Main contents start here
Summary of Results (2017)
Results of the Survey of Research and Development
R&D Expenditure
Japan's total expenditure on R&D during fiscal year (FY) 2016 stood at 18.43 trillion yen, a 2.7 percent decrease from the previous fiscal year. It has decreased for two consecutive years.
Expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP was 3.42 percent, a 0.13 percentage point decrease from the previous fiscal year.
R&D expenditure of business enterprises stood at 13,318 billion yen, with a 2.7 percent decrease from the previous year, that of non-profit institutions and public organizations stood at 1,510 billion yen, with a 6.2 percent decrease from the previous year, and that of universities and colleges stood at 3,604 billion yen, with a 1.1 percent decrease from the previous year.
Within the business enterprises sector in FY 2016, "Transportation equipment" showed the highest figure among all industries, at 2.926 billion yen.
R&D Personnel
As of 31 March 2017, the total number of researchers is 853,700, a 0.8 percent increase from the previous year. The number of researchers increased for the first time in two years.
The number of female researchers is 14,4100 and accounts for 15.7 percent of the total researchers. This figure is the highest ever.
Technology Balance of Payments
With regard to technology balance of payments by business enterprises, receipts from technology exports stood at 3.57 trillion yen, a decrease of 9.6 percent from the previous fiscal year. It dropped for the first time in five years.
Payments from technology imports stood at 453 billion yen, a decrease of 24.8 percent compared with the previous fiscal year. It dropped for the first time in two years.
The technology balance of payments (receipts from technology exports minus payments from technology imports) stood at 3.12 trillion yen, an decrease of 6.8 percent from the previous fiscal year. It dropped for the first time in seven years.
Statistical Tables
Please see e-Stat.
