Japan¡¯s scientific and technological future is at a crossroads.
After decades of economic stagnation, a record low birth rate of 1.15 children per woman in 2024 and the fastest-aging society globally ¡ª projected to shrink under 100 million within 20 to 30 years ¡ª the nation no longer has the number of homegrown researchers needed to compete on the world stage.
The good news is the Japanese government has responded with a bold effort to rebuild the nation¡¯s scientific and technological competitiveness by recruiting world-class scientists, particularly from the United States. In June, the Cabinet Office launched J-RISE (Japan Research & Innovation for Scientific Excellence), a ?100 billion ($677 million) package to attract global research talent.
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