Promotion of academia-industry cooperation in Japan - establishing the "law of promoting technology transfer from university to industry" in Japan

Academia-industry cooperation began to attract attention during the recent recession. This is because Japanese universities are expected to make contributions to the Japanese economy and society, especially through the creation of new business and yet they are not making a sufficient contribution to match their potential. The Japanese government implemented, "A Program of Economic Structural Reform", and, "the Science and Technology Basic Law and Basic Plan", in which academia-industry cooperation is given an important position. In April 1998 the Japanese Diet adopted "the Law of Promoting Technology Transfer from University to Industry." Through this law the Japanese government will support academia-industry collaborative R&D and the establishment of Technology Licensing Offices at universities in Japan. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.