"The last decade of the 20 th century was marked by the emergence of a "knowledge-based economy," with governments in most OECD countries intensifying their commitment to the underlying research and development activities. Japan is no exception. The Japanese government affirmed setting the objectives of a "Nation Based on Science and Technology" as the fundamental policy goal in 1980 and since then it has implemented several laws and policy packages in the fields of science, technology, industry and higher education, with the common denominator being "Industry-UniversityState cooperation." This policy orientation has been consolidated by the Science and Technology Basic Law, introduced in 1995, which gave the government legal competence in science and technology..."