Reference News Network, October 15 report: The Japanese newspaper "Nikkei Shimbun" published an article titled "Japan Has Produced Many Nobel Laureates, but There Are Hidden Concerns About the Decline in Research Capabilities" on October 11. The authors are Fukui Takeshi and Shimano Ryouko. The full text is as follows:

Professor Sakaguchi Shinya of Osaka University and Professor Kitagawa Susumu of Kyoto University have both become laureates of the 2025 Nobel Prize. Since 2000, 22 Japanese scientists have won the Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences, ranking second only to the United States. Many of these achievements that led to Nobel Prizes can be traced back to two or three decades ago. However, compared with other countries, Japan's research capabilities have relatively declined.

Repeatedly Winning Natural Science Awards

Since 2000, the number of Japanese Nobel Prize winners has ranked second in the world. From basic sciences such as elementary particles to industrial application fields such as batteries, Japanese researchers have shone brightly.

From Hideki Yukawa, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949, to Kitagawa Susumu, there have been 27 Japanese recipients of natural science awards. However, within half a century since Yukawa, only five Japanese have won the award, meaning most have won it after the 21st century.

In the three major natural science prizes, the most laureates have come from physics, with a total of 12 winners. In the field of basic science, Japanese researchers have achieved remarkable results in the study of elementary particles, which explore the origin of matter.

In 2008, three scientists—Toshihide Maskawa, Koichi Tanaka, and Yoichiro Nambu—won the Nobel Prize in Physics for unraveling the mystery of the birth of the universe. In 2015, Masatoshi Koshiba won the prize for discovering that neutrinos, fundamental particles, have mass. In the applied field, three scientists, including Shuji Nakamura, shared the 2014 Physics Prize for developing blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which have now become essential energy-saving lighting devices in daily life.

Nine Japanese researchers have won the Chemistry Prize, with their contributions particularly notable in the field of organic synthesis. In 2001, Ryoji Noyori won the award for his work on catalysts. In 2010, Akira Suzuki and Ei-ichi Negishi shared the prize for developing industrial chemical synthesis methods. In 2025, Kitagawa Susumu was awarded for developing metal-organic frameworks that can capture target substances inside them. Several other scholars are also considered strong contenders for the Nobel Prize.

In the past decade, the number of Japanese laureates in the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine has increased, reaching six. In 1987, Tonegawa Susumu became the first Japanese recipient of this award. The award was then suspended for a while. In 2012, Yamanaka Shinya won the prize for developing iPS cells, a new type of pluripotent cell with potential for regenerative medicine and drug development.

In 2015, Omura Satoshi won the prize for discovering a treatment for parasitic diseases. In 2016, Ohsumi Yoshinori won the prize for his research on the cellular recycling function, known as "autophagy." In 2018, Honjo Tasuku won the prize for his contribution to cancer immunotherapy, which uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. In 2025, Sakaguchi Shinya won the prize for discovering a protein related to the immune system called "regulatory T cells."

Research Expenditure Stagnant

However, looking ahead 20 to 30 years, it remains uncertain whether Japan's current research capabilities will continue to produce research that can win Nobel Prizes.

Data from the National Institute of Scientific and Technological Policy under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology show that Japan ranked second in the number of scientific papers in the late 1990s, second only to the United States. But by 2025, it had dropped to fifth place. In terms of the number of "excellent papers" (papers ranked in the top 10% in their respective fields), Japan's global ranking has fallen to 13th. In contrast to China, which has surpassed the United States, Japan's position in the international research field is declining.

Although major economies, especially the United States and China, are increasing their R&D spending, Japan's spending has remained stagnant. The number of doctoral degree holders (next-generation researchers in cutting-edge fields) in Japan has also stagnated. Many research positions have limited tenure and are unstable, causing many young researchers to feel anxious about their career prospects.

Looking at past Nobel Prize winners, many were recognized for their research conducted between their 20s and 40s. For example, Sakaguchi Shinya proved the existence of cells that suppress uncontrolled immune reactions in 1985 and became the discoverer of regulatory T cells in 1995. However, he did not receive the Crafoord Prize until 2017, which marked a solid step toward winning the Nobel Prize this year.

Kitagawa Susumu's achievements were similar. He developed excellent MOF materials in the 1990s, which were highly praised at the time. In 2010, he received the Thomson Reuters Citation Laureate Award (now known as the Clarivate Citation Laureate Award), a precursor to the Nobel Prize, which laid the foundation for him to eventually win the Nobel Prize this year. Although many Japanese researchers have won the Nobel Prize and other important awards, it remains uncertain whether this trend will continue in the future.

Ohsumi Yoshinori, the 2016 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and a professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science, emphasized: "The starting point of many important studies is basic research. However, in today's Japan, people often discuss what the use of basic research is. I strongly hope that basic research will be valued."

If we do not focus on cultivating young researchers with bold ideas to explore new research areas, Japan may fall behind in the global innovation arena. In the sixth science and technology innovation basic plan launched in fiscal year 2021, the government established a fund of 1 trillion yen (approximately 468 yuan per 100 yen—note from this newspaper) to expand support for doctoral students, enhance university management capabilities, and nurture young researchers.

In an interview after the award results were announced, Kitagawa emphasized the importance of budget and the importance of creating a good research environment. He said, "To cultivate young people, it is crucial to ensure they have time for research." (Translated by Liu Lin)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561391408668328484/

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