NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
TOKYO REGIONAL OFFICE

August 20, 2003

The National Science Foundation's Tokyo Regional Office periodically reports on developments in Japan that are related to the Foundation's mission.  It also provides occasional reports on developments in other East Asian countries.

Tokyo Office Report Memoranda are intended to provide information for the use of NSF program officers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF policy.

The following report was prepared by Ms. Kazuko Shinohara of the National Science Foundation’s Tokyo Regional Office. She can be reached at kshinoha@nsf.gov

This report outlines changes that will occur as the result of the Japanese Diet’s adoption of the National University Reform Bills on July 9, 2003. Viewed by the numbers, the 171 national academic institutions will be streamlined to 97 independent corporations as of April 2004. Operationally and administratively, it is expected that each corporation will have more flexibility and autonomy, and the employees will become non-government employees.

Whereas all of the present 171 national academic institutions are established under the Law for Establishing National Universities, the National University Reform Bills will bring five new laws: the Law for National University Corporations; the Law for National Technical Colleges; the Law for National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation; the Law for Center for National University Finance; and the Law for National Institute of Multimedia Education. The National Institute of Multimedia Education is presently one of the inter-university research facilities. The reorganization can be summarized as the following chart.

(Note: The names of the corporations are all tentative.)

The summary of each corporation will be as follows:

[National University Corporations: 89]
By the time present national universities become independent university corporations as of April 2004, mergers are scheduled to take place as below. As a result, the original number of 99 national universities will be decreased to 87 four-year national university corporations plus two-year national university corporations, making a total of 89 national university corporations. Following major changes are expected to take place:

1. Management autonomy will be left with each corporation.
2. Management board will be established.
3. Outside Executive staff will be involved in the management.
4. Employees will become non-government employees.
5. Evaluation will be made by a third party.

[Inter-University Research Facility Corporations: 4]
The present 15 inter-university research facilities will be incorporated into four independent organizations as shown below. The details are being worked out.

[Technical College Corporation: 1]
The present 55 technical colleges, five-year technical course schools for the graduates from junior high school (secondary school), will become ONE independent corporation. The technical colleges will be run in the same way as they are now.

[Independent Administrative Organization: Independent Administrative Organization]
The present National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation will become an independent corporation. Major missions will remain as evaluation of universities and accreditation of degrees.

[Independent Administrative Organization: Center for National University Finance]
The present Center for National University Finance will become an independent corporation. The major mission will remain the financing of facilities’ costs.

[Independent Administrative Organization: National Institute of Multimedia Education (presently an inter-university research facility)]
The present National Institute of Multimedia Education, inter-university research facility, will become an independent corporation. It is unique that this institution will not be part of the inter-university research facilities, but will become totally independent. Major mission will remain the promotion of e-learning.

[AS OF JULY 2003]
Universities merged [Source: MEXT]:
1. Tsukuba University & Tsukuba University of Library
2. Yamanashi University & Yamanashi Medical University

[AS OF APRIL 1, 2004]
Universities to be merged by March 31, 2004 [Source: MEXT]:
1. Fukui University & Fukui Medical University
2. Tokyo University of Mercantile Marine & Tokyo University of Fisheries
3. Kobe University & Kobe University of Mercantile Marine
4. Shimane University & Shimane Medical University
5. Kagawa University & Kagawa Medical University
6. Kochi University & Kochi Medical School
7. Kyushu University & Kyushu University of Design
8. Saga University & Saga Medical School
9. Ooita University & Ooita Medical University
10. Miyazaki University & Miyazaki Medical College

• National Institute of Japanese Literature
• National Museum of Japanese History
• International Research Center for Japanese Studies
• National Museum of Japanese Ethnology, Osaka, Japan
• Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

• National Institute of Informatics
• The Institute of Statistical Mathematics
• National Institute of Polar Research
• National Institute of Genetics

• National Institute for Fusion Science
• National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Okazaki National Research Institutes

• High Energy Accelerator Research Organization

Note: Whereas the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) is presently one of the inter-university research facilities, it will be incorporated into JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploratory Agency) which will become an independent administrative organization. Thus ISAS will not be counted as one of the inter-university research facilities. Also the National Institute of Multimedia Education will become an independent administrative organization and whereas it is presently one of the inter-university research facilities, it will not be counted as one of them.

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