Japan’s Policy Process for Science, Technology and Innovation : A Case of Impulsing Paradigm Change through Disruptive Technologies Program (ImPACT)

ニホン　ノ　カガク　ギジュツ　イノベーション　ニ　カンスル　セイサク　カテイ　ノ　ケントウ　 カクシンテキ　ケンキュウ　カイハツ　スイシン　プログラム　ImPACT　ヲ　ダイザイ　トシテ

アダチ, ジュンヤ

Adachi, Junya

政策サイクル

科学技術イノベーション政策

ImPACT

policy process

policy cycle

science

technology and innovation policy

Since the 2000s, the Japanese government has implemented a number of large-scale research programs concerning science, technology and innovation, which are referred to as “selection and concentration.” These system designs and policy processes have caused a lot of criticism. While appropriate policy formulation requires examining whether a policy cycle, namely utilizing lessons of a previous policy for a new policy, works appropriately, lack of past studies examining the policy process of Japan’s large-scale research programs made the discussion difficult for us. This paper examines the policy process of the “Impulsing Paradigm Change through Disruptive Technologies Program (ImPACT)” (FY 2014–2018) through literature search and interview to clarify the policy process of Japan’s science, technology and innovation policy. Since ImPACT was designed and decided as a succeeding program of the “Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST)” (FY 2009–2013), the relationship enabled us to examine the existence of policy cycle. In conclusion, ImPACT inherited some of the advantages of its preceding program, FIRST. The modified research and development system can be explained in terms of political and social backgrounds. These findings suggest that the policy cycle functioned to some extent in the process of forming ImPACT from FIRST. On the other hand, political and social background at the time of policy formulation seem to play a debatable role in policies aiming creation of future innovation. Therefore, as future issues, we need discuss how to reflect political and social backgrounds and promote “selection and concentration” based on objective evidence on future policy for science, technology and innovation.