ノーベル化学賞 受賞の喜びを次につなげたい

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Oct. 8, 2010)
Joy in Nobel prize should be linked to future
ノーベル化学賞　受賞の喜びを次につなげたい（10月7日付・読売社説）

This is very encouraging news for Japan, which is beset by a sluggish economy and a diplomatic row.
　景気低迷や外交問題で悩む日本を、大いに元気づける朗報だ。

It was announced Wednesday that the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Akira Suzuki, a professor emeritus at Hokkaido University; Ei-ichi Negishi, a chemistry professor at Purdue University; and American researcher Richard Heck.
　今年のノーベル化学賞が、北海道大名誉教授の鈴木章博士、米パデュー大特別教授の根岸英一博士と、米国人研究者の３人に贈られることが決まった。

This brings the total number of Japanese Nobel laureates to 18, and the number in chemistry to 7. In both figures, Japan is ahead of the pack in Asia.
　日本人のノーベル賞受賞者は１８人を数え、化学賞では、７人となる。アジア地域では群を抜く。

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the winners were honored for their development of chemical methods for efficiently producing pharmaceuticals and liquid crystal substances.
　受賞の理由は、医薬品や液晶物質などを効率良く合成するための化学反応法の開発だ。

Crucial tools for industry

The synthesis of organic compounds, in which carbon atoms are linked in complex chains, was at one time extremely difficult. But Negishi and Suzuki found new ways of easily bonding carbon atoms together.
　炭素原子が鎖のように複雑につながった有機化合物の合成は、極めて難しかった。根岸、鈴木両博士はこれを容易にする新手法を見つけ出した。

Their methods have already become essential tools in a number of industrial fields, including the production of hypertension and cancer medicines and light-emitting organic compounds.
　すでに、高血圧治療薬、抗がん剤、発光する有機化合物の製造など、多くの産業分野で欠かせない手法となっている。

Chemistry is the basis for the synthesis and analysis of materials, and has helped Japan's basic materials industry. This latest award has demonstrated once again Japan's high level of research in this field, and we rejoice in the honor bestowed on Suzuki and Negishi.
　化学は、物質の合成や分析などの基礎となるもので、日本の素材産業を支えてきた。今回、その水準の高さを改めて示した。両博士の受賞を大いに喜びたい。

Yet there are worrisome signs emerging as to how long Japan will be able to retain such technical prowess.
　ただ、こうした日本の実力をいつまで維持できるか、不安を感じさせる兆候が表れている。

One such indicator is what has been called an inward-looking attitude among young Japanese researchers. An increasing number are studying only at home, rarely going abroad.
　その一つが、若手研究者の「内向き志向」だ。ほとんど海外に行かず、国内だけで研究の道を歩む例が増えている。

Only a few young Japanese researchers are pursuing knowledge in the United States, the country considered to be the international center of research.
　研究の中心地とも言える米国で修業する若手は少ない。

Of non-American students who receive doctorates at U.S. universities, Chinese students account for about 30 percent and South Koreans for about 10 percent, compared to only about 2 percent for Japanese.
米国の大学で博士号を得る外国人学生の出身国の割合は、中国の約３０％、韓国の約１０％に対して、日本は約２％にとどまる。

If things continue this way, won't Japan be left behind in the fierce international competition in research?
　これでは、激烈な世界の研究競争に取り残されないか。

After graduating from Hokkaido University, Suzuki began studying with a prominent chemist in the United States. Negishi went to the United States after graduating from the University of Tokyo and lives there today.
　受賞が決まった鈴木博士は北海道大卒業後、米国の著名な化学者の下で研究を始めた。根岸博士も東京大を出た後、米国で修業して今も米国にとどまっている。

Their unwavering diligence abroad led Suzuki and Negishi to the prize.
　海外での切磋琢磨(せっさたくま)が受賞につながったと言ってよい。

Foreign opinion worsening

Also worrisome is the fact that international opinion of Japanese universities is declining. One warning bell was sounded last month by global university rankings for this year compiled by a British education magazine on the basis of their achievements in teaching and research.
　日本の大学の国際評価が下がり始めているのも気がかりだ。英国の教育専門誌が先月、教育、研究などの実績をもとに発表した今年の「世界大学ランキング」はその警鐘である。

The University of Tokyo, which until last year was the top-ranked institution in Asia, was ranked 26th overall. This was still the highest among Japanese universities, but it was overtaken in Asia by the University of Hong Kong, which was ranked 21st.
　日本勢は、最高の東京大が２６位で、昨年までのアジア首位の座を２１位の香港大に奪われた。

Also, the number of Japanese institutions in the top 200 declined from 11 last year to five this year.
上位２００位に入る日本の大学の数も昨年の１１校から５校に減った。

Due to harsh fiscal conditions, the central government's budget for science and technology is shrinking. In stark contrast, Europe and the United States are increasing their public investment in science and technology.
　厳しい財政状況の下、国の科学技術予算も減っている。対照的に欧米諸国は、科学技術への公的投資を増している。

The Japanese government and research institutions may need to renew their sense of alarm.
　政府や日本の研究機関は、改めて危機感を持たねばなるまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 7, 2010)
（2010年10月7日01時37分 読売新聞）