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2. The Science and Technology Basic Plan (2001-2005) (unofficial version)(decided by the Government of J apan on March 30, 2001)
Chapter 1 Basic Concepts
6. Basic Concepts for S&T Promotion


(1) Basic Policies

  Building on the achievements of the First Basic Plan, and conscious of the problems that remain to be surmounted, Japan will pursue the following policies in its promotion of S&T, to best develop into the nation it seeks to become:

1) To make R&D expenditure more effective by setting priorities for S&T resource allocation; - to allocate resources on R&D challenging national/social problems with priority having definit e target - to accurately bring up emerging S&T fields with foresight and mobility - to prioritize high-quality basic research that explores new lines of inquiry and unlocks the futur e
2) To pursue S&T systems that create world-class achievements, and to invest in R&D infrastr ucture for such systems; - to provide competitive R&D environments in which researchers can perform at their best with th eir original ideas, and to provide opportunities for young researchers - to train/secure excellent human resources, the basis of S&T activities, by promoting education al reform, and to promote the mobility of researchers as a means of widening their exposure to differ ent R&D environments - to introduce fair and transparent R&D evaluation, and thereby encourage healthy competition - to improve facilities in national universities that have heretofore remained lacking, and to enric h intellectual bases for S&T, such as measuring standards and biogenetic resources
3) To thoroughly return S&T achievements to society - to strengthen technological capabilities in industry to facilitate the commercialization of R& D results through closer industry-academia-government collaboration, to resolve social problems conce rning food, economy, industry, the environment, health, welfare, and security - to deepen people's understanding of S&T, a prerequisite not only for the promotion of S&T itself, but for the scientific, rational, and independent assessment of S&T subjects, as well as society in general, by having S&T researchers and engineers to present the content of S&T and promote S&T education.
4) To internationalize S&T; - to create outstanding R&D results, to operate independent international activities that help o vercome the various problems that human beings confront, and to disseminate such activities widely ac ross the world - to establish world-standards and open R&D environments in which excellent researchers from aro und the world gather

  As it pursues the basic policies aforementioned, Japan will advance reform as promptly and actively as possible, carefully weighing rapid international trends, globalization, and other factors. In the process, needless overlap and deleterious sectionalism among ministries will be eliminated.In additi on, the respective roles of public and private sectors in promoting S&T will be clarified, and th e private sector will be encouraged to engage more comprehensively in the forms of R&D it is best geared to handle.

(2) Increase of governmental R&D expenditure and effective/efficient resource allocation

  Since the inception of the First Basic Plan, governmental R&D expenditure has been steadily gro wing as a percentage of the national gross domestic product (GDP). Today the percentage almost equals the level in the United States and leading European countries, where R&D expenditure has been de creasing in recent years. As it sustains the S&T efforts embarked upon in the previous plan, Japa n should further increase its R&D expenditure to at least match the percentage levels in the Unit ed States and European countries. During the period of the Second Basic Plan, the government is expec ted to spend about 24 trillion yen* on R&D (fiscal 2001-2005).(*One percent of the GDP in 2005, a ssuming nominal GDP growth of 3.5 percent, during the period of the Second Basic Plan.)

  While fiscal conditions in other industrially developed countries recovered during the five years o f the First Basic Plan, Japan's fiscal conditions substantially worsened. At this juncture, an e normous fiscal deficit threatens to obstruct Japan's economy and future development. If Japan is to have a vital society and economy in the 21st century, financial affairs will have to be restored to a sound condition.

  Annual budgets will be fixed in order to provide necessary expenditure for S&T policies in the Second Basic Plan, on the precondition that effective resource allocation will be prioritized by obse rving the effects of S&T system reform, the prospects for revenue for R&D, social and economi c trends, the requirements of S&T promotion, and worsening fiscal conditions.

  Top funding priority will go towards the main subjects listed in Chapter 2, namely, R&D to solv e national/social problems, enhance competitive environments, and enrich S&T bases. In parallel, to spend the funds effectively and efficiently, unnecessary overlapping and deleterious sectionalism among policies, systems, and organizations will be eliminated, and the quality of R&D activities will be upgraded by goal setting for definite clarification of R&D effects, disclosure of R&D realities, accountability among researchers to explain their own R&D results, and strict evaluat ion of S&T policies/projects. Moreover, other financial resources will be obtained by introducing private funds, setting off properties by sale, and so forth.


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