Japanese research grants for young researchers

摘要

The history of research grants for young scientists in Japan is brief, and it is vital that we understand the conditions faced by young research scientists in Japan as we consider the necessity of upgrading research grants for the future. We used the results of a 2001 survey of scientists in academia, government, and the private sector by the Research Division of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We found that young scientists showed a passive attitude towards competitive grants in public institutions and in the private sector, while each older age group showed an increasingly high awareness of them. Most young scientists in Japan are working under their boss or professor and so do not need to worry about research grants for performing their research. Young scientists in universities showed a relatively positive attitude towards competitive grants. However, over 50% have obtained no grants at all, although they have submitted their own proposals. We should enlarge research grants for young scientists and support them to be independent researchers.