999, the Minister of Education proposed the drastic change of legal status of all 99 national universities from the current "governmental institutional establishments" to a new "independent administrative corporation" with legal person status(dokuritsu gyosei houjin)according to the overall administrative reform plan of the central government. Association of the National Universities has principally opposed against this plan. Although this change has been initiated by the political forces, however, the idea that the National university should have more autonomous status which is independent from the direct governmental control have been repeatedly proposed. This is the old and new problem which had proposed by faculty members of the Imperial University and mass media even since 1889, in the Meiji era, just after the founding of the University. After the WWII, in 1970s, Central Council of Education(Chukyoshin)proposed the idea of the same autonomous legal corporation, and OECD Examiners which reviewed Japanese educational policies in 1971, supported the idea, and Ad.Hoc.Commission for Educational Reform(rinkyoshin)in 1980s also proposed the similar corporation status. However, all these governmental plans have not been implemented due to strong oppositions from national universities, while national universities each time have not been successful in proposing strong, alternative idea, based on the consensus of the academic circles. Although it is not yet certain if this conflicts between governments and universities may result, the Minister of Education decided to the reform and Liberal Democratic Party principally supported the idea in June 2000, the resolution of this old but new important questions "what kind of legal status and institutional form should be most desirable?" requires the resolution of the most basic and fundamental question "what is the concept of the unibersity in the modern society, and what kind of missions should be conducted by the university? Unifortunately, it seems that both Japanese national universities and government have not yet built the raison d'etre of the existence of national university which is both understandable and accountable to the Japanese nation as a whole for the 21st century.

View full abstract

The proposed reorganization of universities as independent administrative corporations is discussed in terms of academic autonomy and efficiency. While the independent administrative corporation is characterized by slim and efficient organization and independence, it is pointed out that it is not easily adapted as the principle of management for the university. However, academic autonomy is warranted only by the public commission to create values in future. The present situation where the universities have not effectively responded to this requirement justifies the reorganization as an opportunity for reform. Specific problems to reform are discussed. The present General law is in conflict with the essence of academic autonomy which lies in freedom of research and education, as well as financial and personnel independence. It is pointed out that the autonomy in education and research should be guaranteed by a special law. Academic reform also needs personnel management system that may not be fully compatible with the present Government Officials Law. The author finally presents his own proposal on the national universities as a single legal person, and asserts that more public expenditure is needed for higher education.

View full abstract

The present administrative reform involves restructuring of governmental agencies in the largest scale after WWII. Its implication on science and technology policy in the next century is also important. In the specific field of science and technology, the reform will result in (1)establishment of a General Council on Science and Technology, (2)Unification of the Science and Technology Agency and the Ministry of Education, and (3)restructuring of national research institutes into independent administrative corporations. The present paper describes specifically the functions of the General Council on Science and Technology according to information from the Administrative Reform Committee, the Fundamental Law on Reform of Government Agencies, and the laws on establishment of government agencies. The items below are systematically described. -Historical:Proposal in the Administrative Reform Committee in August 1997. -Nature of the Council:Conceived as an institution to support Prime Minister's leadership;a "forum of wisdom" as different from ordinary councils. -Tasks:Study of and discussion on fundamental strategy and resource allocation for science and technology, evaluation of nationally important projects. -Membership:The Prime Minister, ministers concerned, directors general of agencies concerned, and experts. -Secretariat:Established in the Cabinet Office. -Coordination with other agencies:Generally by the Cabinet Office;coordination between government agencies by the Ministry of Education and Science.

View full abstract

Communications Research Laboratory(CRL), a research institute of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications with more than 20 billion yen, has a long experience of an external audit system. CRL has drafted "CRL Vision 21", a basic plan for CRL to contribute to continuous development of the human society by research and development in the field of information and communication as one of the leading institutions in the world. CRL is to be restructured as an independent administrative corporation in April 2001. This reform should relax the present restrictions imposed on CRL as a national research institute, thus promoting autonomy and flexibility as a research orgenization. It will also require a system that assumes accountability to the society. For this purpose, various measures are under planning, including appropriate legislation;implementation of business-oriented accountant system, external evaluation and an advisory board;and renovation in the top management and organizational structure. Although the reform will maintain the present personnel management system for government officials, it should be recognized that the new CRL should have sufficient flexibility for activities in the repidly changing field of information and communication.

View full abstract

Our preceding paper presents a hypothesis that dynamics of TV game-software industry can be adequately perceived from the viewpoint of industrial clustering and insists the finding of "Tokyo Game-soft Cluster". This paper attempts at inquiring why the observed clustering has been emerged. Major factors affecting the firm's locational preference include the quality of developmental condition of a certain space defined by the existence of educational insitution, access to market, etc. The paper also emphases the amenity aspect of the space, i.e.the quality of community life inviting the flow of innovative creators. The most remarkable area from this viewpoint is found to be "Yamanote-line South" Cluster.

View full abstract

Government should be required speedy and smoothly policy decision in global change, now. In this circumstance, new mechanism of policy decision is required for balancing power. As policy for information science and technology, is inclined to accelerate changing of decision Structure strongly. We analyzed three categories for policy of information science and technology by ministries(STA, MOE, MITI, MOPT etc.)in Japan, described changing power structure.

View full abstract