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Asian governments are increasingly aware of the need for improvements in scientific research. Research assessment programmes are being applied throughout the region. However, research assessors are being forced to change their approach to accommodate Asian attitudes. Asian scientists, particularly those in the Orient, are more sensitive to criticism than their western counterparts. China has adopted an external assessment programme.

The high expenditure for space explorations by countries all over the world will be justified by the number of answers available to scientific queries. The improvements in infrared detectors make way for the design of better space telescopes that will enable study of the infrared region. The broad range of spectral coverage will probably give solutions to puzzling problems in astrophysics such as the nature of dark matter and gamma-ray bursts. Launching of a Japanese satellite for Very Long Baseline Interferometry and the design of Next Generation Space Telescope are discussed.

South Korea has gone from an agricultural society to an industrial economic power in less than 40 years, but the future of the country's scientific policy has yet to be decided. It is likely that the government's investment in science and technology will be doubled to 5% of gross national product, about $42 billion a year, by 2001. Korea must decide how to spend the money. Choices include high technology research, graduate level education and basic long-term research. These topics, and the history of Korea's industrialization, are discussed.

The Japanese pharmaceutical industry is increasing its funding of university and private institution basic research. Most of the industry's funding is through charitable foundations that make grants to individuals and institutions. Grant money is not as closely tied to research as in the US. A trend to fund endowed chairs at Japanese universities developed following the relaxation of laws which had prohibited the practice.

Discussions with 60 Japanese academics, industrial scientists and administrators led to suggestions for how Japan should restructure its research effort in the 21st century. Several factors are currently troubling science in Japan: the influence of tradition and inefficient bureaucracy, the recession and the need for modernization and more basic research. Recommended reforms include a better coordinating mechanism for science and research, making some universities self-governing and entrusting the distribution of grants to an independent agency.

Asian scientists who have studied in the West will play a key role in the establishment of start-up ventures in Asia. Strong emphasis is being placed on start-up ventures by Asian governments as they seek to bring the region out of economic crisis. Japan is seeking to catch up with the West in the development of new industries, while the Singapore government has established a $1 billion fund to encourage 'technopreneurship.' Taiwan has become a leading player in Asia in the development of venture businesses.

China is confident it will realize its ambitious goal for science and technology, despite the wealth of problems facing its economy. It has already introduced dramatic changes to its education sector to elevate the level of literacy of the entire population. However, the initiative is mired with several problems such as the lack of a standard and unified language script and low student population especially in the college level. Furthermore, Chinese universities need to develop flexibility and provide incentives to students to attract scholars.

Employment opportunities in Japan for foreign scientists has increased since the 1980s although there has been minimal information targeted toward parties interested in working in Japanese laboratories. By 1988, Japan's Science and Technology Agency (STA) had started to accept foreign scientists for post-doctoral fellowships and research work at national laboratories, public corporations and nonprofit research organizations. The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research near Tokyo, Japan, is the popular destination for these STA fellows.

A group of four Japanese pharmaceutical companies and three companies with related interests, including Nihon Medifix, which is owned by Hoffmann-La Roche, are joining together in a venture to develop and test antidementia drugs. The group will be supported by a fund set up by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare to provide relief for patients who suffer adverse reactions to drugs. The fund has over $20 million in unused assets, and the ministry is plowing some of the funds into research. The consortium will not only develop drugs, but also the radioactively labelled derivatives suitable for PET scanning. It is hoped that PET images of drug localization within the brain will aid in the process of developing antidementia drugs. One of the first drugs to be evaluated in this way will be Spiperone, marketed by Janssen, which binds strongly to dopamine receptors in the brain. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Author(s): David Swinbanks Tokyo At the start of the new millennium, can scientists in Japan look forward to a bright future? On the surface, things seem to be improving. Following [...]