Computer Science in Japanese Universities

This paper presents some impressions of computer science in Japanese universities based on the authors' sabbatical visits. The focus is primarily on such structural aspects of the discipline as departmental organization, faculty and student populations, funding, research activity, and computing facilities. Perhaps the key observation is that Japanese cultural practices influence the way in which computer science is approached in Japanese universities to a larger degree than might be imagined. Key words: Japanese universities, computer science, cultural influences. 1 Introduction Despite the association of Japan with high technology, most Western scientists know little about computer science in Japan. Many factors contribute to this phenomenon, including language and cultural differences, a shortage of readily available information, and a degree of technical chauvinism. The problem is aggravated by a general lack of the kind of widespread long-term individual contacts between compute..