Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > WHITE PAPER ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY2003 > Part1 Conclusion

Japan was a double recipient of the Nobel Prize for the first time in FY2002,with Masatoshi Koshiba selected for the Nobel Prize in Physics and Koichi Tanaka selected for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.It also marked the third prizewinning year in succession,with Hideki Shirakawa winning in FY2000 and Ryoji Noyori winning in FY2001,dramatically reminding the people that Japan does have world-class talent among its researchers.

  The people's attention has suddenly been drawn to wondering what road these Nobel prize-winners took to become people capable of producing performances worthy of worldwide acclaim,and are now wondering whether any other people in Japan capable of winning the Nobel Prize will appear.

  As its national stance for creativity in science and technology,Japan has adopted the Science and Technology Basic Plan in accordance with the Science and Technology Basic Law,and is now promoting expansion of government re-search and development investment,and into reform of science and technology systems.But in varying degrees among different vocations and specialties,there appears to be a general shortage of personnel who are essential for implementing reforms.Furthermore,even while demand for HRST is expected to grow still more in the future,the looming reversal in population clearly means that the number of people available for such work will also go into decline.

  In this situation,the first requirement is to secure the needed quantities of HRST by boosting the appeal of careers related to S&T,particularly among the younger generation,and by expanding opportunities among women,foreigners,and the elderly groups,which have hitherto been distinct minorities in the sector.For such measures to succeed,it will be most important to ensure honest evaluation of each person's value,and to give appropriate treatment for each evaluation.Suitable treatment for HRST will require a society where ordinary people,and not just those involved in S&T,are broadly willing to offer evaluations and respect.

  Meanwhile,since Japan does not hold great expectations for a large expansion in HRST in the future,there must instead be qualitative improvements.Since improving the appeal of careers related to science and technology in order to secure the needed quantities of scientific and technological human resources will also result in attraction of top-level personnel into careers related to S&T,such activity should also lead to general improvement in the quality of HRST.But improving quality also entails developing each person's skills to the utmost,and demonstrating those skills to the maximum extent.

  To improve individuals'skills in S&T,universities,and their graduate schools as advanced specialist education institutions,must play central roles.Graduate school education must become more profitable for both the individual and for society.In fostering potential HRST at graduate schools,cultivation of creativity suitable for Japanese involved in S&T,who will often become world leaders in their fields,is important as a basic foundation.Meanwhile,the number of students studying at graduate schools is rising quickly and becoming more diversified;at the same time society's need for graduate school education is also diversifying.This situation calls for a flexible,richly diverse education in response to these kinds of changes,and also for expanded economic support for students who are studying at graduate schools.

  Moreover,demonstration of the skills of HRST requires suitable evaluation of the people's skills and aptitudes,as well as treatment that is suitable to the evaluation results.While competition is important,competition that brings virtually no benefits to the winner and results in a loss of everything for the loser will lack appeal to those considering S&T as a career,and will generally have a negative effect.Careers that involve activity in multiple and diverse fields of S&T can demonstrate appeal in many different aspects,and can help to build a highly flexible environment that is capable of smoothing the way for optimum placement in response to individual skills and aptitudes.At the same time,fostering HRST that are capable of broad,flexible responses will make it possible for those individuals and all personnel in science and technology to demonstrate their skills to the utmost.

  As can be seen,the problem of HRST can be broadly summed up as covering problems ranging from how well top-level personnel can be brought together into the various careers that constitute S&T,to how to foster individuals so that they develop into the type of researchers and technicians that are considered Nobel prizewinning level,to the extremely short-term problem of how to offer positions to Ph.D.holders and post-doctorals who are engageed in activities that do not necessarily match the needs of society,or to technicians in private-sector enterprises who are involved in technologies that have already become obsolete,to the long-term problem of what is required to encourage children's interest in S&T.Furthermore,the definition of HRST should not be limited to researchers and technicians,but should also include other diverse types of people who can act as bridges to society.Such people will need to exhibit more creativity than ever before,and be able be adaptable.

  The human resource problem is thus wide-ranging and diverse.In general,however,it cannot be denied that the positioning of universities is extremely important for fostering both research and future personnel.However,a single university is incapable of responding to all of the various demands placed on it in regards to educating HRST,so that each university must instead make certain choices and focus,and give priority to certain efforts,which will also make each school distinct.Demands on the soon-to-be incorporated universities tend to concentrate on just these kinds of business decisions and practical skills.

  The education establishment in Japan to date,whether in private-sector enterprises or the government,as well as society itself,has tended to view balance and uniformity as desirable in terms of the pursuit of efficiency.In the future,however,there will need to be a change in conception that puts more emphasis on creativity and diversity,even if such a change requires a fair amount of time to implement.