A colleague forwarded this this editorial from the Japan times that highlights the large number of Japanese scientists and researchers who go abroad (presumably for conferences, visiting research positions, and the like).
However, I find the article a bit "propagandish" and somewhat off the mark. Here is the problem quote:
This increase is evidence of expanded interest in Japanese technology, business, culture
and language that extends far beyond the fleeting appeal of pop culture and anime videos. Japan is no longer just receiving, but offering a great deal to the global research community.
This sentence reveals a bias against the success of pop culture exports of "Cool Japan." What it fails to recognize is that Japanese pop culture is a true, home-grown, example of innovation that has broad international appeal. The capacity for Japanese designers and artists to continually re-invent themselves while working within an established genre is second to none. I believe that Cool Japan is more than a fad. It will continue to generate international interest, just as established luxury brands are able to endure for decades.
Second, Japanese technology is still short on break-through innovations. The best scientists and technologists in the world still go first to the US companies or academia or to leading research institutions in Europe. The participation of Japanese researchers overseas is offset by the scarcity of foreign researchers who come to Japan.
That's not to say that there are not interesting technologies and products coming out of Japan, but rather that it isn't as rosy as this editorial might suggest.
