Conclusion: Understanding Japan’s Innovation Strategies

The study of comparative national innovation strategics presents formidable challenges. In this book, we have described a wide variety of government, corporate and academic initiatives designed to advance Japan’s competitive position and to create the foundations for a 21st century economy. The individual initiatives — from massive science cities to pet robots and the mobile Internet revolution — are fascinating but far from definitive proof that Japan is, indeed, the most innovative nation in the world. Statistics on government and corporate expenditures on research and development are instructive but only part of a complex story. So, too, is the substantial revamping of the Japanese university system, and the domestic use of mobile internet. Major commitments to basic science research show that Japan is hedging its bets on the future directions of science and is, more aggressively than other countries, exploring the commercial possibilities of nanotechnology and biotechnology. It is an important, and even impressive, account of a nation’s zeal of science and technology-based innovation, but does not necessarily outline an assured plan of Japanese economic success in the coming decades.