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Science and technology
Japan is a leading nation in the fields of scientific research, technology,
machinery and medical research. Nearly 700,000 researchers share a US$130
billion research and development budget, the third largest in the world.
Some of Japan's more important technological contributions are found in the
fields of electronics, machinery, industrial robotics, optics, chemicals,
semiconductors and metals. Japan leads the world in robotics, possessing more
than half (402,200 of 742,500) of the world's industrial robots used for
manufacturing. It also produced QRIO, ASIMO, and Aibo. Japan is also home to six
of the world's fifteen largest automobile manufacturers and seven of the world's
twenty largest semiconductor sales leaders.
Japan has significant plans in space exploration, including building a moonbase
by 2030. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducts space and
planetary research, aviation research, and development of rockets and
satellites. It also built the Japanese Experiment Module, which is slated to be
launched and added to the International Space Station during Space Shuttle
assembly flights in 2007 and 2008.
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