ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at civilian Research and development (R&D) because it contributes to the strength and role of the military R&D sector in Japan. The Government's role in sponsoring certain advanced industrial sectors by providing relatively small financial backing as well as the production-oriented direction of R&D funds accounted for the efficiency of Japan's R&D. However, Japan ranks third in investments in science and technology after the United States and the Soviet Union. In the military R&D sector, the Government exerts its most direct influence through the Technical Research and Development Institute, which is a part of the Defense Agency. The policy has also merit in maintaining and improving the Japanese R&D potential and industrial base concerning equipment. As a rule the Technical R&D Institute focuses on basic R&D up to prototype stage whereas the private sector either continues the R&D process up to production or is involved in deriving a military application from civilian technology.
