From: rick@cs.arizona.edu (Rick Schlichting)
Newsgroups: comp.research.japan
Subject: Kahaner Report: More assorted computer/hi-tech odds and ends
Date: 28 Dec 92 17:14:09 GMT


  [Dr. David Kahaner is a numerical analyst on sabbatical to the 
   Office of Naval Research-Asia (ONR Asia) in Tokyo from NIST.  The 
   following is the professional opinion of David Kahaner and in no 
   way has the blessing of the US Government or any agency of it.  All 
   information is dated and of limited life time.  This disclaimer should 
   be noted on ANY attribution.]

  [Copies of previous reports written by Kahaner can be obtained using
   anonymous FTP from host cs.arizona.edu, directory japan/kahaner.reports.]

To: Distribution
From: 
 David K. Kahaner
 US Office of Naval Research Asia
 (From outside US):  23-17, 7-chome, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106 Japan
 (From within  US):  Unit 45002, APO AP 96337-0007
  Tel: +81 3 3401-8924, Fax: +81 3 3403-9670
  Email: kahaner@cs.titech.ac.jp
Re: More assorted computer/hi-tech odds and ends.
25 Dec 1992
This file is named "misc12a.92"

ABSTRACT. Miscellaneous computer and policy items.

These summaries are a continuation of the collection I distributed last
week, ("misc12.92", 15 Dec 1992), and are being distributed with only
minor editing in an effort to get them read. (Some of these are updates
of items I have reported on before as well, and are translations from
Japanese news sources.) Many thanks to the US Embassy Science Councellor
for parts of this information which I have further edited for electronic
distribution.

1. JAPAN'S EXPENDITURES ON S&T RESEARCH AND TRADE IN FISCAL 1990.
2. AIST TO STRENGTHEN REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY CENTERS IN FISCAL YEAR 1993.
3. JAPANESE CHIP MAKERS TO CHALLENGE US FIRMS IN ASICS.
4. MATSUSHITA,SONY, PHILIPS TO SWAP RIGHTS ON DISC PATENTS.
5. JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DISCOVERS SATELLITES.
6. JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA TO DEVELOP HI-SPEED ISDN.
7. JAPAN JOINS COMPUTER DOWNSIZING TREND.
8. MORE MICROMACHINE ITEMS.
9. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS GROWING OUTSIDE TOKYO.


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1. JAPAN'S EXPENDITURES ON S&T RESEARCH AND TRADE IN FISCAL 1990.

[This report concerns activities more than one year ago, but it will be
very interesting to see how it compares to 1991 figures, a year when
Japan's economic situation has  not nearly been as healthy.]

Summary.  According to a report released by Japan's Management and
Coordination Agency, Japan spent over $100B US on research and
development in Japan's 1990 fiscal year (13T Yen), 10.7% above the
previous year.  Japan's R&D expenditures accounted for 3% of its GNP, a
new record.  The private sector accounted for about $90B US, 82% of
overall R&D expenditures.  Reflecting the growing awareness of the
importance of environmental protection worldwide, expenditures for
environmental protection surged 20.3% over the previous year to 237.8B
Yen.  Japan's exports of technology (receipts from patents and
royalties) increased 3% over the previous year to 339.4B Yen.  Imports
of technologies increased to 372B Yen, 12.7% over the previous year.
Japan's imports of technology from the US were 2.5 times its exports to
the US.

In December 1991, Japan's Management and Coordination Agency released a
report on the country's S&T research during fiscal year 1990.  According
to the report, total expenditures on science and technology research in
amounted to 13.1T Yen, a 10.7% increase from the previous year.
Expenditures in 1990 were 2.5 times higher than in 1980.  Expenditures
on natural science research increased to 12.1T Yen, 92.4% of the total.
(Note.  Expenditures for all studies done by professors in scientific
faculties of universities and by researchers in scientific research
organizations were classified as "expenditures on natural science
research".)  The ratio of S&T research expenditures to GNP in 1990 was
3%, a record high for Japan.

Private companies spent 9.3T Yen (70.9% of total S&T research
expenditures); public and private universities spent 2.3T Yen (17.6%);
and public and private research institutes spent 1.5T Yen (11.6%).
Expenditures of the private sector amounted to 10.7T Yen (82% of total
S&T research expenditures), and those of local and national government,
2.3T Yen (17.9%).  Expenditures of the private sector have increased
more than 10% per year for the past three years.

Of natural science research expenditures in 1990 (12.1T Yen),
expenditures which were spent on only natural science research were
12.0T Yen.  Of these, expenditures on R&D amounted to 7.5T Yen (63.2%).
Expenditures on applied research and basic research were 2.9T Yen
(24.2%) and 1.5T Yen (12.6%) respectively.  Over the previous year,
expenditures on R&D, applied research, and basic research increased
10.6%, 12.3%, and 8.6%.  The subject on which was spent the greatest
amount in fiscal year 1990 was information processing, 1.1T Yen [!!!].
Expenditures on space development increased to 195B Yen, those on
environment protection increased to 238B Yen.  The 20.3% increase from
the previous year in environment protection is the highest increase in
the past ten years.

Receipts for Japan's technology exports amounted to 339B Yen, an
increase of 3% over the previous year.  Payment for imports of
technologies to Japan amounted to 372B Yen, an increase of 12.7%.
Japan's technology imports in 1990 surpassed exports by 33B Yen.
Technology exports to Asia (excluding west Asia) totaled 153B Yen (45.2%
of Japan's total technology exports).  Asia was followed by North
America and Europe.  Technology exports to these regions respectively
were 108B Yen (31.9%) and 62B Yen (18.1%).  Japan's technology imports
from North America amounted to 260B Yen (69.3% of Japan's total
technology imports).  Technology imports from Europe amounted to 113B
Yen (30.3%).  Thus, Japan imports far more technology from North America
and Europe than it exports to those areas of the world.  The tables
below show Japanese technology exports and imports in JFY 1990.


         Value of Japan's Technology Exports in JFY 1990
                     (Unit: billion yen)

Region/country                     Exports (percentage of Japan's total
______________                     exports of technology)______________

Asia                                      153.3  (45.8)
-    Korea                                 46.5  (13.7)
-    Thai                                  24.6  ( 7.2)
-    China                                 22.5  ( 6.6)
-    Singapore                             18.5  ( 5.5)
-    Indonesia                             19.7  ( 5.8)
North America                             108.1  (31.9)
-    US                                    99.5  (29.3)
Europe                                     61.5  (18.1)
-    England                               20.1  ( 5.9)
-    Germany                               11.7  ( 3.4)
Others                                     16.4  ( 4.3)
Total                                     339.4



                Value of Technology Imports in JFY 1990
                      (Unit: billion yen)

Region/country                     Imports (Percentage of Japan's
______________                     total imports of technology)_________

North America                             257.9  (69.3)
-    US                                   255.3  (68.7)
Europe                                    112.8  (30.3)
-    Germany                               27.0  ( 7.3)
-    France                                22.8  ( 6.1)
-    Netherlands                           20.2  ( 5.4)
-    Switzerland                           15.3  ( 4.1)
Others                                      1.3  ( 0.3)
Total                                     371.9


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2. AIST TO STRENGTHEN REGIONAL TECHNOLOGY CENTERS IN FISCAL YEAR 1993.

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry's Agency of Industrial
Science and Technology (AIST), plans to develop new regional technology
policies and strengthen the research functions of the seven Regional
Government Industrial Research Institutes (GIRI) under AIST's umbrella
in fiscal year 1993.  The policies are to correct industrial
overconcentration.  At the same time, the upgrading of unique research
and development (R&D) bases is seen as indispensable to invigorating the
regions.  AIST's aim is to actively develop the various regional
research resources centering on the GIRIs, marshal the public testing
and research institutes (KOHSETSUSHI), third-sector research centers and
private companies to play a guiding role in the regional development,
and link them with local universities.  The importance of exchanges
between GIRIs and KOHSETSUSHI centers has been stressed before but
exchanges have not been conducted in a sustained fashion.  AIST will
support research by arranging tie-ups between KOHSETSUSHI centers,
private companies, universities, and other organizations.  Changing
KOHSETSUSHI centers into industrial technology centers and renovating
facilities and systems is moving ahead.  Linking the centers to local
universities, the policy will open the way for researchers at GIRIs to
earn doctorates based on research achievements there.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. JAPANESE CHIP MAKERS TO CHALLENGE US FIRMS IN ASICS.

Japan's semiconductor makers, faced with a mounting offensive on their
home market by US companies, are hustling to build up a presence in
application specific integrated circuits (ASICS) in some cases by
cooperating with US companies.  ASIC chips have come into their own as
semiconductor users move away from multipurpose chips, but they also
have assumed heightened importance in light of the market penetration by
US chip makers.  There is a growing demand for programmable logic
devices and field-programmable gate arrays from system developers
looking for devices to incorporate high-speed systems that outstrip the
capacity of conventional gate arrays.  The programmable logic market
amounted to $900M US in 1991, only around 25% of the size of the gate
array market, but it is expected to expand to around $2.2B US by 1995,
according to industry estimates.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. MATSUSHITA,SONY, PHILIPS TO SWAP RIGHTS ON DISC PATENTS.

In a move reportedly aimed at avoiding another bitter confrontation over
two competing technologies, Matsushita Electric industrial Co., Sony
Corp., and Philips Electronic BV are said to have concluded basic
agreements to make their patents on digital compact cassettes and
mini-discs mutually accessible.  The two Japanese manufacturers have led
rivals in the commercialization of the technologies, small digital
recording devices which generate high-quality sound.  Matsushita has
adopted the cassette format, while Sony is going with the disc format.
Philips has committed itself to both types of equipment.  Matsushita,
Sony and Philips will control their patents uniformly, supplying
technology to domestic and overseas enterprises interested in producing
both hardware and software for digital compact cassettes and mini-discs.
Mutual access to the patents on compact cassettes and mini-discs will
allow the two camps to hone technology applied to their products,
company officials said.  Meanwhile, the agreement will pave the way for
Matsushita to penetrate Sony's turf and vice versa.  Matsushita has
begun to market its first digital compact cassette recording, while Sony
released its mini-disc recorder in November.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DISCOVERS SATELLITES.

Japan's construction industry has joined the growing group of businesses
worldwide that have turned their gaze skyward for guidance.  Not to the
stars, but to the satellites that make up the Global Positioning System
(GPS).  The GPS is a group of satellites launched by the US DoD and
originally intended for boat and aircraft navigation.  At present there
are 18 GPS satellites orbiting 20,000km above earth.  Three more are
expected to be launched by the end of 1993, bringing the total to 21, or
enough to provide 24-hour usage anywhere in the world.  The most
high-profile commercial application of GPS is in car navigation systems.
But the construction industry is learning to make use of the GPS
satellites for land survey work.  Surveying is simple with GPS - all
that is needed is a pair of receivers, antennas, and three satellite
signals.  The distance between the two receivers and the elevation at
the site of second receiver can be measured with an accuracy of 0.0001%.
The GPS system does away with the traditional equipment surveyors use to
measure distance and angles.  The first commercial GPS system was in
1986, which has already became the standard tool for many survey
applications in the US.  Europe was also quick to make use of the system
in 1987.  Japan was slower to adopt the GPS system for survey work.  Of
the roughly 40,000 GPS survey receivers that have been sold worldwide,
only 250 reportedly are in operation in Japan.  However, firms are now
using the system, and more are likely to follow.  "The domestic market
for GPS survey receivers finally began to take off last year," said
Hideyuki Torimoto, Executive Vice President of the US Firm Trimble
Navigation Systems Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of GPS
receivers.  As recently as two years ago, GPS receiver sets cost as much
as around yen 15 million ($120,000 US).  But Trimble now markets a model
for general-precision survey work that costs only 5.9M Yen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA TO DEVELOP HI-SPEED ISDN.

Japan and South Korea agreed recently to jointly develop a large-scale
communications network that would transmit data among countries at high
speed, according to Govt officials.  The accord came during a regular
conference between the Japanese Posts and Telecommunications Ministry
(MPT) and its South Korean counterpart in Seoul.  The integrated service
digital network (ISDN), would make it possible to transmit different
communications services, including digital telephone calls, facsimile
transmission and data communications, on a single network.  Many
countries now are studying the possible operation of the new system on a
commercial basis.  However, since ISDN system transmission modes vary
from nation to nation, it has been impossible for some countries to
exchange data and information.  In an effort tostandardize ISDN, Japan
and the European community are scheduled to experimentally connect their
communications lines next year.  This agreement will help to standardize
communications modes in the Asia-Pacific basin.  To promote their
project, Japan and South Korea are likely to select soon the
participating communications enterprises and communications equipment
manufacturers.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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7. JAPAN JOINS COMPUTER DOWNSIZING TREND.

Japanese computer makers, which have long challenged IBM's supremacy in
mainframes, are now following its lead in the opposite direction.  Like
IBM, they are reducing their dependence on large computers in favor of
system planning and maintenance services.  But shifting away from big,
costly computers to a network of smaller machines has been slow compared
with the US, where the "downsizing" trend has been so rapid that IBM has
predicted zero growth in hardware revenue and other firms have abandoned
the field.  It is different story in Japan.  Mainframes still hold 60%
of the market, down from 70% in 1989, and smaller machines are suffering
from the sluggish economy.  Yet many observers reportedly say it is only
a matter of time before the situation changes.  They say the slow pace
has mainly been due to the limited availability of Japanese language
software for networks of small computers and to the greater variety of
computers sold in Japan, making networking more difficult.  Industry
estimates put the percentage of personal computers and workstations
forming networks at less than 10%, whereas the number is reportedly
between 30% and 40% in the U.S.  According to shozo Shigeoka,
editor-in-chief of Nikkei Computer Magazine, "department heads of many
Japanese companies make decisions after discussing subjects with all
bosses up the ladder.  Distributed computing does not fit well with this
centralized decision-making style."  Because everybody wants to look at
all the information.  (Lower ranking western managers, in contrast, have
more decision-making power.) That, combined with the substantial
mainframe software assets they have accumulated, has made Japanese
companies less eager to try new systems, he said.  However, NEC seems
the most eager to shift to smaller machines.  Its workstation sales in
the fiscal year through March 1991 grew 160% from the previous year,
placing it behind Sun Microsystems.  Inc. and Hewlett Packard, the world
leaders in the field.  * 9.  IBM Seeks Canon Assistance to Bolster
Flagging PC Division (Nikkei Weekly, 09/12)

IBM has added its personal computer operations to the growing list of
areas in which it has sought the help of a prominent Japanese
manufacturer.  IBM and Canon have reached an agreement to cooperate in
the development of desktop and portable computers.  This information
coincided with an announcement by IBM that its personal computer
development, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing operations would
be consolidated in a new, autonomous unit known as IBM Personal Computer
Co.  A Canon spokesman said that one of the first tasks of the new
alliance will be to develop a portable personal computer with a built-in
printer.  The partnership will help IBM tap Canon's expertise in
computer peripheral equipment, especially printers.  IBM already has
joined forces with Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. to develop advanced
semiconductor chips and high-end printers.  Canon possesses technology
in color flat-panel displays and optical magnetic disks that could be of
interest to IBM.

8. MORE MICROMACHINE ITEMS.

 [See also the reports, ("micromac.92", 22 Sept 1992) and
("micromac.92", 14 Oct 1992).]

I reported that MITI had established a Micromachine Center with 27
member organizations, including private companies and universities.  The
center, operating on an annual budget of 25B Yen, aims to have a working
micromachine ready by the year 2000. MITI plans to secure all the
necessary basic technologies and fundamental technologies for
micromachines by Fiscal 1995.  Research groups then will apply these
technologies to the inspection and repair of nuclear power plants, as
well as to develop micromachines which can be used to diagnose and treat
patients.  Research will be entrusted to about 20 Japanese companies and
three non-Japanese research institutes.  National research institutes
and universities also will participate.  Basic engineering technologists
at a microscopic level are to be developed by the National Research
Institute.  Hitachi Ltd. and two other manufacturers will develop the
processing technology, while Olympus Optical Co. and others will be
responsible for technology related to assembly.  Nine companies, led by
Yasukawa Electric Manufacturing Co., will oversee development of
energy-source technologies.  SRI international will conduct basic
research on artificial muscles.

Other projects not mentioned in the earlier reports include Professor
Hirofumi Miura and his team at Tokyo University,  developing an
insect-shaped robot incorporating the conditioned reflex mechanism of
insects.  They already have developed experimental modes of 1.5mm wings,
and of machines which can grasp objects as small as 40 microns in
length.  Hiroshi Nagata, an assistant professor of the Ophthalmology
Department of Shiga University of Medical Science, is planning a
micromachine for eye treatment.  The one-millimeter-diameter machine
would move about in the eye and conduct surgery with its laser arms and
scalpel.  Many hurdles remain before commercialization, however.
Associate professor Hiroyuki Fujita at Tokyo University's Institute of
Industrial Science raised three of the largest obstacles still standing
in the way of a micromachine world.  Firstly, scale is a problem.  In
the microworld, the effect of friction and heat radiations is far larger
than that in the microworld.  In other words, mechanisms that work in
the microworld will not work to the same efficiency at scaled-down
sizes.  The second problem is assembly.  Tiny objects easily stick to
unexpected objects and are not easily separated thereafter.  Third is
the problem of computing.  The micromachines will need control systems,
and large wire harnesses would be needed to operate such sophisticated
devices. [Seems like a natural for optical technology.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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9. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IS GROWING OUTSIDE TOKYO.

SUMMARY:  Scientific and technological activities in regions outside
Tokyo are increasing, the Science and Technology Agency (STA) said in
its Annual White Paper released on September 29 1992.  In contrast to
the 1991 White Paper which emphasized globalization of S&T activities,
the White Paper this year stressed regional S&T activities.  The Paper
found that research institutes, led by those in the private sector, are
moving increasingly into regions outside of Tokyo and its three
surrounding prefectures and set forth an agenda to promote regional S&T
activities.  The paper also called for harmonizing national and local
S&T policies, increasing the communication between the national and
local governments, and for improving the quality of regional S&T.  The
English version is expected to be available March 1993, although an
English summary is currently available.

The 1992 Science and Technology Agency White Paper, titled, "Growing
Regional Scientific and Technological Activities," was approved by the
Cabinet on September 29 1992.  This is the first time since the Agency
started publishing the White Paper in 1958 that regional scientific and
technological activities in the nation were examined as a main theme.
Minoru Kuniya, director of STA's Research Division, said that the Paper
looks at Japan's current S&T situation and its regional implications
from the perspective of the overconcentration in Tokyo.  AST staff noted
that the 1991 White Paper emphasized the globalization of the scientific
and technological activities but this year's paper stressed regional S&T
activities.

Part I of the White Paper is the most significant; its three chapters
deal with regional activities. Chapter one reviews the growing regional
S&T activities.  Noting the changes in the regional distribution of
institutes by sector, the chapter concluded that research institutes,
particularly private institutes, are moving increasingly into local
regions.  This chapter also reviewed the important national research
centers which have been established in the regions.  Chapter 2 discusses
the role played by science and technology in regional development.  It
studied the recent activities of local governmental research institutes,
regional S&T indicators, policies implemented by the national and local
governments, and finally, set forth an agenda to promote regional S&T
activities.  Chapter 3 examines the key concepts of regional S&T
policies with the idea that the national government and local
governments should work together to implement their policies and attain
their objectives.  As a result, emphasis is put on the need to improve
the quality of regional science and technology, and to harmonize
policies and encourage communication between the national government and
local governments, all of which encourage regional self-reliance,
individuality, and comprehensive policy-making.  Parts II and III
provide updates on the relative status of S&T in Japan versus in other
countries and on Japanese S&T policy.

According to the paper, corporations in the private sector are
accelerating regional scientific and technological activities as they
shift their research centers to outside the metropolitan region composed
to Tokyo and its three surrounding prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and
Chiba.  The White Paper noted that research institutes of private firms
and public organizations have been moving into regions outside the Kanto
area at a considerable place for the past several years.  They tend to
concentrate in a limited number of areas near major cities in each
prefecture.  Noting that in recent years the private sector has
established very few sizable research facilities in Tokyo, the report
says the Kanto area saw its share of newly opened research institutes
sharply reduced to 34% for the 1989-1991 period from 52% in the previous
three-year period.  The white paper concluded that research institutes,
particularly those of the private sector, are moving into regions
outside Tokyo on the basis of its sector-by-sector analysis of the
shifts in the regional distribution of such institutes.

The paper addresses the role science and technology play in regional
development.  Local authorities are becoming more scientifically and
technologically oriented, it said.  Research institutes of local
governments are being increasingly reorganized to conduct research in
new fields.

At present, some 15,000 scientists and technicians are working
nationwide at nearly 600 local governmental institutes.  Many of these
institutes were established before the turn of the century, with the aim
of enhancing technological transfer to their regions in the agricultural
and industrial fields.  Other research bodies founded by local
governments also are on the rise with the total number of such
organizations standing at 121.

Touching on growing international cooperation in scientific and
technological research, Kuniya said, "it is possible for local
authorities to join hands with the national government" in carving out
policies in some fields.  He cited the difficulty of securing personnel
and providing an "adequate living environment" for researchers in
regions outside Tokyo.  The paper noted the need to improve the quality
of regional science and technology, as well as to jointly work on
policies and facilitate communication between the national and local
individuality, and comprehensive policy-making."  "The national
government cannot dishearten regional independence.  Our paper suggests
that local government develop advanced science and technology, adding
national policies to regional potentials," Kuniya said.


-----------------------------END OF REPORT---------------------------------