Part2 The Current Status of Science and Technologyin Japan and Other Nations
2.1 R&D Expenditures
2.1.1 Total R&D Expenditures
2.1.1.1 Trends in R&D Expenditures in Selected Countries
When a country examines its R&D expendi-tures 5) ,its
statistics contents and approach may differ from other nations.As a result,a
simple comparison of R&D expenditures among countries may not present comparable
data,although it gives a general idea as to a country's attitude towards
science and technology.In terms of R&D expenditures,the United States registered
the highest total,at36.6trillion yen at the IMF currency con-version rate(42.5trillion
yen at the OECD purchasing power parity conversion rate),followed by Japan at16.5trillion
yen(or15.5trillion yen at the FTE value),and EU at16.0trillion yen at IMF exchange
rate conversion(27.1trillion yen at the OECD purchasing power parity) (Figure2-1-1) .
Figure2-1-1(1) Trends in R&D expenditures of selected
countries-IMF exchangerate conversion
Note5)Definition of R&D expenditures:In the"Report
on the Survey of Research and Development"by the Ministry of Public Management's
Statistics Bureau,"research"is defined as"creative efforts and
investigations conducted to obtain new knowledge about things,functions,and phenomena,or
to open paths toward new applications of existing knowledge."All outlays
incurred for these activities(labor costs,materials,expenditure on tangible fixed
assets,etc.)are treated as research expenditures.
Figure2-1-1(2)Trends in R&D expenditures of selected
countries-OECD purchasing power parity
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