Japan's Brain Drain

In recent years, international competition for highly skilled workers has been increasing, demonstrating that the brain-drain issue is not limited to developing countries. This article is focused on Japanese scientists working in the United States and analyzes their emigration motives, based on a survey and interviews. In addition, it considers differences between Japan and the United States in terms of research environments, scientists' job opportunities,and human resource management practices, which are causes of scientists' emigration. Furthermore, the likelihood of their returning to Japan is analyzed and factors influencing their stay in the United States or return to Japan are clarified.