Japan’s declining research power

Yahoo and others report that Japan’s research power is declining. The indices used for evaluation fall every year. The government seems to say that international co-authorship is the weak point. It is disappointing that they do not even seem to know what is actually wrong with Japanese research. Are we supposed to do truly original work by being taught it by the United States or China? In that case the original work is American or Chinese, not a Japanese result. That is obvious.

Our laboratory was also supported this year by crowdfunding, and that already shows that funding is unfortunately not abundant; I am already worried about next year. With a reasonable budget this laboratory could lead and publish many more important results. But when the originality is too high, funding is harder to get. The reasons are critical, so I can say them aloud, but I cannot put them in writing here. Avogadro of Avogadro’s number, and Lavoisier of conservation of mass, were recognized after they died — perhaps that is just how it is.

It is always frustrating, and a pity. But the members of this lab, myself included, are not rotting. We keep facing forward and doing the research.