【Yaichi Aoshima】Assessing international knowledge spillovers from government funded R&D: evidence from Japanese national projects

Category: Article
AuthorTakada, Naoki:Yaichi Aoshima:Kazunari Matsushima:Akira Izumi
Institution:International Journal of Technology Management
Volume:Vol.99
Number:No.1-2

Page:pp. 127-146
Date:2026/02/25
Article TitleAssessing international knowledge spillovers from government funded R&D: evidence from Japanese national projects
Abstract:
This study investigates international knowledge spillovers arising from government-funded R&D projects (GFPs). While GFPs are often justified by their domestic benefits, their international effects remain less clear. We posit that GFPs amplify international spillovers by signalling technological promise: government selection legitimises priority fields and attracts foreign attention. Using patent data from Japanese GFPs and a matched sample of private R&D, we find that GFPs’ patents receive significantly more international forward citations, especially when projects are highlighted in national budget plans. These results suggest that GFPs, though designed to enhance national competitiveness, simultaneously strengthen the global circulation of knowledge. The findings highlight the need for policy designs that balance openness with appropriation by enhancing absorptive capacity and incentivising follow-up innovation.
Notes:
URL:
https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJTM.2025.151910
Register date:
2026/06/12