NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
TOKYO REGIONAL OFFICE

January 5, 2006

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 #06-01

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

S&T-related Budget for JFY2006
- Quick Summary -

Following the budget requests submitted by the agencies/ministries at the end of August 2005, CSTP (Council for the Science and Technology Policy) reviewed and ranked the requests (http://www.nsftokyo.org/rm05-05.html). Based on the rating, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) reviewed the requests and decided the almost-final figures for JFY2006 budget, and CSTP made it public on December 27, 2005. Very small modifications will be made toward the end of March 2006. The total S&T-related budget for JFY2005 is Yen 3,573.3 billion (ca. $31.3 billion @Yen 114/$), a decrease of 0.1 percent over the previous yearfs S&T-related budget. Of this amount, the S&T Promotion budget was increased to Yen 1,331.2 billion and it was an increase by 1.1 percent from the previous year. Under the circumstances that the non-S&T budgets will be decreased by 1.9 percent in average, this is a big increase, which epitomizes the governmentfs high expectation in the future of S&T. Overall, a decrease by 0.1 percent means that the S&T-related budgets will have the same level of funding in JFY2006 as in the previous year.

Table 1 shows the S&T-related budget by ministry/agency for JFY2006, together with the figures for JFY2005 and increase/decrease percentages. Also, Table 2 shows the final figure for each project. The fact that the budgets for S-ranked projects increased by 15.7 percent, A-ranked projects by 1.9 percent, B-ranked by -2.6 percent and C-ranked by -30.3 percent shows that the CSTP-rating was well reflected in the review process by MOF.

Another feature of the S&T-related budgets for JFY2006 is that CSTP has rated the projects to meet the Third S&T Basic Plan as it will be the first year of the Plan (JFY2006-2010). While the Plan is still being worked out for details and will be finalized in March 2006, CSTP released a draft of the Plan and its summary will be reported in the next TRM. To be noteworthy is that it was confirmed on December 27, 2005 that the target S&T-related budget amount for the next five years is Yen 25 trillion.

Table 1.

S&T-related Budget by Ministry/Agency - JFY2005

(Unit: Billion Yen)

@

S&T-related Budgets 2005 (Yen Billion)

S&T-related Budgets 2006 (Yen Billion)

Increase/Decrease (%)

MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

2,305.6

2,303.7

-0.1

METI: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

590.7

558.1

-5.5

Defense Agency

144.6

183.6

27.0

MHLW: Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare

129.1

130.8

1.3

MAFF: Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries

119.1

120.5

1.1

MLIF: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation

83.0

78.2

-5.7

MIC: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

82.8

74.9

-9.5

Cabinet Secretariat

62.5

61.2

-2.0

MOE: Ministry of Environment

29.2

28.7

-1.6

Cabinet Office

13.7

15.8

15.6

MOFA: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

10.9

11.0

0.5

MOJ: Ministry of Justice

2.2

2.1

-3.7

Police Agency

2.2

2.1

-1.1

Diet

1.0

1.1

4.2

TOTAL:

3,577.9

3,573.3

-0.1

@

Table 2. MOF-approved Budgets for CSTP-ranked S&T projects ? JFY2006

Ministry

JFY2006 Budget

JFY2006 Request

JFY2005 Budget

PROJECT

 @

Yen Million

Yen Million

Yen Million

BASIC SCIENCE (UNIVERSITIES)

@ @ @

A

COE Program in the 21st Century

MEXT

37,800

40,163

38,171

S

Private University Education and Research (for those items that require review, e.g., research funds)

MEXT

48,822

54,348

54,016

B

Private University Education and Research (for those items that do not require review, e.g., facilities, items that can be counted by the number of students or faculty members)

MEXT

117,001

117,664

114,797

BASIC SCIENCE (PHYSICS/ASTRONOMY)

 @ @ @ @

A

ALMA

MEXT

2,924

2,924

2,817

A

Establishment of operation system of SPring-8

MEXT

7,053

7,340

7,567

A

High intensity proton accelerator for Nutrino, Material/Life Science experimental use

MEXT

24,116

24,536

20,620

B

High intensity proton accelerator for other uses than above

MEXT

5,887

6,486

4447

LIFE SCIENCE

 @ @ @ @

GENOME

B

Projects for materializing tailor-made medical care

MEXT

3,130

3,348

3,164

A

Genome network project

MEXT

2,310

2,465

2,315

B

Protein 3000 project

MEXT

8,604

9,244

9,771

S

Protein analyses basic technology development

MEXT

1,150

1,150

0

C

Comparative genome analyses project

MEXT

0

124

0

S

Comprehensive database project

MEXT

290

300

0

B

Pharmacogenomics [Competitive funds]

MHLW

480

677

564

C

Bio-information transmitting molecule analyses [Competitive funds]

MHLW

0

1,100

0

C

Toxicogenomics [partly competitive funds]

MHLW

805

1,381

1,150

B

Disease-related protein analyses

MHLW

562

662

661

A

Agriculture/forests/fisheries-related comprehensive genome database

MAFF

275

463

0

Regenerative medical care/Genetic treatment

A

Materialization of regenerative medical care

MEXT

1,077

1,112

1,110

B

Human genome/regenerative medical care (regenerative medical care) [Competitive funds]

MHLW

837

1,225

985

B

Human genome/regenerative medical care (Human genome/genetic treatment) [Partly competitive funds]

MEXT

2,012

2,167

962

Cancer, Allergy/immunity disease, life-style caused disease

A

Small-scale heavy ion radiation facilities

MEXT

1,025

1,025

0

B

Cancer translational research

MEXT

900

962

960

A

Comprehensive research on life-style caused diseases, including cardiovascular diseases [Competitive funds]

MHLW

2,385

2,586

2,254

S

Third anti-cancer comprehensive strategic research [Competitive funds]

MHLW

5,528

6,060

4,865

A

Cancer research grants

MHLW

1,803

1,850

1,850

B

Comprehensive research on longevity science

MHLW

1,582

2,155

2,077

A

Hard-to-cure diseases research [Competitive funds]

NHLW

2,398

2,563

2,239

A

Prevention/treatment of immune allergy diseases [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,220

1,589

1,140

A

Comprehensive rsearch on children in families (newly expanded resaerch) [Competitive funds]

MHLW

210

400

0

B

Comprehensive research on children in families (continuing resaerch) [Competitive funds]

MHLW

448

645

645

Mental, Brain Research

A

Mental health science research [Competitive funds]

MHLW

2,223

2,287

2,037

New/Recurring Infectious Diseases, Medical Safety

A

Center for studying new/recurring infectious diseases [Competitive funds]

MEXT

2,600

2,700

2,299

C

Promotion of international cooperation for social security/strengthening network for managing international health crisis [Partly competitive funds]

MHLW

77

134

110

S

AIDS/hepatitis/new and recurring infectious diseases [Competitive funds]

MHLW

5,432

5,647

4,527

A

Comprehensive research on policy-oriented pharmaceuticals [Competitive funds]

MHLW

2,139

2,528

1,997

B

Comprehensive research on medical safety/medical technology evaluation [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,317

1,878

1,432

Food supply. Food security/safety

A

Risk analyses of food and pharmaceutical products [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,448

1,695

1,352

A

Development of Japanese-style technology for life stock feed

MAFF

545

900

0

A

Development of technology for stable supply of low-cost and good-quality agricultural products

MAFF

508

800

0

A

Advancing agriculture/forests/fisheries research by using frontier technologies [Competitive funds]

MAFF

4,872

7,816

3,823

B

Designated experimental research

MAFF

1,003

1,050

1,068

C

Agriculture/Forests/Fisheries: Research on food in industries

MAFF

988

2,927

1,425

B

Agro-bio research and industrialization

MAFF

962

2,832

982

B

Highly functional food and safety/reliability of food

MAFF

844

1,628

934

Risk evaluation of Pharmaceuticals and foods

B

Pharmaceuticals/medical equipment regulatory science [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,086

1,466

1,278

S

Safety for recombinant DNA and other frontier technologies

MAFF

596

599

523

Production of Useful Materials and Their Relation to Environment

B

Analyses of soil bacteria

MAFF

141

200

0

Interdisciplinary Area and Medical Equipment

B

Molecular imaging research [Competitive funds]

MEXT

1,001

1,165

1,147

B

Analyses of body functions and development of supporting equipment [partly competitive funds]

MHLW

946

1,318

1,113

Treatment/Clinical Research

B

Clinical application of basic research results [Competitive funds]

MHLW

854

1,191

1,004

B

Clinical research for children's diseases [Competitive funds]

MHLW

159

315

223

A

Promotion of clinical experiments [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,180

1,514

1,082

A

Establishment of infrastructure for clinical research [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,081

1,081

0

Bio Genetic Resources

A

National Bio Resource Project

MEXT

1,630

1,670

1,668

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 @ @ @ @

Ubiquitous/Electronic Tag

A

R&D on ubiquitous network

MIC

2,098

2,400

2,608

C

Information technology for ubiquitous network society

MIC

0

600

330

B

Electronic tag technology development

METI

425

500

Part of 3,100

A

Identification experiment for electronic tag

METI

523

550

Part of 3,100

Network

A

Next-generation backbone

MIC

1,799

2,100

2,000

B

Advanced use of e-life

MIC

125

250

0

A

Advanced joint use of electric wave in mobile communication system

MIC

3,426

Part of 16,418

3,254

A

Shift of wireless system to yet-to-be-used frequency areas

MIC

2,150

Part of 16,418

2,058

B

Radar in narrow band areas

MIC

611

Part of 16,418

781

B

Good use of FPU frequency

MIC

0

Part of 16,418

0

B

Joint use of frequency via satellite communication system

MIC

368

Part of 16,418

0

B

Wavelength Division Multiplexing Satellite communication technology

MIC

170

Part of 16,418

0

A

Infrastructure of e-life

MIC

1,816

1,950

1,500

Information Security

S

Prevention of cyber attacks, including spam mail and phishing

MIC

982

1,250

0

A

Detection/recovery/prevention of route hijacking

MIC

200

300

0

B

Autonomous control of electronic data

MIC

0

180

0

B

Detection of super high-speed/high-precision cyber attack

MIC

0

120

0

A

Early-stage caution of computer security

METI

1,332

1,880

882

B

Industrial and individual security countermeasures

METI

1,051

1,903

920

Software

B

e-society software

MEXT

905

1,034

1,034

Robot

C

Elucidation of high-level dialogue mechanism

MEXT

0

158

0

S

Commercialization of service robots

METI

420

420

0

Large-scale/High-speed calculation

A

R&D for future supercomputing

MEXT

1,308

1,391

1,454

S

Innovative simulation software

MEXT

1,160

1,160

1,160

Electric Device

B

Materialization of world advanced IT nation

MEXT

1,148

1,420

1,596

B

Next-generation high-speed communication equipment

METI

2,095

2,619

2,619

Others

A

Strategic information communication [Competitive funds]

MIC

3,209

3,400

3,181

A

Fostering of leading IT specialists

MEXT

630

1,000

0

B

Personnel fostering for advanced simulation by industry/university/government

MEXT

0

200

0

C

IT basic technology

METI

0

200

0

B

Comprehensive research information infrastructure to promote industry/university/government cooperation

MAFF

0

462

0

ENVIRONMENT

 @ @ @ @

Sustainable society, Compatibility of environment and economy

 @

B

Coexistance of man/nature/earth: Japan Model

MEXT

2,026

2,371

2,097

C

Coexistance of man/nature/earth: Simulation of water environment

MEXT

984

1,196

1,216

B

Risk analyses of food and pharmaceutical products [Competitive funds]

MHLW

1,586

2,263

1,866

A

Evaluation of global warming effects on agriculture/forests/fisheries

MAFF

462

597

402

B

Underground confinement of CO2

METI

1,200

1,380

950

B

CO2 molecular gate membrane

METI

102

120

0

C

Recycling technologies for platinum group metals

METI

0

200

0

A

Recovering tideland along major cities' coastal areas

MLIT

13

15

26

S

Evaluation and countermeasures for heat environment in urban areas

MILT

157

158

170

C

Effect of soil/underground water pollution to water areas

MILT

0

40

0.1

C

Save-energy type cities, using already existing urban facilities

MLIT

0

244

0

A

Research grant for waste disposal [Competitive funds]

ME

1,300

1,650

1,150

Biomass

A

Safety measures to cope with new technologies and new materials

MIC

85

90

76

A

Bio-recycle of agriculture/forests/fisheries

MAFF

1,236

1,395

1,395

A

Countermeasures for global warming [Competitive funds]

ME

Part of 2,716

Part of 2,714

Part of 2,676

Earth Observation

S

Comprehensive earth observation/monitoring system: data compilation/analyses system

MEXT

354

600

0

A

Comprehensive earth observation/monitoring system: green house effect gas observation satellite (GOSAT)

MEXT

5,427

5,427

2,801

B

Comprehensive earth observation/monitoring system: Precipitation observation (GPM/DPR)

MEXT

781

1,501

754

B

Comprehensive earth observation/monitoring system: Global environment change observation mission (GCOM)

MEXT

677

1,495

Out of operation-al funds from the Gov. funds 592

B

Global observation system [Competitive funds]

MEXT

849

1,219

1,017

A

Antarctic observation

MEXT

10,097

13,393

7,933

S

Global change monitoring/evaluation network

ME

300

400

0

Others

B

Prediction and reduction of damage to wild animals by agriculture/forests/fisheries businesses

MAFF

0

132

0

B

Research cooperation to developing countries

METI

1,415

2,008

1,484

S

Comprehensive promotion of global environment research [Competitive funds]

ME

3,256

4,326

3,015

A

Environment technology development [Competitive funds]

ME

881

1,369

815

B

Experimental research, including pollution prevention

ME

1,048

1,233

1,233

NANOTECHNOLOGY/MATERIALS

 @ @ @ @

Materials

A

Nanotech fire-protection clothes for fire fighting

MIC

13

21

0

A

Evaluation of new structure buildings, using innovative structural materials, including highly intensive steel

MLIT

131

132

139

B

Building of new structure system, using innovative structural materials

MLIT

200

200

0

Interdisciplinary Area

A

New interdisciplinary areas, using nanotechnology/materials (new budgets) [Competitive funds]

MEXT

558

741

0

B

New interdisciplinary areas, using nanotechnology/materials (Continuing budgets) [Competitive funds]

MEXT

1,450

1,450

1,450

Measurement/Processing

B

Nanotechnology Center

MHLW

2,034

2,192

2,393

Nano Biotechnology

S

Nano medicine [Partly competitive funds]

1,646

2,153

1,416
@

ENERGY

 @ @ @ @

Nuclear Energy

A

ITER

MEXT

1,401

2,768

2,546

B

Nuclear energy system [Competitive funds]

MEXT

6,267

12,524

12,145

B

Nuclear energy experiments

MEXT

1,273

1,439

1,463

C

Innovative nuclear energy system

MEXT

1,301

2,980

4,232

A

Full MOX core facilities

METI

3,800

4,000

3,980

A

Centrifuge uranium condensation

METI

2,907

3,060

1,409

B

Innovative technologies for commercializing nuclear energy [Competitive funds]

METI

1,900

2,183

2,183

C

Quick maintenance of nuclear energy generation facilities

METI

0

515

0

A

Investigation of disposal of radioactive wastes in soil

METI

3,183

3,386

3,682

Use of Hydrogen/Fuel Cell

A

Verification of fuel cell system

METI

1,306

1,375

0

S

Frontier science for fuel cell

METI

1,200

1,200

1,000

B

Countermeasures for global warming [Competitive funds]

ME

Part of 2,716

Part of 2,714

Part of 2,676

Others

S

Save-energy and environment-friendly solar energy generation system

METI

250

250

0

C

Advanced technology development, including oil refinement

METI

2,900

3,400

3,800

B

Advanced use of future-type fuel

METI

1,224

1,360

1,360

A

Oil fuel: next-generation environment countermeasures

METI

1,283

1,350

1,420

B

Oil refinement: merging advanced functions

METI

5,250

6,000

0

A

Integrated coal gastification combined cycle

METI

7,000

7,491

8,191

B

Environment-friendly fuel conversion technology

METI

2,025

2,200

3,332

B

Methane hydrate development

METI

3,981

5,000

3,981
@

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

 @ @ @ @

None that is eligible to be rated

@

SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

 @ @ @ @

Terror Attack

B

Damage simulation program

CS

46

105

46

A

Detection of explosives used for international terror attack

PA

30

30

33

A

Detection of Bio terror attack

PA

50

50

34

A

Countermeasures for terror attack to transportation system

MLIT

18

20

9

Crime

S

3-dimensional face image

PA

18

18

0

B

New method for identifying speakers

PA

31

35

0

A

Analyses of linkage of series of crimes

PA

8

8

0

A

Advanced profiling system by DNA analyses

PA

29

29

30

B

New detection guidelines for crimes by foreigners in Japan

PA

19

22

24

B

Pill-type drug profiling

PA

11

13

43

C

Prevention of juvenile delinquencies and support to the victims

PA

14

20

23

Safety Countermeasures/Fire Fighting

C

Cognitive science on drivers' information processing capabilities

PA

18

25

20

B

Fire fighting/disaster prevention science [Competitive funds]

PA

350

390

370

B

Cost reduction/safety security of airport by preventive maintenance

MLIT

14

17

16

Earthquake Disaster

S

Earthquake/Tsunami observation/monitoring system

MEXT

1,842

2,583

0

B

Crust movement monitoring, using GPS

MLIT

0

34

0

Aviation

B

Structural materials for next-generation airplanes

METI

850

1,000

850

Maintenance/Management

A

Appropriate management of sewer pipes

MLIT

25

44

0

FRONTIER

 @ @ @ @

Quazi-Zenith Satellite System

B

Quazi-zenith satellite system

MIC

1,203

1,670

2,393

B

Next-generation satellite project

METI

1,583

1,720

1,537

B

High-precision measurement by quazi-zenith satellite

MLIT

362

362

368

International Space Station

B

International space station plan: JEM, HTV

MEXT

24,721

21,589

21,585

C

International space station plan: Centrifuge

MEXT

1,600

7,798

11,691

Others

A

Remote sensing technology

METI

1,821

2,020

2,006

HUMAN LITERATURE/SOCIAL SCIENCE

 @ @ @

@

A

Comprehensive promotion of local area research

MEXT

259

371

0

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (ONLY THOSE NOT CITED ON OTHER CATEGORIES)

 @ @ @ @

S

Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research: Fostering young researchers [Competitive funds]

MEXT

132,390

137,510

130,990

A

Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research: Any other than "Fostering young researchers" [Competitive funds]

MEXT

57,110

57,490

57,010

S

Coordination funds for promoting S&T: New programs [Competitive funds]

MEXT

9,000

9,000

0

A

Coordination funds for promoting S&T: Continuing programs [Competitive funds]

MEXT

30,800

31,960

39,500

B

Administrative policy research: comprehensive study on policy science [Competitive funds]

MHLW

588

779

686
@

FOSTERING OF S&T PERSONNEL

 @ @ @ @

S

Science education facilities

MEXT

1,298

1,400

1,298

A

"Attractive graduate school education" initiative

MEXT

4,200

4,444

3,000

A

Career paths for S&T personnel: establishment of models by related organizations

MEXT

370

367

0

C

Career paths for S&T personnel: information to be provided by the government

MEXT

0

379

0

B

Strengthening provision of S&T information to other Asian countries

MEXT

0

109

0

A

Fostering core staff for industry/university/government cooperation

METI

2,836

3,112

2,374

INDUSTRY/UNIVERSITY/GOVERNMENT COOPERATION

 @ @ @ @

B

Advancement of industry/university/government cooperation

MEXT

1,004

1,150

1,149

B

Strategic use of frontier large-scale research facilities

MEXT

1,106

1,307

1,300

A

Support for challenges by medium- and small-size companies/venture companies

METI

2,962

3,318

3,843

PROMOTION OF LOCAL S&T

 @ @ @ @

S

Independent administrative organization: Okinawa Institute of S&T Promotion Corporation

CAO

3,530

6,016

605

S

Intellectual cluster formation: Expansion and matching of industry/university/government cooperation in urban areas

MEXT

2,022

2,600

0

B

Intellectual cluster formation: Continuing programs and industry/university/government cooperation in urban areas

MEXT

11,800

13,700

13,600

A

New consortium in local areas: continuing programs

MEXT

13,586

13,586

13,586

B

New consortium in local areas: expansion

MEXT

2,706

8,660

0

B

New industy creation in local areas

METI

5,144

6,981

6,381

B

New business-support network in expanded areas

METI

1,931

1,931

1,931

UNIVERSITY FACILITIES

 @ @ @ @

S

Improvement of university facilities: S&T-related facilities

MEXT

27,725

16,857

16,146

A

Improvement of university facilities: establishment of excellent research facilities

MEXT

8,253

4,362

4,690

B

Improvement of university facilities: university-attached hospitals that runs frontier medical care

MEXT

5,552

24,016

24,200

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT

 @ @ @ @

B

Standardization in information technology area

MIC

76

90

90

A

University intellectual property centers

MEXT

2,585

2,650

2,649

A

Promotion of university-born technology transfer

METI

612

700

894

A

Strategies for international standardization activities

METI

1,765

2,009

1,695

@

[Reference] New large-scale projects that were decided to be funded by preliminary evaluation and not by CSTPfs rating

Ministry

JFY2006 Budget

JFY2006 Request

JFY2005 Budget

PROJECT

Yen Million

Yen Million

Yen Million

Basic Research

X-ray free-electron laser

MEXT

2,306

3,293

0

Information Technology

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MEXT

3,547

4,051

0

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Advancement of strategic basic technologies

METI

6,401

9,200

0

Abbreviations:
MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
METI: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
MAFF: Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries
MLIT: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation
MHLW: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
MOE: Ministry of Environment
MIC: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
CAO: Cabinet Office
PA: Police Agency
CS: Cabinet Secretariat

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