ABSTRACT
Despite the acknowledged importance of the relationship between science and industry, only in the last decade or so has the subject of research and development (R&D) been intensively researched by historians. This area is now attracting more attention through national and industry-wide surveys – even monographs on R&D in individual firms – but many facets remain to be explored, especially at a regional level. 1 In the UK and Japan, no comparative studies have looked at R&D; certainly an Anglo-Japanese regional study has never been attempted.
