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Summary of Results (2018)
Results of the Survey of Research and Development
R&D Expenditure
Japan's total expenditure on R&D during fiscal year (FY) 2017 stood at 19.05 trillion yen, a 3.4 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. It increased for the first time in three years, the highest ever.
Expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP was 3.48 percent, a 0.05 percentage point increase from the previous fiscal year.
R&D expenditure of business enterprises stood at 13,799 billion yen, with a 3.6 percent increase from the previous year, that of non-profit institutions and public organizations stood at 1,610 billion yen, with a 6.6 percent increase from the previous year, and that of universities and colleges stood at 3,642 billion yen, with a 1.0 percent increase from the previous year.
Within the business enterprises sector in FY 2017, "Transportation equipment" showed the highest figure among all industries, at 3,065 billion yen.
R&D Personnel
As of 31 March 2018, the total number of researchers is 867,000, a 1.6 percent increase from the previous year. It has increased for two years consecutive years.
The number of female researchers is 150,500 and accounts for 16.2 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 3.88 trillion yen, a increase of 8.7 percent from the previous fiscal year. It increased for the first time in two years.
Payments from technology imports stood at 630 billion yen, a increase of 39.1 percent compared with the previous fiscal year. It increased for the first time in two years.
The technology balance of payments (receipts from technology exports minus payments from technology imports) stood at 3.25 trillion yen, an increase of 4.3 percent from the previous fiscal year. It increased for the first time in two years.
Statistical Tables
Please see e-Stat.
