NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
TOKYO REGIONAL OFFICE

January 18, 2000

Report Memorandum #00-02

S&T-Related Budget Proposed
for
Fiscal Year 2000

At the Cabinet meeting held on December 24, 1999, the Obuchi Cabinet decided on its budget proposal for FY2000 (4/1/2000 - 3/31/2001), amounting to 84.99 trillion yen (about $833 billion at an exchange rate of 102 yen per dollar) in General Account; up 3.8% from the FY 1999 initial budget level of 81.86 trillion yen.  Of this total, 3.28 trillion yen (about $32.2 billion) is estimated to be allocated for S&T-related expenditures; an increase of 4.0% over the initial FY1999 S&T-related budget of 3.16 trillion yen.

Table 1 below shows a breakdown of the S&T-related budget proposed for JFY 2000, as divided into 1) appropriations under the "general account" and 2) those under "special accounts" with the "general account" budgets further subdivided into (a) expenditures for the promotion of science and technology and (b) other R&D-related expenditures.

Note that the proposed S&T-related budgets shown above include funds for both the "regular" S&T-related programs and for the so-called "Millennium projects" under the Special Budgetary Framework for Reviving the Economy.  (For background information on the Millennium projects, see NSF/Tokyo Report Memorandum #99-10 dated 9/22/1999.)   However, information on the specific yen amounts to be allocated through the various ministries and agencies for the so-called "Millennium projects" has not been released as of this writing, either by the Science and Technology Agency or the Finance Ministry.

Table 2 below shows the total amounts of the "S&T-related budgets" proposed for each ministry or agency, including both the "regular" S&T-related budgets and the special budgets for the Millennium projects to be funded under the "Special Framework for Reviving the Japanese Economy."

Note that because of the reorganization of government ministries and agencies to be implemented as of January 1, 2001, those ministries/agencies to be reorganized have their budget levels listed in two parts; one for the first nine months of JFY 2000 (April 1 - December 31, 2000) for the current ministry or agency, and the other for three months in 2001 (January 1 - March 31, 2001) for the new ministry or agency to which they will be converted.  (For background information on the government reorganization, see NSF/Tokyo Report Memorandum #99-11 dated 10/7/99.)

Attachment:    For more details on major S&T-related expenditures to be financed in FY2000, see the attached "List of Major S&T-Related Programs Proposed for JFY 2000."

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NSF/Tokyo:  M.Miyahara/Y.Sera

Listed below are the major S&T-related programs proposed for JFY 2000, based on information provided by the Science and Technology Agency (STA).   

Note that some of the items are double-listed and, therefore, they do not add up to the total budget amounts noted above.

Names of various ministries and agencies are abbreviated as follows:

I.  PROGRAMS FOR MEETING NATIONAL AND SOCIETAL NEEDS:

 [R&D in Life Sciences]
 

( 1.)	Promotion of Genome-related R&D
	60.2 billion yen (27.2 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF and MITI).
( 2.)	Brain Research
	28.6 billion yen (26.5 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF, MITI and MPT).
( 3.)	Developmental, Differentiation and Regeneration Research
	9.0 billion yen (1.2 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, Monbusho and MHW).
( 4.)	Research in Health-related S&T including R&D on Disease Countermeasures (such as research on cancer, AIDS, O157 and other infectious diseases.)
	32.9 billion yen (30.5 billion yen in FY'99) to (STA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF and MOL).
( 5.)	Development of Biological and Genetic Resources (including development of information networks on those resources)
	8.2 billion yen (3.3 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, EA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF and MITI), plus some portions (amounts not specified) of 3.1 billion yen to be financed under other budget categories.
( 6.)	Development of Medical/Welfare Equipment and Tools
	3.9 billion yen (3.8 billion yen in FY'99) (to MITI and MHW), plus some portions (amounts not specified) of 11.7 billion yen to be financed under other budget categories.
( 7.)	Research on Functions of Those Animals, Plants and Insects Producing Various Useful Substances so as to Develop Advanced Bio-technologies for Highly Efficient Production of Medical-use and Chemical Industrial Use Materials.
	0.8 billion yen (0.8 billion yen in FY'99) (to MAFF and MITI).

      

[Information Science and Technology]

( 8.)	Development of Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for National Land Spatial Database Infrastructure.
	4.3 billion yen (2.2 billion yen in FY'99) (to NLA, MITI, MOT, MPT, MOC and MHA).
( 9.)	Promotion of Integrated Traffic Systems (ITS)
	2.4 billion yen (2.6 billion yen in FY'99) (to MITI, MOT, MPT and MOC).
(10.)	Joint Development of Public-Use Telecommunication Systems
	1.5 billion yen (1.5 billion yen in FY'99) (to Monbusho, MAFF, MOT, MPT, NPA and MHA). plus some portions (amounts not specified) of 0.2 billion yen to be financed under other budget categories.
(11.)	Promotion of IT-21 (Information Technology for the 21st Century) Projects (in order to make it possible for all the people in the nation to have access to ultra-high-speed internet services by 2005).
	15.5 billion yen (3.5 billion yen in FY'99) (to MITI and MPT)

[Network-compatible Information Distribution Systems] 

(12.)	Development and Provision of a Directory Database on R&D Activities in National Research Institutes with Linkage to Databases on University R&D Activities (for Open Access via Internet).
	0.7 billion yen (0.6 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA and Monbusho)

 
[Global and Environmental Science and Technology] 

(13.)	Promotion of Global Change Research
-- Integrated and systematic promotion of research on global warming and other global change phenomena having serious impacts on natural ecosystems and man's future.
	Major programs to be included are:
	- ARGO (Array for Real-time Geostrophic Oceanography) Project (of STA and MOT)
	- Airship-based Stratospheric Platform for Global Change Observation (of STA and MPT)
	- Deep Ocean Earth Drilling Project (of STA and Monbusho)
(14.)	Promotion of Antarctic Research
	4.6 billion yen (4.5 billion yen in FY'99) (to Monbusho)

 
[Development of Environmentally-Friendly Society] 

(15.)	Development of Methodologies for Life Cycle Assessment
	1.4 billion yen (1.4 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, EA, MAFF, MITI, MOT and MOC)
(16.)	Promotion of "Zero Emission" Technologies Development (for Efficient Recycled Use of Organic Resources)
	5.2 billion yen (1.5 billion yen in FY'99) plus some portions of 0.6 billion yen to be financed under other categories. (HDA, MHW, MAFF, MITI and MOC).

 
[Other Global and Environmental Science and Technology]

(17.)	Promotion of Surveys and Research on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals
	7.4 billion yen (5.8 billion in FY'99) plus some portions of 1.2 billion yen to be financed under other categories. (to STA, EA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF, MITI, MOL and MOC)
(18.)	Promotion of Surveys and Research on Dioxins
	9.1 billion yen (4.4 billion yen in FY'99) plus some portions of 5.2 billion yen to be financed under other categories, (to STA, EA, MHW, MAFF, MITI and MOC)
(19.)	Development of Systems for Coping with Ocean Pollution due to Spilled Oil (such as systems for early detection of oil spilling accidents on the ocean, for minimizing damages from oil spilling accidents, and for surveying after-effects of those accidents.)
	0.8 billion yen (1.0 billion yen FY'99) (to STA, EA, MOT and MOC)

  
[Promotion of Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration and Technology Transfer]

(20.)	Strengthening of Linkage between Industry, Academia and Government:
	-- 32.4 billion yen (30.2 billion yen in FY'99) under the Special Coordination Funds for the Promotion of S&T.
	-- 3.3 billion yen (3.3 billion yen in FY'99) under Monbusho's Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research
	-- 3.2 billion yen (3.6 billion yen in FY'99) under MITI's Industrial Science and Technology Frontier Program for Collaboration with Universities
	-- 4.8 billion yen (New) under MITI's Program for Joint Research with Private Industries
	-- 1.8 billion yen (1.4 billion yen in FY'99) under MOC's General Technology Development Project
	-- 0.1 billion yen (0.1 billion yen) under MOC's Program for Joint Research with Private Industries
(21.)	Promotion of the New Basic Research Support Systems of Various Quasi-governmental Organizations, to Support Basic Research based on Publicly Solicited Proposals.
	85.5 billion yen (70.1 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, Monbuisho, MHW, MAFF, MITI, MOT and MPT).
(22.)	Promotion of Utilization of R&D Results for the Creation of New R&D-Oriented Venture Businesses
	-- STA (and the Japan Science and Technology Corporation - JST) Program to Support "Creation of New Businesses" by Application of R&D Results Obtained in Universities and National Research Institutes: 1.7 billion yen (1.0 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- MAFF (and the Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution - BRAIN) Program for Commissioning Private Research Institutes the task to Develop Advanced Genetic and Microbiological Technologies for Use in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: 1.0 billion yen (New)
	-- MAFF Program to Support Selected R&D Projects of Private Industries for the Development of New Functional Foods by Use of Bio- and Other New Technologies: 0.4 billion yen (New).
	-- MAFF Program to Develop Advanced Industrial Technologies in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: 0.6 billion yen (0.5 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- MITI Program to Support Projects to be Selected from among Proposals Solicited from Small- and Medium-scale Venture Businesses for R&D on Such Technologies as Needed to Meet Certain Policy Goals to be Specified by MITI: 3.1 billion yen (1.6 billion yen in FY'99).
	-- MPT Program to Support R&D by Venture Businesses, Industries and Universities, to Develop New Application Technologies for "Gigabit Networks" Leading to Creation of New Businesses in the Area of Information and Communication Areas: 0.3 billion yen (0.2 billion yen in FY'99).
(23.)	Promotion of Local and Regional Science and Technology
	-- STA Program to Support Regional Joint R&D Projects: 5.9 billion yen (4.3 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- Special Coordination Funds for the Promotion of S&T: 0.9 billion yen (0.9 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- STA Program to support Regional R&D Centers: 1.8 billion yen (1.4 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- Monbusho Program to Support Regional Joint Research Projects: 3.3 billion yen (3.3 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- MAFF Program for Promoting Utilization of Advanced Technologies to Meet Regional Needs: 0.7 billion yen (0.7 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- MITI's Program to Support Regional R&D Consortia: 3.6 billion yen (3.8 billion yen in FY'99).
	-- MPT Program to support Regional R&D based on locally-initiated proposals: Some portions of 1.4 billion yen (some portions of 1.1 billion yen in FY'99).
(24.)	Public Solicitation of Proposals for Innovative Technology Development
	To solicit proposals for highly innovative technology development projects so as to help raise high hopes for realizing ever-brighter economic society towards the 21st century.
	3.0 billion yen (New) (to STA for solicitation of proposals and support of selected projects in collaboration with Cabinet Office and EA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF, MITI, MOT, MPT and MOC).

  
II.  IMPROVEMENT OF R&D ENVIRONMENT

[Improvement of Research Environment to Meet International R&D Competition] 

(25.)	Promotion of Original Basic Research by Positive Use of Young Researchers.
	29.2 billion yen (16.9 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA, Monbusho, MAFF, MITI and MPT)
(26.)	Promotion of the "10,000 Postdocs Support Program"
	10,596 postdoctoral fellowships (10,187 in FY'99) (in total number of fellowships provided by STA, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF and MITI)
(27.)	Strengthening of Research Support Functions
	Efforts will be continued in order to achieve the goal of providing one research support staff for every researcher in national research institutes.
(28.)	Improvement of R&D Facilities (Buildings) and Equipment
	-- STA's Large-scale shaking table for 3-dimensional destruction tests of life-size structures: 1.4 billion yen (0.7 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- New buildings for moving the National Institute of Public Health (of MHW): 4.0 billion yen (2.4 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- New buildings for research infrastructure development (of MAFF): 1.1 billion yen (0.9 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- Advanced Computer Science Labs (of MITI): 1.5 billion yen (0.3 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- New Testing Facility (of MOT) for the Preservation of Marine Environment: 0.4 billion yen (New).
(29.)	Development of "Intellectual Infrastructure" for Supporting R&D Activities (such as: development of databases, standards, genetic resources, generic-use laboratory tools, etc.)
	-- STA's Program for the Development of Intellectual Infrastructure: 4.0 billion yen (3.8 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- MITI's Program for the Development and Utilization of Intellectual Infrastructure: 0.6 billion yen (0.4 billion yen in FY'99)

 [Development of Research Evaluation Systems]

(30.)	Promotion of R&D Evaluation
	Steps are being taken to promote effective evaluation of R&D activities in accordance with the General Guidelines for the Evaluation of R&D Activities of the Government, as decided by the Prime Minister in August, 1997 (with the cooperation of NPA, HDA, DA, STA, EA, MOF, Monbusho, MHW, MAFF, MITI, MOT, MPT, MOL, MOC, and MHA)

 
[Promotion of Public Understanding on Science and Technology] 

(31.)	Promotion of Public Understanding on S&T
	-- Development of Centers for the Promotion of Public Understanding (by STA): 1.4 billion yen (0.2 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- Tsukuba Research Gallery (of MAFF): 0.04 billion yen (0.04 billion yen in FY'99)
	-- Museum of Maps and Geographical Surveys (of MOC): 0.04 billion yen (0.04 billion yen in FY'99)

  
III. OTHER PROGRAMS TO MEET NATIONAL S&T POLICY GOALS

(32.)	Promotion of Space Development
	Based on the Report from the May 1999 Meeting of the Panel on Basic Problems of Space Development, under the Space Activities Commission, steps are being taken to steadily promote Japan's space development programs, with roles of various concerned ministries and agencies clearly defined for inter-ministerial cooperation. Also, in view of the recent failure of H-II rocket launching, appropriate countermeasures will be taken.
	Some examples of projects involving multiple ministries/agencies:
	-- Promotion of SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) project: Monbusho to support scientific studies to clarify moon surface material composition and distribution, while STA to support R&D on technologies required for future moon landing or moon orbiting activities.
	-- Development and Utilization of ADEOS-II (Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-Il), and Promotion of GCOM (Global Change Observation Mission): STA, EA and Meteorological Agency to cooperate in collecting geoscience data needed to learn about the global circulation of water and energy, the mechanism of ozone depletion.
	-- Development of ETS-VIII (Engineering Testing Satellite VIII): STA to support technology development needed for the future outer space activities, while MPT to support development of communication systems for the ETS-VIII.
	-- Development of Information Satellite: In order to develop a satellite system capable of collecting such data as needed for meeting diplomatic and national security objectives as well as for crisis management in case of large-scale disasters, the development of the satellite system and optical sensors will be implemented by STA, the radar system by MITI and the data communication system by MPT. The overall coordination will be achieved through the Information Satellite Development Committee established in the Cabinet.
	-- R&D on Super-High Speed Data Relay Testing System and Super High Speed Satellite Communication System for the Next Generation Giga-bit Space Communication Networks. STA will develop the ultra high speed communication and data relay systems as well as mission equipment for the ultra-high speed satellite communication systems, while MPT will be developing super high speed communication controller and processor systems, as well as their applications.
	-- R&D on Space Orbital Infrastructure Testing and Repairing Systems. In order to develop technologies required for checking, capturing and repairing a malfunctioning satellite in space, STA will develop technologies for capturing the mal-functional satellite and for modifying the satellite's orbit as needed, while MITI will develop modular-type diagnostic technologies and MPT to develop technologies for monitoring satellites.
	-- R&D on Satellite-borne Systems for Use in Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management: STA and MPT will establish a joint committee to examine needs of potential users of such a satellite-born system for disaster prevention.
	-- R&D on Satellite-based Mobile Multimedia Communication Systems. In order to eventually materialize satellite-based mobile "multimedia," "personal," and "global" communication systems, STA will develop the satellite system while MPT will develop the communication and optical inter-satellite comunication systems.
	-- Promotion of SERVIS (Space Environment Reliability Verification Integrated System) Project: In order to develop a database of civilian-use parts that could be converted for use in space systems, a committee has been established by MITI to select the parts to be included in the database and faculty members of Monbusho's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) have been invited to serve on this committee.
(33.)	Promotion of Nuclear Energy R&D
	Various ministries and agencies will cooperate in promoting the development and utilization of nuclear energy, with the Atomic Energy Commission providing the over-all coordination functions.
	-- Promotion of public understanding on nuclear energy. (STA and MITI)
	-- R&D on high level radioactive waste disposal. (STA and MITI)
	-- R&D on nuclear fusion. (STA, Monbusho and MITI)
	-- R&D on use of particle beams for cancer treatment. (STA, Monbusho and MHW)
(34.)	Promotion of Surveys and Studies on Earthquake Disasters
	Under the direction of the newly-established Headquarters for Studies on Earthquake Disasters, various ministries and agencies (Cabinet Secretariat, STA, NLA, Monbousho, MITI, MOT, MPT, MOC and MHA) will work together in conducting surveys and studies on earthquake disasters.
(35.)	Promotion of Disaster Prevention S&T
	5.4 billion yen (4.2 billion yen in FY'99). (to STA, MAFF, MITI, MOT, MPT, MOL, MOC and MHA).
	To develop a large-scale shaking table for 3-dimensional destruction tests of life-size structures, and to promote various R&D programs for the mitigation of earthquake disasters in urban areas as well as for mitigating disasters due to landslides and avalanche of rocks and earth.
(36.)	Development of Disaster Information Networks
	2.1 billion yen (1.7 billion yen in FY'99) (to NLA, MOT and MOC)
	To develop information and communication networks for use by concerned ministries and agencies as well as by prefectural governments for collecting and disseminating information for disaster mitigation purposes.
(37.)	Development of Next-generation Supersonic Aircraft Technologies
	7.8 billion yen (6.7 billion yen in FY'99) (to STA and MITI)

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NSF/Tokyo:  M.Miyahara/Y.Sera