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# ASTP User Survey Now Underway #
- Please take a few minutes to help us improve this Portal (click here)
[Opinion] Asian Miracle and Japanese Strategy: The Case of Clean Energy
From Japan On Oct. 13, 2011
Ichiro Sakata, Ph.D.
Professor, Policy Alternatives Research Institute and Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo
International Cooperation to Address Climate Change and Energy Security
An innovation model is required which provides a solution to climate change, sustainable economic growth and social development. The development and extensive use of efficient and inexpensive clean energy is the key to innovation.
The term ‘clean energy’ is widely used to mean environmentally friendly energy technologies. It includes renewable sources of energy, more efficient and effective use of existing energy resources, conservation and demand response, and related technologies. Solar cells and fuel cells are typical examples of emerging technologies in renewable energy, and the efficient and effective use of energy resources, respectively.
Governments are accelerating the introduction of schemes that provide incentives for the development of technology, such as the feed- in tariff (FIT), the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and subsidies for the introduction of equipment needed for new energy. They are also scaling up support for advanced research. These social demands and policies are accelerating clean energy research in academia, resulting in rapid growth in the number of research papers.
Climate change and energy security are common global issues. Advanced technologies and markets for the products of current technologies which tackle these problems are spread throughout the world. Modern technology is increasingly complex and demands an ever-widening range of knowledge and skills. No single country possesses all the knowledge and skills required. In addition to the commitment of each country, collaboration between leading countries with a high level of science and industrial technology is important to promptly and efficiently address the problem.
Previous studies have shown that a high level of collaboration is correlated with the high production of research papers. In fact, more than 6,000 research institutions and 100 countries have been involved in research activities in solar and fuel cells. Momentum toward international collaboration is growing among international organizations including the OECD and APEC.
The idea behind Japan’s own New Growth Strategy sits squarely in the middle of this global trend, and may be considered an approach designed to help Japan gain status by taking the lead in contributing to this trend. Gone is the era in which “industrial policy” symbolized Japan’s heterogeneity.
Are there any key points that have been overlooked in Japan’s strategy? Let us study this question with a focus on science and technology.
Asian Miracle
In recent years, dramatic advances have been made in research competency in many countries where conditions are right. In the clean energy field, an "innovation cycle" has emerged with social demands for certain policies that enhance the knowledge base, ultimately leading to an increased level of social attention and the further strengthening of policies. It is also clear that latecomers, such as China, South Korea, India and Taiwan, are able to catch-up with leading countries by implementing appropriate policies.
Measuring the research competency of each country by the accumulated number of scientific papers (1945-2009 Sep.), China ranks second and Korea ranks fifth in the number of papers on fuel cells (Figure 1), while China ranks fourth and India ranks fifth in solar cell research (Figure 2). The data also shows a rapid surge in the number of papers published in China.
Figure1. Numbers of papers and co-authorship rate of five major countries in the fuel cell (Right axis: Co-authorship rate, Left axis: Number of scientific papers)
Figure2. Numbers of papers and co-authorship rate of five major countries in the solar cell
Taking a broader global perspective, the rise of Asian countries has established a balanced “tri-polar knowledge structure” between North America, Europe and Asia. Asia has now become a global growth center for science and technology knowledge as well. At the beginning of this century Japan boasted an overwhelming presence within Asia as part of a tri-polar structure comprising North America, Europe and Japan, but the 21st century has redrawn the geopolitical map of science and technology capabilities.
At the same time, a “valley” of collaboration has been identified in Asia in the international research collaboration network. This is partly because Asia lacks a powerful policy for facilitating regional research collaboration similar to those implemented extensively by the EU.
Japan’ Standpoint – Creation of an “Asian S&T Community”
How should this situation be assessed from Japan’s standpoint? What strategy issues does it present?
First, it should be recognized that Japan’s strategy of retaining high value-added research and original factory functions in Japan and only pursuing divisions of labor with Asia is fated to collapse sooner or later due to the rapid rise in the scientific and technical capabilities of China, South Korea and India. Steps will need to be taken to realize the more difficult objective of Japan acquiring added value within a more complex structure that includes basic upstream research.
Next, neglecting the “valley” in cooperation with Asia will mean failing to incorporate Asia’s strengths in the development of innovative new products. Cooperative relations affected centrifugally will likely steer international negotiations aimed at acquiring markets for new products or international standards in disadvantageous directions. Policy intervention is also needed here to quickly bridge this “valley.”
As a solution, I propose that the creation of an “Asian Science and Technology Community” be incorporated into Japan’s growth strategy. Prerequisite to this, of course, is that Japan faces up to the growing scientific and technological capabilities of the previously mentioned countries as well as other growing countries. Outdated perceptions of these countries from three or five years ago should be cast aside.
In addition, a shift should be made from “vertical cooperation” centered on technology transfers to “horizontal cooperation” aimed at resolving common issues. Cooperation with Asia does indeed constitute a key feature in the current new economic growth strategy, but the countries of Asia, despite their differing circumstances, tend to be lumped together and conventional vertical cooperation remains a dominant theme. With little time left, we need to be bolder in changing tracks.
Conclusions
Clean energy is the most promising technology for sustainable growth. The development of clean energy requires a considerable amount of R&D expenditure and various core technologies, and therefore, collaborative international research is necessary for prompt and efficient development.
The author attended the APEC Conference on Innovation, Trade, & Technology: The Benefits of Getting it Right (19-20 Sep., 2011) and proposed the formation of a platform for supporting open innovation in the APEC region as well as the reform of institutional settings toward pro-innovation.
From Japan On Oct. 13, 2011
Ichiro Sakata, Ph.D.
Professor, Policy Alternatives Research Institute and Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo
International Cooperation to Address Climate Change and Energy Security
An innovation model is required which provides a solution to climate change, sustainable economic growth and social development. The development and extensive use of efficient and inexpensive clean energy is the key to innovation.
The term ‘clean energy’ is widely used to mean environmentally friendly energy technologies. It includes renewable sources of energy, more efficient and effective use of existing energy resources, conservation and demand response, and related technologies. Solar cells and fuel cells are typical examples of emerging technologies in renewable energy, and the efficient and effective use of energy resources, respectively.
Governments are accelerating the introduction of schemes that provide incentives for the development of technology, such as the feed- in tariff (FIT), the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and subsidies for the introduction of equipment needed for new energy. They are also scaling up support for advanced research. These social demands and policies are accelerating clean energy research in academia, resulting in rapid growth in the number of research papers.
Climate change and energy security are common global issues. Advanced technologies and markets for the products of current technologies which tackle these problems are spread throughout the world. Modern technology is increasingly complex and demands an ever-widening range of knowledge and skills. No single country possesses all the knowledge and skills required. In addition to the commitment of each country, collaboration between leading countries with a high level of science and industrial technology is important to promptly and efficiently address the problem.
Previous studies have shown that a high level of collaboration is correlated with the high production of research papers. In fact, more than 6,000 research institutions and 100 countries have been involved in research activities in solar and fuel cells. Momentum toward international collaboration is growing among international organizations including the OECD and APEC.
The idea behind Japan’s own New Growth Strategy sits squarely in the middle of this global trend, and may be considered an approach designed to help Japan gain status by taking the lead in contributing to this trend. Gone is the era in which “industrial policy” symbolized Japan’s heterogeneity.
Are there any key points that have been overlooked in Japan’s strategy? Let us study this question with a focus on science and technology.
Asian Miracle
In recent years, dramatic advances have been made in research competency in many countries where conditions are right. In the clean energy field, an "innovation cycle" has emerged with social demands for certain policies that enhance the knowledge base, ultimately leading to an increased level of social attention and the further strengthening of policies. It is also clear that latecomers, such as China, South Korea, India and Taiwan, are able to catch-up with leading countries by implementing appropriate policies.
Measuring the research competency of each country by the accumulated number of scientific papers (1945-2009 Sep.), China ranks second and Korea ranks fifth in the number of papers on fuel cells (Figure 1), while China ranks fourth and India ranks fifth in solar cell research (Figure 2). The data also shows a rapid surge in the number of papers published in China.
Figure1. Numbers of papers and co-authorship rate of five major countries in the fuel cell (Right axis: Co-authorship rate, Left axis: Number of scientific papers)
Figure2. Numbers of papers and co-authorship rate of five major countries in the solar cell
Taking a broader global perspective, the rise of Asian countries has established a balanced “tri-polar knowledge structure” between North America, Europe and Asia. Asia has now become a global growth center for science and technology knowledge as well. At the beginning of this century Japan boasted an overwhelming presence within Asia as part of a tri-polar structure comprising North America, Europe and Japan, but the 21st century has redrawn the geopolitical map of science and technology capabilities.
At the same time, a “valley” of collaboration has been identified in Asia in the international research collaboration network. This is partly because Asia lacks a powerful policy for facilitating regional research collaboration similar to those implemented extensively by the EU.
Japan’ Standpoint – Creation of an “Asian S&T Community”
How should this situation be assessed from Japan’s standpoint? What strategy issues does it present?
First, it should be recognized that Japan’s strategy of retaining high value-added research and original factory functions in Japan and only pursuing divisions of labor with Asia is fated to collapse sooner or later due to the rapid rise in the scientific and technical capabilities of China, South Korea and India. Steps will need to be taken to realize the more difficult objective of Japan acquiring added value within a more complex structure that includes basic upstream research.
Next, neglecting the “valley” in cooperation with Asia will mean failing to incorporate Asia’s strengths in the development of innovative new products. Cooperative relations affected centrifugally will likely steer international negotiations aimed at acquiring markets for new products or international standards in disadvantageous directions. Policy intervention is also needed here to quickly bridge this “valley.”
As a solution, I propose that the creation of an “Asian Science and Technology Community” be incorporated into Japan’s growth strategy. Prerequisite to this, of course, is that Japan faces up to the growing scientific and technological capabilities of the previously mentioned countries as well as other growing countries. Outdated perceptions of these countries from three or five years ago should be cast aside.
In addition, a shift should be made from “vertical cooperation” centered on technology transfers to “horizontal cooperation” aimed at resolving common issues. Cooperation with Asia does indeed constitute a key feature in the current new economic growth strategy, but the countries of Asia, despite their differing circumstances, tend to be lumped together and conventional vertical cooperation remains a dominant theme. With little time left, we need to be bolder in changing tracks.
Conclusions
Clean energy is the most promising technology for sustainable growth. The development of clean energy requires a considerable amount of R&D expenditure and various core technologies, and therefore, collaborative international research is necessary for prompt and efficient development.
The author attended the APEC Conference on Innovation, Trade, & Technology: The Benefits of Getting it Right (19-20 Sep., 2011) and proposed the formation of a platform for supporting open innovation in the APEC region as well as the reform of institutional settings toward pro-innovation.