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Intellectual assets are becoming more important basis of the society than before in the era facing the start of 21st century. This trend makes scientific and technological activity more important, because they produce new knowledge, expand the intellectual assets of humankind, and solve important national problems.
The engine of knowledge-producing activity is basic research. By leading basic research in the world society and opening new intellectual frontiers, Japan can not only expand the intellectual assets of humankind but also increase its own intellectual presence. Basic research is also an "unlimited resource" that sometimes produces entirely new technological systems.
Both the Internet and recombinant genetics methods were produced from basic research in universities and research institutes.
Surveys of U.S. patent applications made by various nations' corporations show that, generally, frequency of citation of results of basic research at universities and public research institutes as an prior technology (including prior knowledge) of patent applications is increasing. It shows that the basic research is more useful to create new technologies ( Fig. 1 ) than before.
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