科学技術開発の効率性に関する国際比較 : DEA とSFA による実証分析

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The arrival of the U.S. fleet led by Perry in 1853 in Uraga （present-day Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture） marked the beginning of Japan’s entry into the international community after more than 200 years of national isolation. At that time, Japan was mainly a handicraft-based country, and the gap between Japan and the West, which had already introduced science and technology to its industries through the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, was widening. In this context, Japan began to focus on the introduction of advanced science and technology and research and development in an effort to catch up with Europe and the United States. This was an appropriate course of action given Japan’s resource-poor situation. Japan placed emphasis on the application of science and technology to society and industry, positioning science and technology as the foundation of the nation and planning for its subsequent development. For example, the Tomioka Silk Mill, which opened in 1872, contributed to technological innovation in the silk industry as a full-scale mechanical spinning mill. The Yawata Ironworks, which started operation in 1901, was a full-scale ironworks responsible for iron production. The Meiji government actively promoted science and technology as the center of its industrial development policy. The subsequent development of science and technology in Japan has been remarkable. After World War I, Japan ranked third in the world in shipbuilding capacity after the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1940, the Japanese Imperial Navy adopted the Zero fighter aircraft, which astonished the world with its 3,000 km range, sophisticated aerodynamic design, and lightweight fuselage combined with a 1,000-horsepower engine. Japan’s recovery from the devastation of World War II was backed by the development of science and technology: in the 1950s, the textile industry, with its modern facilities, expanded exports; in the 1960s and 1970s, steel, nonferrous metals, and chemicals drove the economy; from the late 1970s, general machinery, automobiles and other transportation equipment, home appliances, and semiconductors dominated the world. In the 1980s, Japan ranked first in the world in the production of TVs, VTRs, and semiconductors, and the share of Japanese cars in the U.S. rose to about 30%, leading to trade friction. In the 1990s, however, the situation was changing drastically with the bursting of the so-called bubble economy. The share of the semiconductor market declined, and production of TVs shifted to South Korea, China, andother Asian countries. In addition, some companies in Japan have continued to struggle with the production of LCD devices. And the country has lagged behind in the transition to a digital society and is far behind the world leaders in the fields of semiconductors and software, where it was once the world’s best. In this paper, we examine this situation related to scientific and technological development by measuring the efficiency of scientific and technological development using DEA and SFA. Then, international comparisons will be made based on the results. In other words, based on the results of the measurement of the efficiency of scientific and technological development, various problems related to science and technology will be found, and issues to be considered for the future will be presented.