National and international dimensions of the Triple Helix in Japan: University–industry–government versus international coauthorship relations

International co‐authorship relations and university–industry–government (Triple Helix) relations have hitherto been studied separately. Using Japanese publication data for the 1981–2004 period, we were able to study both kinds of relations in a single design. In the Japanese file, 1,277,030 articles with at least one Japanese address were attributed to the three sectors, and we know additionally whether these papers were coauthored internationally. Using the mutual information in three and four dimensions, respectively, we show that the Japanese Triple‐Helix system has been continuously eroded at the national level. However, since the mid‐1990s, international coauthorship relations have contributed to a reduction of the uncertainty at the national level. In other words, the national publication system of Japan has developed a capacity to retain surplus value generated internationally. In a final section, we compare these results with an analysis based on similar data for Canada. A relative uncoupling of national university–industry–government relations because of international collaborations is indicated in both countries.