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For elevating the creativity of researchers in science and technology, it is most important to increase mobility for researchers and enable young researchers of multiple backgrounds to exercise their ability.

The increase in research expense funds, and the improvement in the treatment of young researchers are likely to promote the vitalization of Japanese researchers as a whole. Many of great research achievement tend to come from young to middle-aged researchers below age 40s. Therefore, it is a most important step to create environment in which researchers of this age bracket can devote themselves to research.

Table 14 lists Japanese winners of the Nobel Prize. The age when Dr. Hideki Yukawa produced his research achievement was 28 at the youngest, with Dr. Hideki Shirakawa 41 at the oldest. All achievements were made before the age of early half of 40s of the winners. This trend holds true with the winners of nationals other than the Japanese.

Table 14 Japanese Nobel Laureates (in natural science), Reasons for the Award and Ages When Winners Produced Achievements