Japan plans to revitalize its science workforce

Nature ^ | 29 May 2013 | David Cyranoski

[rjbemsha]

[Two weeks ago, Japan’s] leading science body, which PM Abe chairs, released the first draft of a Comprehensive Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy.... [The strategy] calls for 30% of new recruits at research institutes and universities to be female by 2016, up from 21.2% in 2010. And faced with fewer university graduates and a shrinking birth rate, Japan is looking to open itself up to foreigners. Under the plan, international researchers would occupy 20% of staff positions at leading research organizations by 2020, and 30% by 2030. That would be an ambitious jump from the 2010 figure of 3.9%.

[rjbemsha]

"Japan ... has lost the competitive edge it once had over China, South Korea and other Asian rivals in industries such as microelectronics and pharmaceuticals. 'Over the past decade, Japan has been stagnant in terms of innovation,' says Yuko Ito, head of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy division at the Tokyo-based National Institute of Science and Technology Policy."

[exDemMom]

[The strategy] calls for 30% of new recruits at research institutes and universities to be female by 2016, up from 21.2% in 2010.

There should be no numerical goal on the number of women entering research universities. As long as they meet the same academic standards and no discriminatory policy exists to keep them out, their numbers will soon be equal to the number of women who want to enter the field of science.

I read a lot about the supposed inequality of women in science (or any other high-powered career). The inequality is always blamed on "discrimination." However, the big elephant in the room is that not as many women want to enter certain careers. Science requires that you devote your life to your work--something that many women just don't want to do. I remember one woman who got pregnant near the end of graduate school. She was planning to not work at all as soon as she completed the PhD (which she expected to happen before the birth). Was the taxpayer money that paid for her PhD well-spent? Maybe she's an extreme case, but the fact is, women are still more oriented to their families.

I should say that Japan has good quality research. They are highly competitive with the US in that area. I guess they are afraid of losing their edge.