Education is fundamental to everything

Koukei Higuchi Vice Chairman, Nippon Keidanren Chairman, The Tokio Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.

It is said that Japan's economic development was made possible by its high-level education, traditional diligence, creative thinking and a flexible, receptive response to different culture and new technologies. However, in the list of international competitiveness for the year 2002 released by the IMD (International Institute for Management Development), Japan's educational system was ranked 47^th among 49 countries and its university education was ranked 49^th, the lowest of all. In recent years, criticism has often been directed at the low level of Japanese education, not to mention a book entitled "University students who can't solve a fractional equation" A decline in students' academic ability, their lack of creativity and degenerating morale among them due to the weak will to learn are bound to lead to unavoidable degradation in the superiority of human resources which has been the driving force of the economic growth of our country. We cannot but have concern over the ill effect of such tendencies on the future development of our economy.

Our country is not blessed with natural resources and has had to rely on the promotion of industry by means of the priority production system, as well as on development as a trading nation by making the most of its advanced production technologies, in achieving its outstanding post-war economic development. Now Japan is the largest creditor nation in the world, but the fact remains that it lacks in natural resources and we are faced with the grim reality that we are dependent on import for as much as 60% of our demand for food. In these circumstances, it is obvious that the continuation of our economic competitiveness is indispensable for maintaining the affluent society in the 21^st century.

In such a situation, an "Intellectual Property Strategy" was officially released with emphasis on the importance of intellectual property. The strategy cannot be a quick remedy for economic reactivation but, nevertheless, it is significant that it has shown a clear direction and strategy for the Japanese economy to take in the future in order to free itself from the severe price competition and prevent the hollowing-out of industries. With the realization of "an intellectual property nation" in view, it is essential that we start a series of big projects in every part of Japan by combining all the resources of industry, academia and bureaucrats, accumulate intellectual property and thus secure industrial competitiveness.

In this connection, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of education, which lies at the foundation of everything. However, it takes time before a tangible result is obtained from education. The point is how to develop skills and abilities of people who will be the actual bearers of intellectual property and the key factors for the attainment of our goal--in other words, to bring up, quickly and continuously, capable people who are highly creative, strongly motivated and extremely ethical. It is ardently hoped that the strategy will prove to be a steppingstone to effective educational reform.