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Trends in the Number of Patent Applications and Changes in the Curriculum Guidelines in Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Kazuo Nishimura

    (Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration, Kobe University and Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI), JAPAN)

  • Dai Miyamoto

    (Graduate School of Economics, Doshisha University, JAPAN)

  • Tadashi Yagi

    (Graduate School of Economics, Doshisha University, JAPAN)

Abstract

The numbers of published scientific papers and patent applications are indicators of a country's research and development (R&D) capabilities. Since the 2010s, these indicators have declined in Japan. One important factor for this decline is the changes in science and mathematics education provided at schools because education in school can greatly impact the quality of future researchers in science. To examine the impact of the number of class hours in science and mathematics that researchers received in school over the past 50 years, this study analyzed data from two surveys conducted in 2016 and 2020. The results show that there is a decline in the number of patents for the younger generation that cannot be explained by age differences, and it is highly correlated with a decline in the total number of hours of science and math in junior high school. Therefore, a country's educational policies should be implemented only after validating their effects from a long-term perspective because such policies may have unintended negative impacts on the country's economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Kazuo Nishimura & Dai Miyamoto & Tadashi Yagi, 2021. "Trends in the Number of Patent Applications and Changes in the Curriculum Guidelines in Japan," Discussion Paper Series DP2021-02, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    • Handle: RePEc:kob:dpaper:dp2021-02
    as

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    File URL: https://www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp/academic/ra/dp/English/DP2021-02.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2021
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schettino, Francesco & Sterlacchini, Alessandro & Venturini, Francesco, 2013. "Inventive productivity and patent quality: Evidence from Italian inventors," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 1043-1056.
    2. de Rassenfosse, Gaetan & van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, Bruno, 2009. "A policy insight into the R&D-patent relationship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 779-792, June.
    3. Akhmat, Ghulam & Zaman, Khalid & Shukui, Tan & Javed, Yasir & Khan, Muhammad Mushtaq, 2014. "Relationship between educational indicators and research outcomes in a panel of top twenty nations: Windows of opportunity," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 349-361.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Kazuo Nishimura & Dai Miyamoto & Tadashi Yagi, 2022. "Japan’s R&D capabilities have been decimated by reduced class hours for science and math subjects," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Research and development capabilities; Number of patent applications; Science and mathematics education; Number of class hours;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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