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National Resources Planning Board 



social sciences. Each maintains a number of research 

 fellows, associates, and assistants to conduct investiga- 

 tions and experiments under the general guidance of a 

 director. In 1937 the appropriation for the Academy 

 was $1,200,000. The Academy is doing much funda- 

 mental research, especially in telephony, radio, meteor- 

 ology and physics. In applied research it is active in 

 glass, aluminum from alunite, paints, sulfuric acid. 



The National Peiping Academy, also founded in 1928, 

 has two research institutes — for the physical sciences 

 and technology, and for the biological sciences. 



Other important research organizations in China are 

 the Geological Survey at Peiping, the Fan Memorial 

 Biological Institute, the Biology Institute, and the 

 Science Society of China. 



Research in Japan 



The Japanese were not slow to recognize that science 

 and research were responsible for the material progress 

 of the Western nations, and adopted these means to 

 further their own industrial development. The growth 

 of research in Japan has been rapid during this century, 

 especially in the last decade, and has advanced her to 

 the rank of one of the leading nations in research. In- 

 dications point to continued progress in this direction. 

 The research activities of Japan have largely followed 

 the results of others. Emphasis of research has been on 

 applied rather than fundamental aspects. 



Bernal states that industrial, Govermnent, and insti- 

 tute laboratories in Japan are probably larger, better 

 financed, and better organized in relation to the wealth 

 of the country than those of any other nation, but that 

 the value of the work coming from them is more open 

 to doubt. The organization of scientific research in 

 Japan is based upon institutions and relationships 

 usually found in Occidental countries. From Germany 

 was adopted the plan of research institutes such as those 

 of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society. From the United States 

 was used the pattern of our National Research Coimcil 

 but with greatly expanded powers. Industrial research 

 in Japan is extensively supported by the Government 

 rather than by private enterprise. The indirect method 

 of aiding new industries through partial stock ownership 

 by the Government is also employed. 



The scientific resources of Japan are distributed 

 among many laboratories and institutes in departments 

 of the Imperial Government and of the prefectures and 

 municipalities; the universities and technical schools 

 vnth their associated research institutes; numerous 

 special research institutes, museums, libraries, botanical 

 and zoological gardens; some 100 national scientific and 

 technical associations; and industrial research agencies. 

 Within the Government itself upward of 70 research 

 institutes are distributed under 7 diff"erent departments. 



Indicative of the broad scope of research activities which 

 the Government supports entirely or in part are the 

 following fields of investigation by some of the principal 

 research institutes: Aeronautics, air navigation, aerol- 

 ogy, meteorology, astronomy, seismology, geophysics, 

 geology, agriculture, fisheries, forestry, horticulture, 

 hygiene, tea, sericulture, zoology, ornithology and 

 mamalogy, biology, chemistry, nitrogen, ceramics, 

 fuels, brewing, steel, military research, naval research, 

 railway research. 



In fields associated intimately with the life and econ- 

 omy of the nation, Japanese research has accomplished 

 notable results. The work of the Japanese Sericultural 

 Experiment Station ranges from mulberry trees to silk 

 itself. Japan is a leader in research on fisheries and 

 pearls. Valuable work has been accomplished on 

 camphor and menthol. It is interesting to note that 

 at least three commodities — silk, camphor, and menthol, 

 in which Japan had virtual world monopolies — have 

 suffered in recent years from competition of artificial 

 or synthetic counterparts. In two of these, silk and 

 camphor, Japan has been compelled to turn to develop- 

 ment of these new products. She has led the world in 

 rayon production and is endeavoring to develop some 

 of the truly synthetic fibers. Production of synthetic 

 camphor is riunored to be projected. 



In general, most Japanese research is directed toward 

 self-sufiiciency and preparedness. The last 3 years 

 have witnessed special emphasis on finding substitutes 

 for imported materials and the utilization of larger pro- 

 portions of cheaper native materials with foreign. 

 Manufacture of products not previously made in Japan, 

 especially chemicals, has proceeded rapidlj^. Production 

 of many synthetic products has closely followed foreign 

 developments. 



Industrial research by trade associations in Japan is 

 very limited, owing in part to the large amount of 

 research for entire industries being conducted in the 

 various institutes. 



Some of the results of Japanese research are dissem- 

 inated in the form of lectures before technical or scien- 

 tific societies, and some are published chieflj' in the 

 Japanese language but to some extent in English and 

 German. Under existing wartime regulations, prac- 

 tically everything pertaining to industrial development 

 and output is covered by the Military Secrets Law. 



The number of research institutes in Japan is so large 

 that space limitations prohibit their listing here. 

 Activities of a few of the more important institutes 

 will serve to illustrate the thoroughness with which the 

 nation is employing research. 



The Japanese Society for tlie Promotion of Scientific 

 Research, founded in 1932, has among its objectives the 

 encouragement and assistance of scientific study, 

 assistance in the training of promising scholars, promo- 



