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CHAPTER 18 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
This chapter covers science and technology, patents.
The section of science and technology contains statistics on research activities in business enterprises, non-profit institutions and public organisations, universities and colleges. The source of data is "Survey of Research and Development" by the Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
The section of patent contains statistics on the number of applications and registrations of patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, etc. The source of data is "Annual Report of the Patent Office" compiled by Japan Patent Office.
Survey of Research and Development (Fundamental Statistical Survey)
This survey has been conducted every year since 1953 by the Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, with an aim to clarify research activities on science and technology in Japan. It started under the name "Basic Statistical Survey of Research Institutions", and was renamed as "Survey of Research and Development" with the expansion of the survey in 1960. After partial modifications, the survey was revised considerably in 2002 regarding industrial scope, sampling design and survey items in order to cope with the changing environment of research activities such as the advancement of research and development in non-manufacturing industries and the internationalisation of research activities in private companies.
The survey covers companies with a capital of 10 million yen or more (since the 1995 survey) engaged in industries other than specified industries, as well as non-profit institutions and public organisations, universities and colleges. Business enterprises are chosen by a sampling method and other institutions are surveyed by a complete enumeration. Some of special government-affiliated corporations and incorporated administrative agencies were treated as companies up to 2011, but for the 2012 survey, they are included in "non-profit institutions and public organizations".
The survey is conducted annually as of 31 March (up to 1995, as of 1 April). The reference period for financial items such as sales receipts, expenditure on research and development, etc. is the business year ending not later than 31 March (up to 1995, 1 April). Questionnaires are sent by mail and the reply may be sent back either by mail or through the Internet.
Industrial property rights
Data are based on "Annual Report of the Patent Office" which is compiled every year by the said Office with respect to the measures for patent administration.
Industrial property right is a general term for the right to patents, utility models, designs and trademarks, by which exclusive use of an invention, utility model, design or trademark registered through the prescribed application procedure is admitted for a specified period of time. The duration of the right is at most 20 years for patents, and at most 10 years for utility models, at most 20 years for designs, and 10 years in general for trademarks.
