长期以来日本常常受到人们的抨击,说它只会利用其它国家的基础研究成果来谋取其商业上的利润,却不为人类的基本知识宝库的增长作多少贡献。现在,由于日本更加重视基础科学和革新技术的重要性,这方面的情况已经出现了转机。这种变化是由各种因素促成的,其中最显著的一个因素是日本越来越担心西方国家日益猖獗的贸易保护主义潮流将会蔓延到科学领域,从而削 Japan has long been criticized for its long history of using basic research from other countries for its commercial profits but not for contributing to the growth of humankind's basic knowledge base. Now, as Japan places more emphasis on the importance of basic sciences and innovative technologies, the situation has turned for the better. This change has been driven by various factors. One of the most striking factors is Japan's growing concern that the growing trend of trade protectionism in Western countries will spread to the scientific community, cutting