Osaka – Monday, October 11, 2010
Many Japanese media have been reporting the great news that two Japanese scientists, Dr Eiichi Negishi, a professor with authority of Purdue University in the U.S. and Dr Akira Suzuki, professor emeritus of Hokkaido University in Japan, were awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their development of cross-coupling reaction technology since the announcement of the winners by the committee on September 6. Their research led to Japanese companies such as Chisso Corporation and Tosoh Corporation immediately putting the technology into practical use. The technology is now applied in wide a range of fields such as pharmaceuticals, electronics materials, reagents, agricultural chemicals and solar batteries.
The news is an extremely welcome incident; however, some comments by the two winners imply that Japan cannot simply be happy about it. There are warning signs that cannot be missed if Japan is to continue being leader in science, technology and economy.
1. What are warning that Japan cannot miss?
1) Japan may not be a leader in science in the near future.
This has been pointed out by experts from while ago because less and less students study sciences in university, described as “rika-banare” in Japanese. This is critical because it is scientists/engineers that perform research and development and create technologies for innovation that often determines global competitiveness. Possible factors leading to this include the following:-
(1) Education without cramming degraded quantity and quality of education especially in sciences and mathematics
With fewer hours for education especially mathematics and sciences in elementary schools and junior high schools with implementation of education without cramming, many items including basics were excluded in the new curriculum. As a result, knowledge in mathematics and sciences acquired by Japanese students degraded overall, as pointed out with warning by professors at universities and people in companies.
(2) Systems and environment in Japan do not let scientists devote themselves in research
As Dr Suzuki mentioned, universities in Japan are short of capital for sound management and research, especially after national universities were privatized a few year ago.
In such a situation, employment and making a living is a critical issue for scientists at universities thus they cannot devote themselves in their research. Moreover, as pointed out in a TV programme that featured the two Nobel Prize winners, under the current systems, scientists in Japanese universities will not sufficiently be able to drive academic results and be promoted to create a successful career. This is a big negative factor in attracting talents majoring sciences for universities in Japan.
(3) Fewer Japanese students studying sciences in world top class universities
Fewer Japanese students study in world top class universities and students from other countries such as China, India and other Asian countries have been replacing Japanese students. Dr Negishi, who been teaching in Purdue University in the U.S. for many years, insists that he used to teach many Japanese students but not lately. He says that he teaches 6 students and there are no Japanese, and 3 or more are from other Asian countries. This indicates the shift of world class brain in sciences.
2) Japan’s weak growth in economy drives weakening position as leader in sciences and technologies
There are correlation between “impetus of a country” and number of Nobel Prize winners in sciences of that particular country, which can be paraphrased as technological innovations. This implies that Japan’s weak economic growth and stagnation may well drive its weakening position as a leader in sciences and technologies.
This was explained in a recent TV programme with a chart that showed that Japan created many technological innovations and breakthroughs that led to winning Nobel Prizes when it was enjoying economic growth until 1990 when the bubble economy collapsed. It is difficult to say which come first, economic growth or technological innovations, but it cannot be denied that Japan’s weak economy (impetus of a country) since 1990 would be a negative factor for technological innovations and breakthroughs including financial support to R&D.
2. What are possible challenges for Japan?
1) Review educational systems to develop and attract talent
This includes reviewing education without cramming to upgrade quantity and quality of the curriculum of elementary and high schools. This would up-level knowledge of majority of Japanese students and make more students interested in sciences to decide to study in university.
Another issue is to review systems in universities so that scientists who have studied abroad are warmly welcomed and accepted, and can continue their research to drive results and create successful career in Japan. In fact, media have reported Dr Negishi’s message encouraging Japanese young people to study/work abroad. This is all about globalization and D&I (Diversity & Inclusion) of Japan.
2) Give necessary and sufficient support from the government to academia
This includes financial and other support, both long-term and short-term. ROI (return on investment) is critical but scientific research requires time; both winners mentioned above say that the award they won is of culmination of their 50 year study.
Also, possibilities of “seeds” in scientific research that bears fruit so that the technology will be developed to commercialized are extremely low (e.g. only 1 in 10000 organic compound developed in the initial stage of R&D is said to be commercialized into innovative pharmaceuticals) and slashing the investment would reduce the number of researches at an early stage which may well mean slashing possibilities of innovation. The author strongly feels that this is the essence of Dr Suzuki’s comment that was reported widely by media: “question of ‘Does it really must be first? Is second no good at all?’ in last year’s screening process to reduce the national budget is of someone ignorant of science”.
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2010年10月11日月曜日
2010年8月12日木曜日
R&D / Patent Trend - Emerging Countries Enhance Presence When Japan Stagnates
Osaka – Thursday, August 12, 2010
Nikkei, Japanese newspaper specialized in business and economy, reported on August 11 that emerging countries such as China and India are enhancing their presence in R&D. Patents of emerging countries in fields such as life science and energy are drastically increasing in particular. The number of patents applied and released by China in environment field is more than that of western countries and Japan, indicating that China is enhancing its presence in R&D.
On the other hand, Japan seems to be stagnating. This is because companies have been narrowing down the technologies to be applied in line with their patent strategy. Also, patent application by Japanese companies to growing emerging markets tends to be less aggressive compared to western counterparts. Some experts give warning to such situation.
1. How the number of patent application and release by China and India has been increasing?
1) China
According to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), Chinese companies have applied 203,257 patents in 2008, domestically and abroad, which is 14 times as much as 10 years ago. Japanese companied applied the most with 500,034 patents followed by the U.S. companies with 389,073 patents, then Chinese companies. The number of patents applied by Chinese business owners and small businesses increased eightfold from 2000 to 2008. The increase is prominent not only of patents of technologies that support high economic growth such as water pollution but also of advanced technologies such as LED (light-emitting diode) illumination.
One reason for the drastic increase in patent applied by Chinese companies and business owners is the policy of China government. When the government gives subsidy or reduces tax, one of the requirements is the number of patents held by the company or business owners. Also, whether it leads to patent is taken into account when giving financial R&D support to universities.
According to NISTP (National Institute of Science and Technology Policy), as many as 104,164 scientific articles by Chinese scientists were introduced in worldwide major journals in 2008, which is only behind the articles by the U.S. scientists In addition, they are often cited, implying that quality as well as quantity of articles by Chinese scientists has been dramatically improving.
2) India
Companies of India made application of 4,537 patents domestically and abroad in 2008, which is increase by over 60% from 2005. More than half of them were made in the U.S., mostly in such industries of IT and pharmaceuticals.
2. How Japanese companies have been increasing patent applications in China
1) Overall trend
In order to validate patents abroad, patents need to be applied and acquired in that particular country/region abroad; therefore, Japanese companies have been increasing their application in China when China market is growing. Approximately 20,000 applications were made in Japan and the U.S. n 1998 but as many as 58,000 applications were made in 2008. Today, application made from Japan to China is greater than those made to Europe. In fact, it is only behind 80,000 applications made to the U.S.
2) Some examples of companies that are increasing applications in China
For Hitachi, the ratio of patents applied for Japan domestic vs overseas was 53% vs 47% in 2009, and would like to make overseas percentage more than 50% in 2010. The R&D executive of Hitachi says that until today patents applied abroad were mostly in western countries, but would like increase applications made in emerging countries in order to establish IPR (intellectual property right) in such countries where their businesses are expanding.
Panasonic is also increasing its application abroad, in China in particular because more R&D of home appliances and AV products are performed in such countries than ever. Similarly, Toshiba is increasing their application made in China in PC and digital consumer electronics, and semiconductors and electronic components.
3) Applications made in other emerging countries
Japan is behind western countries in increasing applications in other emerging countries such as India and Brazil. Among applications made to India, the U.S. covers 36% but Japan is only 10%. Similarly for applications made to Brazil, the U.S. covers 41% when Japan is only 6%.
3. Why Japan’s patent application is stagnating and what does it mean?
1) How patent applications by Japanese companies have been stagnating
The number of patent released by Japan in 8 growth areas (including environment, life science and energy) that Japan has been focusing on was 149,842 in 2009, which was only 0.5% increase from 2008. This is less than the U.S. and China is catching up with more than 120,000. Japan is said to be applying patents mostly in advanced technologies such as energy saving technologies, but some experts assume that by simple comparison of the number of patents applied, China may well overtake Japan within few years.
The result of the recent survey on R&D executed by Nikkei supports this assumption. 45% companies responded that the number of patents applied domestically decreased in 2009 from 2008, when only 23% responded that it increased.
2) Reasons / background for stagnating patent applications by Japanese companies
Primary reason is that Japanese companies have been focusing more on quality rather than quantity (number) of patents in order to improve R&D ROI, including patents of the 8 growth areas mentioned above.
Companies have been extremely selective in choosing which technologies to apply and acquire patents, to minimize patent related cost. Also, more companies are making application not in Japan but overseas where they do business (manufacture, market and/or sell).
3) Meaning of stagnating patent application by Japanese companies
Stagnating patent application by Japanese companies is not aligned with policy management of the Japanese government that has been trying to strengthen R&D with the slogan of “world leader in science and technology”. It is with this policy that 16 billion yen in accumulation from 2001 to 2009 was spent on R&D in the 8 growth areas. However, whether the global competitiveness of Japan’s industrial technology has improved is a question.
Moreover, an expert warns about the “quality over quantity” patent strategy of Japanese companies. The expert says that patents are deeply related to future of technology, and reduction of patent application is a sign of decrease in promising technologies.
Nikkei, Japanese newspaper specialized in business and economy, reported on August 11 that emerging countries such as China and India are enhancing their presence in R&D. Patents of emerging countries in fields such as life science and energy are drastically increasing in particular. The number of patents applied and released by China in environment field is more than that of western countries and Japan, indicating that China is enhancing its presence in R&D.
On the other hand, Japan seems to be stagnating. This is because companies have been narrowing down the technologies to be applied in line with their patent strategy. Also, patent application by Japanese companies to growing emerging markets tends to be less aggressive compared to western counterparts. Some experts give warning to such situation.
1. How the number of patent application and release by China and India has been increasing?
1) China
According to WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization), Chinese companies have applied 203,257 patents in 2008, domestically and abroad, which is 14 times as much as 10 years ago. Japanese companied applied the most with 500,034 patents followed by the U.S. companies with 389,073 patents, then Chinese companies. The number of patents applied by Chinese business owners and small businesses increased eightfold from 2000 to 2008. The increase is prominent not only of patents of technologies that support high economic growth such as water pollution but also of advanced technologies such as LED (light-emitting diode) illumination.
One reason for the drastic increase in patent applied by Chinese companies and business owners is the policy of China government. When the government gives subsidy or reduces tax, one of the requirements is the number of patents held by the company or business owners. Also, whether it leads to patent is taken into account when giving financial R&D support to universities.
According to NISTP (National Institute of Science and Technology Policy), as many as 104,164 scientific articles by Chinese scientists were introduced in worldwide major journals in 2008, which is only behind the articles by the U.S. scientists In addition, they are often cited, implying that quality as well as quantity of articles by Chinese scientists has been dramatically improving.
2) India
Companies of India made application of 4,537 patents domestically and abroad in 2008, which is increase by over 60% from 2005. More than half of them were made in the U.S., mostly in such industries of IT and pharmaceuticals.
2. How Japanese companies have been increasing patent applications in China
1) Overall trend
In order to validate patents abroad, patents need to be applied and acquired in that particular country/region abroad; therefore, Japanese companies have been increasing their application in China when China market is growing. Approximately 20,000 applications were made in Japan and the U.S. n 1998 but as many as 58,000 applications were made in 2008. Today, application made from Japan to China is greater than those made to Europe. In fact, it is only behind 80,000 applications made to the U.S.
2) Some examples of companies that are increasing applications in China
For Hitachi, the ratio of patents applied for Japan domestic vs overseas was 53% vs 47% in 2009, and would like to make overseas percentage more than 50% in 2010. The R&D executive of Hitachi says that until today patents applied abroad were mostly in western countries, but would like increase applications made in emerging countries in order to establish IPR (intellectual property right) in such countries where their businesses are expanding.
Panasonic is also increasing its application abroad, in China in particular because more R&D of home appliances and AV products are performed in such countries than ever. Similarly, Toshiba is increasing their application made in China in PC and digital consumer electronics, and semiconductors and electronic components.
3) Applications made in other emerging countries
Japan is behind western countries in increasing applications in other emerging countries such as India and Brazil. Among applications made to India, the U.S. covers 36% but Japan is only 10%. Similarly for applications made to Brazil, the U.S. covers 41% when Japan is only 6%.
3. Why Japan’s patent application is stagnating and what does it mean?
1) How patent applications by Japanese companies have been stagnating
The number of patent released by Japan in 8 growth areas (including environment, life science and energy) that Japan has been focusing on was 149,842 in 2009, which was only 0.5% increase from 2008. This is less than the U.S. and China is catching up with more than 120,000. Japan is said to be applying patents mostly in advanced technologies such as energy saving technologies, but some experts assume that by simple comparison of the number of patents applied, China may well overtake Japan within few years.
The result of the recent survey on R&D executed by Nikkei supports this assumption. 45% companies responded that the number of patents applied domestically decreased in 2009 from 2008, when only 23% responded that it increased.
2) Reasons / background for stagnating patent applications by Japanese companies
Primary reason is that Japanese companies have been focusing more on quality rather than quantity (number) of patents in order to improve R&D ROI, including patents of the 8 growth areas mentioned above.
Companies have been extremely selective in choosing which technologies to apply and acquire patents, to minimize patent related cost. Also, more companies are making application not in Japan but overseas where they do business (manufacture, market and/or sell).
3) Meaning of stagnating patent application by Japanese companies
Stagnating patent application by Japanese companies is not aligned with policy management of the Japanese government that has been trying to strengthen R&D with the slogan of “world leader in science and technology”. It is with this policy that 16 billion yen in accumulation from 2001 to 2009 was spent on R&D in the 8 growth areas. However, whether the global competitiveness of Japan’s industrial technology has improved is a question.
Moreover, an expert warns about the “quality over quantity” patent strategy of Japanese companies. The expert says that patents are deeply related to future of technology, and reduction of patent application is a sign of decrease in promising technologies.
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