Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Annual Report on the Promotion of Science and Technology 2001 > Part1

In March 2001, the first year of this 21st century, the Cabinet decided on the basic policy of Japan's science and technology as the Second-term Science and Technology Basic Plan to cover the forthcoming 5 years.

The First-term Science and Technology Basic Plan were implemented for 5 years, from 1996 to 2000. Owing in part to the improvement of systems, and the arrangement for needed funds for expenditures associated with science and technology including redoubling of competitive funds, Japanese standard of R&D is now on the rise.

Other selected developed countries are intent on both prioritizing science and technology, and reinforcing their competitive positions. In multiple fields they are standing at higher levels than Japan. As such, we must elevate the quality of basic researches, and condition the environment for R&D to ensure creative fruition of high international reputation. Regarding the R&D that should match social and economic needs, it is required that industry and academy cooperate with each other and develop environment to ensure smooth feed back of research achievement to society.

Japan's science and technology is facing the new phase of the 21st century. In the Part 1, under the title of "Creativity of Japan's Science and Technology," we will analyze both Japanese capability for producing new knowledge and its utilization, and the issue of maintaining and expanding such capability.