Several facets of education and research in a Japanese university are discussed. Many similarities exist (relative to the U.S.A.); nonetheless, numerous cultural and organizational differences profoundly influence the nature of graduate studies in Japan. Graduate education in the Minami Laboratory of Scientific Instrumentation and Measurement Engineering, Department of Applied Physics, Osaka University, is featured. Some particulars relative to undertaking a long-term research stay in Japan are also included.
LepkowskiW., “Americans Living in Japan Describe Life and Work There,”C&EN, pp. 9–15, 2 Jan. (1989).
2.
LepkowskiW., “Japan's Science and Technology Aim Toward Globalization,”C&EN, pp. 7–14, 8 May (1989).
3.
Osaka University Bulletin, International Relations Office, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565, Japan (1988).
4.
An old saying — denied but which seems to contain some fiber of truth — is “pass with 4, fail with 5.” This refers to the number of hours of sleep a high school student should get each night if he or she expects entrance to a top university.
5.
The academic year, at all levels, starts in early April.
6.
An example of the anxiety level this creates for the student: The son of Japanese acquaintances prepared, in the aforementioned ways, for admission to Handai's Mechanical Engineering Department. After failing the Second-stage Entrance Examination he elected to take a “second-chance” examination (from which the final 20% of the new class is selected) in Literature. He passed. He claimed that it was more important to receive a degree from Handai, in any given field, than it was to follow his specific prior career aspirations at a “lesser” institution.
7.
Class attendance rates of 20 – 30% are not unusual for General Education courses. On the Engineering Campus, attendance rates of 60 – 80% are typical. High (ca. 90%) attendance is expected for laboratory courses. All work must be completed on the General Education campus before a student moves to the Engineering Campus. This is a strong incentive.
8.
“Education in Japan,” published by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture, Japan (1982). This is a helpful genera. reference source.
9.
Rohnin is an intriguing designation since it refers to an “unemployed samurai warrior.” In feudal times the samurai pledgee his allegiance and life to his lord in exchange for honor and lifetime employment. However, if the lord was killed in battle, o dishonorably removed, the samurai became a disheveled Rohnin without honor or position. The other type of Rohnir was the “lone-wolf; he was guilty of acting in a manner whichh was independent of his master's wishes.
10.
As a visiting professor, one of the activities one most appreci ates is working directly with students, helping them put thei manuscripts into good form. Student manuscripts tend to be extremely terse, completely lacking in description of the prior art and literature citations, and overly cautious in terms of drawing conclusions or putting the work into proper perspective, and are in need of extensive grammatical polish.
11.
This created an interesting debate in the laboratory. A male engineer enters the company as a “salaryman” (permanent title). A woman entering the company — usually for a few years prior to marriage – is called an OL (office lady). A woman who stays with the company and eventually assumes a high position is called a “career woman.” There is seemingly no name to describe an entry-level female scientist (it was decided that “salarywoman” was not part of the vernacular). Such women appear to experience moniker limbo until ultimate longevity is determined.
12.
Two M2 graduate students of the same department at Tokushima University told me of their earnest desire to be employed by the same company. Both understand that only one of mem can possibly be hired. There is slightly more flexibility when it comes to placing graduates of Todai, Kyodai, or Handai.
13.
TsujiA., “Science Professors Alarmed at Signs That University Grads are Shunning Industry Jobs,”Asahi Evening News (translated from the ShimbumAsahi), 05/09/89.
14.
The actual rankings are full professor ≥ associate professor ≥ lecturer ≥ research assistant. The lecturer is functionally closer to an associate professor than to a research assistant. The assistant will teach laboratory courses, but not lecture courses. Most Japanese professors describe their titles in Western terms (full professor, associate professor, assistant professor) to avoid confusion with conflicting terminology.
15.
Special Issue, “Applied Physics Toward the 21st Century,” ButuriOyo (J. Jpn. Soc. Appl. Phys.) 58, 4 (1989).
16.
ColemanD. M., Appl. Spectrosc.43, 730 (1989).
17.
To this end, one of the current doctoral candidates recently instituted a new procedure whereby all monthly laboratory progress reports would be submitted in English.
18.
The author has read many of the recent popularized books about Japan. By far the fairest and the most interesting perspective is provided in Taylor'sJ.Shadows of the Rising Sun (C. E. Tuttle, Inc., Tokyo, Japan, 1983; ISB 0-8048-1497-X).
19.
Tuition is ca. $10,000 - $12,000/year/child. Transit time to Kobe (train) is one hour. The cost of such schooling is generally directly subsidized by U.S. or multinational companies who employ international citizens. Such subsidies are not available for participants in U.S./Japan scholar interchange programs.
20.
As a general rule, multiply U.S. prices by a factor of 2.5 – 3.0X.
21.
This may be culturally based because, as noted, a Japanese professor (in the rare case of a long-term sabbatical) would almost never be accompanied by his or her family.
22.
JohnsonG., “American Researchers Trying to Close Exchange Gap With Japan,”The Japan Times (from The Los Angeles Times), 04/05/89.
23.
It should be noted that (a) lifestyles in Osaka and in Tokyo are very different from each other, and (b) some individuals will not be able to adjust because of culture, food, language, etc.
24.
MinamiS. and MushaS, Spectrochemical Analysis I and II (Maruzen Co., Tokyo, 1979). [In Japanese].
25.
MinamiS., Waveform Data Processing in Scientific Measurement (CQ Publishing Co., Tokyo, 1986). [In Japanese].
26.
MinamiS., “Microcomputer Applications in Scientific Instrumentation,” in Mini/Micro Computer Handbook (Asakura Book Co., Tokyo, 1982), Chaps. 1 – 5. [In Japanese].
27.
UchidaT. and MinamiS, “High Speed Spectroscopy and Data Processing,” in Spectroscopy for Reaction Kinetics (Gakkai Publishing Center, Tokyo, 1984), Chap. 3. [In Japanese].
28.
KawataS. and SklanskyJ, “Elimination of Nonpivotal Images from X-ray Motion Tomograms,” in Computer-Assisted Radiography (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1985).
29.
MinamiS., “History of Optical Technology,” in Optical Fiber Technology (Nikkei-Gijyutsu Book Co., Tokyo, 1986), Chap. I. [In Japanese].
30.
MinamiS., “Scientific Instrumentation and Instrument Science,” in Innovation (Shimadzu, Japan, 1987), Vol. 1.
31.
MinamiS., “Fourier Transform Spectroscopy in Japan,” SPIE289, Fourier Transform IR Spectroscopy, 386 (1981).
32.
MinamiS., “Laboratory Automation,” J. Precision Eng.50, 1345 (1984). [In Japanese].
SusakiH.MiyamaT.MatsuiS. and MinamiS, “A Small Laboratory Automation System Composed of Microcomputer-based Spectrophotometers,” Appl. Spectrosc.3, 502 (1983).
37.
KawataS.MinamiK. and MinamiS, “Superresolution of Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Data by the Maximum Entropy Method,” Appl. Opt.22, 3593 (1983).
38.
SasakiK.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Constrained Nonlinear Method for Estimating Component Spectra from Multicomponent Mixmres,” Appl. Opt.22, 3599 (1983).
39.
KawataS. and SklanskyJ, “Circularly-Coded X-ray Tomography,” Appl. Opt.23, 1632 (1984).
40.
OkamotoT.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Fourier Transform Spectrometer with a Self-scanning Photodiode Array,” Appl. Opt.23, 269 (1984).
41.
MinamiK.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Superresolution of Fourier Transform Spectra by Autoregressive Model Fitting with Singular Value Decomposition,” Appl. Opt.24, 162 (1985).
42.
IwataT.UchidaT. and MinamiS, “A Nanosecond Photon-counting Fluorometric System Using a Modified Multichannel Vernier Chronotron,” Appl. Spectrosc.39, 101 (1985).
43.
OkamotoT.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Optical Method for Resolution Enhancement in Photodiode Array Fourier Transform Spectroscopy,” Appl. Opt.24, 4221 (1985).
44.
KawataS.ShigeokaT.OkamotoT. and MinamiS, “Heterodyne Interferometric Temperature Sensor Using a Transverse-Zeeman Laser and a Polarization Maintaining Fiber,” Proc. SPIE566, Fiber Optic and Laser Sensors III, 307 (1985).
45.
SasakiK.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Optimal Wavelength Selection for Quantitative Analysis,” Appl. Spectrosc.40, 185 (1986).
46.
OkamotoT.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Polarization Fourier Transform Spectrometer with a Linear Photodiode Array,” Appl. Spectrosc.40, 691 (1986).
47.
ArakiT.ChikamoriK.SasakiK.KawataS.MinamiS. and YamadaM, “In situ Analysis of Succinate Dehydrogenase Activity Demonstrated with Nitroblue Tetrazolium in Rat Liver with a Component Spectrum Analyser,”Histochemistry86, 224 (1987).
48.
KawataS.NakamuraO. and MinamiS, “Optical Microscope Tomography. I. Support Constraint,” J. Opt. Soc. Am.4, 292 (1987).
49.
KawataS.NodaT. and MinamiS“Spectral Searching by Fourier-Phase Correlation,”Appl. Spectrosc.41, 1176 (1987).
SasakiK.KawataS. and MinamiS, “Component Pattern Analysis of Spectral and Spatial Patterns in Multispectral Images. II. Entropy Minimization,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. A6, 73 (1989).
WangX. F.UchidaT. and MinamiS, “A Fluorescence Lifetime Distribution Measurement System Based on Phase-Resolved Detection Using An Image Dissector Tube,” Appl Spectrosc.43, (1989), in Press.
56.
MohamedM. M.UchidaT.ColemanD. M. and MinamiS“Excitation Temperature Measurements of a Pulse-Operatec Argon Microwave-Induced Plasma, J. Spectrosc. Soc. Japai (Bunko Kenkyu), 1989, in Press.
