ABSTRACT
The increasing importance of five, non-Japanese Asian powers in economically vital sci-tech fields is documented. The hitech and biotech output of these countries is analyzed for 1985–1987. Substantial differences in the nationality of journals chosen by authors from the individual countries are noted. Publications from professional societies and from competing for-profit houses hold sway over one another in ways that are characteristic of the given Asian country under study. The variations are predictable, and reflect individual national histories. On a broader geopolitical scale, it is clear that soon-to-merge Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China differ greatly on authorship in cosmopolitan outlets. Further, there is very little chance that a Japanese-led Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere journals movement akin to the Eurojournals movement is likely to soon develop. It is nonetheless possible to plan one collection strategy in hitech areas and another in biotech areas in a way that takes into account the more important idiosyncracies of individual Asian nations. Fortunately for hard-pressed library budgets, many of the most suitable titles are already likely to be in Western collections.
