University-industry cooperation in Japan: Some new evidence from universities

University-Industry Cooperation began to attract attention during the recent recession in Japan. Particularly, the Japanese National Universities became independent administrative entities in 2004; university-based research is increasingly leading to business opportunities beyond academia. This paper aims at providing some new evidence on some key factors behind the mechanism for promoting of University Technology Transfer, and on the major forms of University-Industry Cooperation in Japan. The important mechanisms and forms of cooperation and technology transfer between university and industry in Japan include (1) collaborative or sponsored research agreements, (2) licensing, (3) start-up companies, (4) consultation or advisory agreements, Based on this analysis, this paper will also provide an assessment of the current situation and associated issues in order to check the effectiveness of Japanese Bayh-Dole system.