The Role of Technology Foresight on the Japanese Science and Enginiering Education System

The goal of technology foresight in Japan is to provide basic information for government science and technology policy, corporate R & D management, educational planning at universities and research centers. The implementation of technology foresight is inextricably related to the characteristics of governmental organizations that are involved in science and technology and to various social and economic factors. A consensus process has been important to form national science and technology policy. Results of such a policy was decentralization of administrative structure and large investment in Japanese industry. This paper outlines Japanese technology foresight activities using Delphi surveying technique for more than 30 years. Case studies on IT, environment, energy and life science show significant correlation between two parameters that Delphi results could be utilized to set priorities settings for each case.