NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
TOKYO REGIONAL OFFICE
January 07, 2004
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.
Report Memorandum #04-01
THIRD BUSINESS-ACADEMIA-GOVERNMENT SUMMIT
TOKYO, JAPAN; NOVEMBER 17, 2003
The following workshop attendance report was prepared by Dr. Christopher A. Loretz of the National Science Foundation’s Tokyo Regional Office. He can be reached at cloretz@nsf.gov.
The Third Business-Academia-Government Summit was convened in Tokyo on the afternoon of November 17, 2003. The Summit brought together leaders of the Japanese business community, national and local government officers, and many representatives of universities and research institutes for a program of formal presentations and engaging interaction. The stated objective of the Summit series is the enhancement of communication and understanding among these groups, and the translation of that understanding into more effective policies, and the promotion of collaboration in science and technology research and development. The primary sponsors of the Summit were the Cabinet Office, the Ministries of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT), Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Economy Trade and Industry (METI), the Japan Business Federation, and the Science Council of Japan. Altogether, about one thousand attended the event (a number similar to that for the Second Summit in November 2003). The theme for this year’s Summit was identical to last year’s, namely, “Strategies for Business-Academia-Government Collaboration.” Biotechnology and pharmaceutics were central topics.
The Summit opened with formal addresses by representatives of the sponsoring groups. Significantly, the leadership of the Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Toshimitsu Motegi was evident at the opening and throughout the event. The keynote address was delivered by Former Minister of State for S&T Policy Koji Omi, under whose leadership and guidance the Summit series was initiated. In his address, Former Minister Omi highlighted the growing number of university-based intellectual property centers and technology-licensing offices (TLOs) for the handling and management of intellectual property emerging from the academic sector and from extramural collaborations. He also pointed to “Knowledge (Intelligent) Cluster” and “Industrial Cluster” programs, supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), respectively, to promote regional development of S&T research and development and competitiveness. The MEXT Intelligent Cluster Program provides almost US$ 500,000 to each of more than a dozen regions to kindle innovative university-industry-government collaborative research. The METI Industrial Cluster Program will invest about US$ 350 million in 19 regions designated as “industrial clusters” based on existing technological competitiveness. Within the industrial clusters, many companies and other entities are organized into multi-sector collaborative “networks.” In Japan, where venture capital is limited compared with the situation in the U.S., the Cluster Programs may provide critical financial support for riskier projects.
The focus of the Summit, and the prelude to the open panel discussion, was a series of presentations by: Dr. Henry A. McKinnell (Chairman and CEO, Pfizer, Inc.), Dr. Takeshi Sasaki (President, University of Tokyo) and Mr. Etsuhiko Shoyama (President and CEO, Hitachi, Ltd.). Dr. McKinnell, who began his Pfizer career in Japan 35 years ago, discussed the value of partnership in creating breakthroughs in health care. Specifically, he argued for the benefits of expanding “in-house” R&D to a system engaging multiple external partnerships. Using specific examples, he outlined discovery approaches to new medicines that require the screening of thousands of compounds to full development of one product; the process (from discovery to development) might take 1-2 years and cost over US$ 500 million. In Dr. Mckinnell’s view, strategic alliances will increase R&D productivity, speed full product development, and enhance pipeline value of new products. In McKinnell’s view, collaborations become networks of knowledge sharing and benefit all partners to some degree. He noted the importance of the Bayh-Dole Act and of the NIH guidelines for partnerships. Finally, he emphasized the importance of long-term planning, and attention to intellectual property rights and patent protection as part of that planning. Dr. Sasaki and Mr. Shoyama both wove “management of technology” into their presentations, and identified multilateral partnership opportunities of several sorts.
The open panel discussion began with short presentations from experts, including several from the United States: Dr. Lewis T. Williams (Executive Chairman, Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc.), who discussed the essential ingredients for a successful biotech start-up company (initial entrepreneurial concept with rationale for technical-commercial competitive advantage, intellectual property portfolio and effective entrepreneurial team); and Dr. E. Jonathan Soderstrom (Managing Director, Yale University Office of Cooperative Research), who reviews technology licensing and the impacts of Bayh-Dole legislation and tax code changes to favor long-term investment. Mr. Masaharu Shibata (Chairman and CEO, NGK Insulators, Ltd.) spoke strongly in favor of introducing more resources, ideas and researchers to Japan from overseas. Dr. Katsuhiko Shirai (President, Waseda University) discussed the design and implementation of “management of technology” (MOT) and MBA programs targeting technology student audiences. To the credit of the Summit organizers and speakers, many of the arguments on the high value of international multi-sector collaboration used specific American and Japanese company examples. Lively audience discussion followed, with many questions and contributions of personal experiences from researchers and small- and medium-sized business owners.
DECLARATION FROM THE THIRD INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY-GOVERNMENT SUMMIT MEETING (TRANSLATED FROM THE JAPANESE)
As it did last year, the Summit closed with a declaration supporting S&T research in Japan. The itemized points of this year’s declaration were: (1) fostering and securing of S&T-related personnel; (2) support for industry-university-government collaborative R&D and for transfer of basic research results to application; (3) promotion of university reform, focusing on the smooth transition of national universities to independent entities; (4) promotion of S&T in regional and local sectors; (4) strategic protection and active use of IPR, and (5) continued active promotion of industry-university-government collaboration, including a commitment to continuing the Business-Academia-Government Summit meeting series.