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Cooperation and Setting the Most Appropriate Goals

* Many researchers indicated "establishing accurate research goals" and "accurate understanding of needs" are important in accomplishing research that considers economic and social needs as steps. It is important to establish research goals that accurately relate to economic and social needs ( Figure 12 ).

Figure 12 Efforts in response to economic and social needs

* Researchers believe their research contributes to solutions to economic and social problems, and forty percent of the researchers surveyed said they take activities in other fields of research or areas other than science and technology into consideration when establishing their research goals. These results indicate that the method of establishing research objectives may not be sufficiently extensive and overlooking in scope ( Figure 13 ).

Figure 13 How are your research objectives and plans affected by consideration of activities in other fields of research or areas other than science and technology?

* Researchers must approach various domestic and international issues, including global environmental issues, with a broad scientific and technological perspective. They must make efforts to consider conditions in disciplines other than science and technology, and they should strive to establish research goals that aim to foster a bright future.

* These goals must incorporate a broad range of scientific and technological knowledge and expertise. Moreover, cooperation and coordination are essential, and research activities must be well-planned as well as flexible.

* In the "Long Term Strategy for Research and Development on the Brain", formulated by the Brain Science Committee of the Council for Science and Technology, fields were separated into three general groups, and plans and goals (strategic objectives) for each group for the next twenty years were established. At present, each group is coordinating efforts with related government ministries and agencies, and is carrying out research and development activities.

* The government must adopt an extensive and overlooking perspective and it must redouble efforts to implement highly strategic policies on science and technology that will prepare for and facilitate change.

Essential Cooperation with Related Government Ministries and Agencies

* In this era of change, cooperation with related government ministries and agencies to achieve objectives is more important than ever before. At the same time, coordinated, effective efforts by the government as a whole are absolutely essential to the vigorous promotion and advancement of research and development.

* Measures to improve cooperation with related government ministries and agencies include comprehensive government coordinated policies such as the establishment in recent years of informational meetings for each topic or issue sponsored by the Interministerial Coordinating Group. In addition, in cooperation with related ministries and agencies, the Science and Technology Council is working on comprehensive assessments for research plans which involve many different ministries and agencies and is developing a database which is capable of examining nationally funded research and development activities.

* Development of these kinds of cooperative efforts continue, but further development is necessary.