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  Looking at the trends in the age composition of science and technology personnel,the percentage of the middle and higher aged has become higher among workers engaged in professional and technical professions amid the rapid aging of Japanese society as a whole.This trend will continue in the future (Figure1-2-8) .

  Along with the decrease in the productive age population,Japan's work force is expected to shrink as a whole.Among professional and technical workers, Figure1-2-9 gives the estimate for the number of researchers and technicians-among whom many have completed degrees at science and engineering universities and graduate schools-and their ratio to the total population in the future,assuming equal proportions within the same generation for the turnover within these positions.The future cannot be expected to necessarily follow the path predicted in Figure1-2-9 ,as the numbers of employed persons and those leaving their jobs are dependant upon the demand generated by economic and social conditions at the time;however,as this figure shows,the number of researchers and technicians will decrease rapidly,both in numbers and in proportion to the total population,due to the trend of fewer children and the aging population,except in such special cases as a higher percentage of students going on to universities of science and engineering.

Table1-2-7Number of employed university graduates by occupation and academic degree(Japan-U.S.Comparison)

Figure1-2-8 Age Composition of Professional and Technical Workers

Figure1-2-9 Estimate of the number of researchers and engineers in the Future

  As the decreasing number of researchers and technicians is expected to bring with it a decline in Japan's vitality,a remarkable effort will be necessary to secure and foster human resources in order for Japan to realize the formation of a nation of creative science and technology in the future amidst still more worldwide progress in the development of knowledge-based societies.