Thursday, June 14, 2007

2007 Election House of Councillors and S&T Policy Analysis

Here is interesting remarks from Japan Times ;

“… many government initiatives actively prevent the integration of foreign scientists into the Japanese research and university environments.”

By the way, does anybody among you have interest to analyse the “Japanese Manifest on Science & Technology Policy” ?

Next July, the national election for the House of Councillors is soon comming.

* 2007 Election House of Councillors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Councillors
* Analysis of S&T Policy at the Election 2005
http://scicom.jp/document/manifesto2005.html
* Analysis of S&T Policy at the Election 2003 http://scicom.jp/mailmag/manifesto2003.html#01



Japanese system stifles foreign scientific talent Stark options mean researchers forced to head elsewhere, says Peter Osborne (Japan Times)

By PETER OSBORNE

Left unchecked, Japan’s aging population and decreasing birthrate will reduce domestic economic productivity and, ultimately, affect the quality of life of all those who inhabit these islands.

.....

The internationalization of the Japanese workforce is occurring slowly in some fields of employment, particularly in the service and blue-collar industries. However, another key part of the solution to the problem of an aging population is the employment and integration of highly skilled foreign professionals into Japanese society.
Take scientists, a group about which I have first-hand experience. Today, scientific advancements are rarely attributed to the work of a lone researcher. .....
The Japanese domestic research environment, however, remains far from diverse. The numbers of both female and foreign scientists employed at Japanese universities are “extremely low” relative to other member countries of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), the government admits (see job.yomiuri.co.jp/news/jo_ne_05041103.cfm ). However, despite the government’s statements to the contrary, many government initiatives actively prevent the integration of foreign scientists into the Japanese research and university environments. .....

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