Conflict and Cooperation in U.S.-Japanese Science and Technology

Abstract

In the early and mid-1960s, bilateral agreements were signed between Japan and the United States (US) for cooperation in research in basic science, medicine, and natural resources. The US and Japanese governments have long had formal relations in technology. US officials have increasingly demanded that the Japanese give US researchers access to Japanese technology that is equal to that enjoyed by Japanese researchers in the United States. The Science and Technology Agency established the Frontier Research Program in 1986 to promote both basic research and international cooperation. The role of government in Japanese industry, trade, and technology has received widespread attention in the United States, but many authorities conclude that this role is far less important than is commonly assumed. The Science and Technology Agency, a frequent rival to Ministry of International Trade and Industry as government mentor for the development of some new technologies, established a New Superconductor Materials Forum in 1987.