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  Public research institutes must clarify the responsibility of institutes and researchers to explain to society the content and results of their research,and must voluntarily and proactively promote intellectual asset rights for research results,rather than solely relying on research papers. During the period of the First Science and Technology Basic Plan,each ministry and agency,working from the necessity of strengthening incentives to individual researchers,made efforts to attribute patents obtained during working hours to individuals,in order to encourage their utilization.These efforts,however,did not necessarily lead to increased implementation.As a result,to more effectively encourage utilization of research and development results,patents are now to be attributed to the research institution,in line with proposals in the Second Science and Technology Basic Plan.Accordingly,the number of preferential licenses extended to private sector organizations resulting from patents obtained through joint research between national research institutes and the private sector organizations has increased with every passing year.

  To promote close coordination between national universities and local businesses,and to promote vigorous joint research activities,the Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Science and Techno-logy is particularly striving to utilize the research capabilities and so forth of national universities,through such means as promoting the development of center for cooperative research,etc.,and through the development of venture business laboratories at national universities that support large numbers of science and engineering-oriented graduate students.These venture business laboratories are aimed at the promotion of creative research and development that will result in the creation of new industries,and the nurturing of creative personnel with an advanced level of specialized professional skill.

  In addition,the Law for Facilitating Govern-mental Research Exchange was partially amended so that,starting from August1998,land lease costs can be set at less than market value in the case of a private company,etc.,building a joint research facility on a site belonging to a national university or national research institute.As a result of this amendment,joint research facilities were outfitted on the grounds of Hokkaido University and Shinshu University,and plans are in progress to erect a joint research facility on the grounds of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

  Furthermore,following the enactment of the Law to Strengthen Industrial Technical Ability in April2000,technology licensing organizations(TLOs)have the ability to use as offices the facilities of national universities,etc.,at no cost.

  Additionally,Article30of the Industrial Re-vitalization Law(the so-called Japan version of the U.S.Bayh-Dole Act)put into force in October1999,allows the researcher to whom government-sponsored research has been commissioned to fully own patent rights,etc.,gained through research.This change is expected to stimulate greater desire to engage in research,and to promote commercialization of research results in the private sector.