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  The definition of personnel engaged in R&D,which includes both regular researchers and re-search support staff,varies in scope from one country to the next,so that simple comparisons are probably untenable.Nevertheless,in just such a comparison with the selected countries of Europe,Japan had the largest number of personnel engaged in R&D at972,000,followed in order by Germany,France,and the United Kingdom.

  Japan has relatively low numbers of personnel who are engaged in R&D but are not researchers themselves,with0.29research support staff for each researcher,a figure that is one-third the standard for European nations (Figure2-2-17). More-over,even if Japan's researchers are counted according to the FTE method,the number of people engaged in research is892,000(of which researchers number676,000),and the number of research support staff is slightly higher,yet still low,at0.32per researcher.

  The number of research and development-related workers in Japan showed a year-on-year decline in FY2000 and a2.3%decline in the most recent five-year period(1997-2002).The down-ward trend in the number of research assistants was strengthened in the same five-year period,declining by21.2%,an annual average of4.7% (Figure2-2-18).

Figure2-2-17Number of research assistants per researcher in selected countries

  The percentage of researchers of all personnel engaged in R&D has increased from72.4%in1997to77.8%in2002.On the other hand,the share of assistant research workers decreased from8.4%to7.1%.The percentage of technicians decreased from9.4%to6.9%.Clerical and other supporting personnel have decreased from9.7%to8.3%.In this way,the number of research assistants per researcher continues to decrease.How-ever,promotion of the Science and Technology Basic Plan has curbed the downward trend at public institutions and universities and colleges (Figure2-2-19).

  The composition by organization of the number of personnel engaged in R&D in Japan reveals that all universities and colleges,including both public and private schools,have the lowest number of re-search support staff per researcher (Figure2-2-20).

Figure2-2-18Trends in persons engaged in R&D in Japan

Figure2-2-19Trend in the number of research assistants per researcher in Japan

Figure2-2-20 Composition of personnel engaged in R&D by sector in Japan(2002)