Objections to Japan's system

Article Abstract:

In Japan, there are objections to the current system of awarding grants. Approximately 10 individuals are awarded $1 million in grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture annually. The selection process for awarding these grants is being criticized. Committees screen the applicants and interview the leading candidates. The committee members are not experts in the fields of research that they are reviewing. One candidate thought he received an award because he knew some of the committee members and because his research was internationally recognized. Many of the recipients are older researchers near to retirement age, and it appears they are given the grant award as a 'golden handshake.' Researchers who do not receive the grants are not given an explanation of why they were refused. Hopefully, the system will be revised before grants are awarded again.

Research, Finance, Medical research, Dosage and administration, Grants-in-aid

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Japanese universities are slow to welcome foreign faculty

Article Abstract:

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has appealed for the creation of equal job opportunities for foreign faculty members in national universities. It called for an increase in the number of foreign faculty members and the need to make them permanent employees. Only 0.5 per cent of 37,000 faculty members in Japan's 98 national universities are foreigners because of foreigners' inability to converse in Japanese, and the departmental policy of choosing faculty members from among university students.

International aspects, Alien labor, Foreign labor

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Japan increases share of Human Frontier awards

Article Abstract:

Japanese scientists won the most number of fellowships and the second largest number of grants in the latest round of awards of the Human Science Frontier Program (HSFP). The Strasbourg, France-based HSFP was set up in 1989 at the initiative of Japan, which also provides most of the program's funding. However, only one of 152 postdoctoral fellows from various countries chose to work in Japan, indicating that Japan is the least attractive destination for scientists.

Research institutes, Scientists, Student financial aid

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