Reflecting on 80 years post-war and presenting challenges: White Paper on Science, Technology, and Innovation

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has compiled the White Paper on Science, Technology, and Innovation 2025, titled "A Look Back at the History of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy - 30 Years of the Science and Technology Basic Law," which has been approved by the Cabinet. This year marks 80 years since the war, and the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the Basic Act on Science and Technology in 1995, providing an opportunity to reflect on the progress of related policies in Japan.

The white paper follows the usual two-part structure and was approved by the Cabinet on the 13th of June. Part I is an annual special feature with different perspectives each year. Following the 2023 edition that featured examples of regional science, technology and innovation, and the 2024 edition that focused on artificial intelligence (AI), this year's edition compiled the trajectory of science and technology policy along with the social circumstances and research achievements that formed its background. The 80 years since the war are divided into seven eras, with divisions and names that "cannot be easily established, but were uniquely organized from a bird's-eye view perspective, building on past white papers." It also presents challenges in preparation for the formulation of the 7th Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan starting next fiscal year.

Reconstruction, growth, friction... Science and technology continuously emphasized

Chapter 1 of Part I reviews the period from the end of the war in 1945 to before the enactment of the Basic Act.

From 1945 to 1955, science and technology for reconstruction and economic recovery were emphasized. The General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (GHQ) dissolved the Cabinet's Technology Institute, which had been the center of wartime technology mobilization, and prohibited research in areas such as nuclear physics and aviation. Organizations such as the Science Council of Japan, the Scientific Technical Administration Committee, and the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (now the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology) were established. In 1949, Hideki Yukawa became the first Japanese person to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics. When the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into effect in 1952 and sovereignty was restored, research that had been prohibited by the GHQ gradually became permitted again. Momentum for the peaceful use of nuclear energy increased, and the Pencil rocket experiments were also conducted.

From 1956 to 1970, science and technology advanced toward eliminating technological gaps and achieving high economic growth. In 1956, the Science and Technology Agency was established. Science was also promoted through the establishment of the Council for Science and Technology and the Japan Information Center of Science and Technology (now the Japan Science and Technology Agency, JST), and the relaunch of RIKEN. In response to the 10-year "Income Doubling Plan" starting in fiscal 1961, the Council for Science and Technology compiled recommendations that called for strengthening science and engineering personnel and enhancing research and development. The Science and Technology White Paper (renamed the White Paper on Science, Technology, and Innovation from 2021) was first published in 1958.

From 1971 to 1980, science and technology that corrected the distortions of economic growth and harmonized with the global situation were required. Emphasis was placed on pollution countermeasures and research and development of alternative energy in response to the oil crisis. Electronics and life science fields also advanced. Ocean development efforts progressed, and earthquake prediction research was promoted.

From 1981 to 1994, creative science and technology were emphasized against the backdrop of trade friction and a strong yen. Friction with the United States and other countries intensified, and punitive tariffs were imposed on fields such as semiconductors, computers, and aerospace. Against a background of criticism such as the "free-rider problem in basic research," which claimed that Japan was achieving economic growth based on the results of other countries' basic research, 1981 was designated as the first year of establishing a science and technology-based nation, and basic and pioneering research was promoted. In 1986, the Science and Technology Policy Outline, which would later lead to the Basic Plan, was approved by the Cabinet for the first time.

The International Science and Technology Exposition (Tsukuba Science Expo) was held in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1985. Japan decided to participate in large-scale international projects including the current International Space Station (ISS) program and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. Measures against cancer and global environmental problems advanced, and domestic technology in the nuclear and space fields was enhanced.

Basic Act enactment, selection and concentration, administrative review... growing debate

Chapter 2 traces the 30 years from the enactment of the Basic Act on Science and Technology to the present.

From 1995 to 2000, the Basic Act was enacted toward establishing an advanced science and technology-oriented nation. The Basic Act was enacted in 1995 based on the recognition that emphasis on basic research and breaking away from following advanced countries was necessary. The following year, the first Science and Technology Basic Plan (renamed the Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Plan from the 6th plan in 2021) was formulated, advocating for improved researcher mobility through fixed-term positions and support for postdoctoral researchers. Target amounts for government research and development investment were also indicated. Meanwhile, events that shook trust in science and technology continued, including the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and the Monju fast breeder reactor sodium leak accident (all in 1995).

Debates on bioethics intensified over brain death and cloned sheep. When it came to environmental issues, the Kyoto Protocol, which established greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for developed countries, was adopted in 1997. Important results were obtained through observations by the Subaru Telescope (Hawaii, USA) and neutrino experiments at the former Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande (both in Gifu Prefecture). Efforts to protect intellectual property by universities and companies advanced.

From 2001 to 2012, government reorganization and strategic prioritization of policies advanced. The 2001 government reorganization created the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology through the integration of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture and the Science and Technology Agency. A Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy was appointed, the Council for Science and Technology was abolished, and the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) was established. From 2001 onward, national research institutions were incorporated as Independent Administrative Agencies. In 2004, national universities and inter-university research institutes were incorporated.

The 2nd Basic Plan formulated in 2001 pursued selection and concentration by designating life sciences, information and communications, the environment, and nanotechnology/materials as four priority fields. The 3rd Basic Plan in 2006 further advanced prioritization within fields, and the term "innovation" appeared for the first time. A government-wide promotion system was established in the three fields of intellectual property, space, and ocean development.

After the change of government in 2009, the 4th Basic Plan formulated in 2011 defined "science, technology and innovation." During the "budget screening," the decision was made to postpone or significantly reduce the budget allocation for many science and technology-related projects. Debates on the nature of science and technology and accountability intensified.

Through the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the fury of nature and the shadows of science and technology were recognized anew. Achievements continued, including the return of the Hayabusa asteroid probe, completion of human genome sequencing, and the creation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).

Toward a Society Aiming for Safety, Security, and Diverse Happiness

In the era from 2013 to the present, science, technology and innovation have been positioned as pillars of economic growth and national strategy. After the change of government in 2012, science, technology and innovation policy became one of the pillars of growth strategy following the policy speech by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in January 2013. In the same year, the Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation was formulated for the first time. From 2018 onward, this was renamed the Integrated Innovation Strategy and positioned as the annual implementation plan of the Basic Plan.

In 2014, CSTP was reorganized into the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI). In 2018, the Integrated Innovation Strategy Promotion Council was established as a framework for coordination among seven councils related to innovation, including CSTI.

The 5th Basic Plan formulated in 2016 proposed "Society 5.0" as a human-centered society where virtual and real spaces are highly integrated. The current 6th Basic Plan formulated in 2021 deepened this concept, aiming for a society that ensures the safety and security of citizens and allows each individual to realize diverse forms of happiness. The Basic Act was comprehensively revised based on the concept of utilizing "comprehensive knowledge," including the humanities and social sciences, and the Basic Act on Science, Technology and Innovation was enforced in 2021. The National Research and Development Agency system was established, a 10-trillion-yen university fund was created, and the "Comprehensive Promotion Package for Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities" was decided.

Research progressed in line with the changing times, including measures against the global COVID-19 pandemic, carbon neutrality efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and research on semiconductors, AI, and quantum technology. Meanwhile, research misconduct such as STAP cells became problematic, and countermeasures including guideline formulation were implemented.

30 years of the Basic Act, accumulating challenges... toward the formulation of the 7th Basic Plan

Chapter 3 presents important current challenges. Basic research capabilities, which were identified as a challenge when the Basic Act was enacted, have been pointed out as declining since the mid-2000s. The environment for young researchers has not necessarily improved, and research support personnel have continued to decrease. The aging of research infrastructure has also become problematic. Research and development expenditure in the university sector has remained flat while major countries have increased theirs.

Operational grants for national universities have decreased by more than 160 billion yen since incorporation, and with inflation and other factors, universities feel their funding sources are narrowing. On the other hand, investment in and donations for basic research from companies and foundations have increased in presence, and university endowment management has also increased. The diversification of funding sources is deemed important.

The need to respond to changes in domestic and international conditions has also been pointed out. Startups based on basic research are struggling to grow, and support according to their growth and the promotion of collaboration are required. The need to sensitively capture signs and trends in cutting-edge science and technology is also indicated.

The paper states that efforts should be made to enable Japanese researchers to participate in "international brain circulation," where human resources move across borders, and international research communities, and to make excellent foreigners want to conduct research in Japan. Meanwhile, the risks of important technological information being stolen due to the internationalization and openness of research have been pointed out. Therefore, ensuring research integrity (soundness and fairness) and research security to prevent inappropriate external influence has been deemed necessary.

Deliberations have begun in CSTI's expert committee toward the formulation of the 7th Basic Plan starting next fiscal year, with key points including "strengthening research capabilities and human resource development as the foundation of national power," "improving the innovation capabilities that drive social transformation," and "coordination with economic security."

Part II of the paper summarizes the science, technology and innovation promotion measures that the government worked on last fiscal year. Columns are also included, such as "30 Years on from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake: Contributions to Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Community Development in the Hanshin Region Using Supercomputers," "Efforts to Realize Innovation in the Defense Field," and "Multilayered Science and Technology Communication Activities at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation." The cover illustration depicts the progress and future of science, technology and innovation in a timeline format with panel divisions.