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Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

Japan Moves to Halt Long-term Postgraduate Decline by Tripling Number of PhD Graduates

Plan aims to elevate the status of PhD holders and give them greater career mobility.

Japan's Push to Make All Research Open Access is Taking Shape

Japan's Push to Make All Research Open Access is Taking Shape

Japan will start allocating the 10 billion yen it promised to spend on institutional repositories to make the nation's science free to read.

Japan to Boost Financial Aid for Young Researchers to Revitalize Japan's Global Standing in Technology Research

Japan to Boost Financial Aid for Young Researchers to Revitalize Japan's Global Standing in Technology Research

With the aim of boosting Japan's slumping research capabilities, the education ministry is planning to launch financial support for groups of young researchers engaged in international collaborative research in advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and medicine. The support from the ministry will include travel expenses from Japan and costs for organizing research conferences. The ministry hopes the initiative will enhance Japan's research capabilities by facilitating interactions with leading researchers abroad, thus achieving results in promising collaborative research.

Japanese Research is No Longer World Class - Here's Why

Japanese Research is No Longer World Class - Here's Why

Japan’s contribution to world-class research continues to decline, despite having one of the world’s largest research communities, according to a report by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

How Japanese Science is Trying to Reassert Its Research Strength

How Japanese Science is Trying to Reassert Its Research Strength

Successes in life sciences and international collaboration could be key to boosting the country's high-quality output.

What Japan's Election Means for Controversial Defence Research

What Japan's Election Means for Controversial Defence Research

Scientists are concerned that the ruling coalition's landslide victory will mean continued investment in science that could be applied for military purposes.

'I Feel Disposable': Thousands of Scientists' Jobs at Risk in Japan

'I Feel Disposable': Thousands of Scientists' Jobs at Risk in Japan

Universities are terminating workers on fixed-term contracts - but unions say the actions do not reflect the purpose of employment laws introduced 10 years ago.

Japan's Path to Becoming a Leader in Western Science: an Asian Perspective on Science and Other Forms of Knowledge

Japan's Path to Becoming a Leader in Western Science: an Asian Perspective on Science and Other Forms of Knowledge

As New Zealand considers how and whether to incorporate traditional Māori knowledge in the science curriculum, what might we learn from the experiences of Japan?

How "The Great Wave" Became a Global Icon

How "The Great Wave" Became a Global Icon

“The Great Wave” is the most reproduced Japanese artwork. Countless times it has been copied and altered. Who is the artist behind the image and how did it become so famous?

Nobel Laureate Suggests he Could Resign from Leadership Post

Nobel Laureate Suggests he Could Resign from Leadership Post

Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka suggested at a press conference that Kyoto University in Japan could ask him to resign over fraud committed by one of his center’s scientists.

Budget Cuts Fuel Frustration Among Academics

Budget Cuts Fuel Frustration Among Academics

Funding trouble at flagship research centre reflects a broader malaise in the country’s scientific priorities that must be addressed.

The Crisis Facing Scientific Research

The Crisis Facing Scientific Research

The challenges facing researchers in Japan and some of the structural weaknesses holding science back.

Economic Challenges Stagnate Scientific Output

Economic Challenges Stagnate Scientific Output

Scientific output in Japan has seen a sharp decline in the last decade due to years of inflation, government debt, rising commodity prices and a series of natural disasters.

President of Japan's RIKEN research labs resigns

President of Japan's RIKEN research labs resigns

Ryoji Noyori, long-time president of Japan's RIKEN network of basic-research laboratories, has resigned after a year in which the organization was embroiled in controversy over fraudulent stem-cell papers.

Researcher's death highlights problems in dealing with scientific misconduct

Researcher's death highlights problems in dealing with scientific misconduct

We need to deal swiftly with fraud when it is identified. But time after time I have watched not only the accused, but everyone around them, be treated with such sanctimonious disdain. by Michael Eisen

Researcher's death shocks Japan

Researcher's death shocks Japan

One of Japan's top stem cell researchers, died in an apparent suicide. He was famous for his ability to coax embryonic stem cells to differentiate into other cell types.