國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Japan’s science and technology policy and its development had two characteristics after WWII. First, R&D institutions of the government and enterprises had played important roles; secondly, economic growth had been prioritized as the goal of science and technology policy. However, since 2000, Japan’s science and technology policy-makers have begun to focus on multiple policy goals, and have tended to consider that a focus on economic growth should be replaced with “people-oriented” objectives. On the basis of the political systems model, this article discusses the shift in thinking behind Japan’s science and technology policy after 2000 by analyzing Japan’s “Basic Science and Technology Plan” (Phase 1 to Phase 5) and “People-oriented AI Social Principles”. It concludes that the popularity of concepts of global sustainable development, the serious social issues in Japan, and the rising of a people-centered economy continue to exert influence on the decision-making of Japan’s science and technology policy. This is also the key to interpreting the conversion process of the thinking behind Japan’s science and technology policy at this time.