As the United States science community seeks to maintain its leadership position globally, it must not ignore the increasing capability of Asian scientists, and it must not underestimate the Pacific Rim nations' drive to become as dominant in science as they have become in high technology. No longer are Asian researchers just an audience for American scientists; they are emerging as leaders on their own, with a level of support from their countries that many U.S. investigators would find enviable.

Although comprehensive information on Asian scientists is not available, many signs point indirectly to these scientists' growing interest in Western research activity. One such indicator is the dramatic rise in Japanese purchases of English-language books, journals, newspapers, and manuscripts from the U.S.: These sales, having quadrupled from $60 million in 1986 to $240 million in 1990, put Japan right behind the United Kingdom, which spent $300 million in 1990, as...

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