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Summary of Results (2015)
Results of the Survey of Research and Development
R&D Expenditure
Japan's total expenditure on R&D during fiscal year (FY) 2014 stood at 18.97 trillion yen, a 4.6 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. It achieved the highest figure, having increased for two consecutive years.
Expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP was 3.87 percent, a 0.12 point percent increase from the previous fiscal year.
R&D expenditure of business enterprises stood at 13,586 billion yen (accounted for 71.6 percent), non-profit institutions and public organizations stood at 1,689 billion yen (accounted for 8.9 percent), universities and colleges stood at 3,696 billion yen (accounted for 19.5 percent).
For R&D expenditure by main industries of business enterprises, "Transportation equipment" showed the highest figure in the previous fiscal year, at 2.84 trillion yen (accounted for 20.9 percent).
R&D Personnel
As of 31 March 2015, the number of researchers is 866,900, a 3.0 percent increase from the previous year. It has increased over the past two years.
The number of female researchers is 136,200 and accounts for 14.7 percent of the total researchers. Both of figures reached the largest in the past years.
Technology Balance of Payments
With regard to technology balance of payments by business enterprises, receipts from technology exports stood at 3.66 trillion yen, an increase of 7.8 percent from the previous fiscal year.
Payments from technology imports stood at 513 billion yen, a decrease of 11.2 percent compared with the previous fiscal year. It decreased for the first time in three years.
Receipts from technology exports minus payments from technology imports stood at 3.15 trillion yen, an increase of 11.7 percent from the previous fiscal year. It has increased for five consecutive years since FY 2010 and showed the highest figure over this period.
Statistical Tables
Please see e-Stat.
