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3 days ago
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Japan is the latest nation hoping to tempt disgruntled US researchers alarmed by the Trump administration's hostile attitude to academia to relocate to the Land of the Rising Sun.
The Japanese government aims to create an elite research environment, and has detailed a ¥100 billion ($693 million) package to attract researchers from abroad, including those from America who may have seen their budgets slashed or who fear a clampdown on their academic freedom.
Kyodo News Plus said the measures are in recognition of the growing global competition to attract the best talent, in fields such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors. It isn't therefore aimed at just researchers from the US, but they are seen as a key target.
This is because the Trump administration making a number of cuts to scientific funding in America, including to the NASA budget and the National Science Foundation, and has specifically targeted diversity and equality efforts.
Minoru Kiuchi, Japan's Minister in charge of Economic Security, said: "We will make utmost efforts to make our country the most attractive in the world for researchers." He also serves as Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy.
This new policy package is expected to fund various programs, including a plan by Tohoku University in Sendai to spend around ¥30 billion ($208 million) to recruit about 500 researchers from Japan and abroad.
Japan's move follows an announcement in May from the European Commission (EC) that it wanted to make Europe the home of science by tempting researchers and scientists to relocate there.
The "Choose Europe" scheme is to include a €500 million ($566 million) package for 2025-2027 to make Europe "a magnet for researchers," with EC President Ursula von der Leyen saying it would promote the region as a world-leading center of research, innovation, and scientific freedom.
This came after the launch of the Safe Place For Science program by Aix-Marseille University in the south of France a month earlier. This was setup with the intention of offering a "safe and stimulating environment" for American researchers wishing to pursue their work free from persecution.
Not to be outdone, the geologically slow wheels of the British Parliament rolled into action, resulting in the Parliamentary Science, Innovation and Technology Committee penning a letter to the Minister for Science Lord Patrick Vallance, asking for more effort to lure disaffected US academics to Blighty.
Britain is hoping to attract ten specific classes of researchers, but the relevant scheme is only likely to get £50 million ($67 million) in funding.
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Chinyelu "Chi" Onwurah, the Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central and West, called for the government to go further and deliver targeted support for scientists seeking to leave the US, and consider options such as relaxing visa requirements.
"Some universities in Europe have already begun to actively recruit researchers from the US, and countries such as Netherlands and Australia have set up funds to recruit top foreign scientists," wrote Onwurah.
However, Japan's plans to attract semiconductor talent could be boosted by the fact its government is already pouring billions into kick-starting advanced silicon manufacturing in the country via Rapidus, a company setup in 2022 with the goal of manufacturing 2nm chips by 2027. ®
