Interviewer: Professor Okada, you once pointed out that extremely talented people like Ichiro, a Major League star from Japan, can't fully exercise their abilities in Japan.

Okada: Yes. Not all of course, but many of the young Japanese researchers who go abroad develop their gifts there. In fact, such talents should be developed in Japan. Why aren't they? The government seems to think that money will solve this problem.

Tanaka: It's not a matter of money.

Okada: Not at all. Some argue that the feudalism of the Japanese academics is the problem. They say that a good example of this is shown in a popular TV drama featuring Japanese medical society. However, European universities are more feudal. An apprenticeship is necessary in experiment-oriented academic fields including craftwork and traditional technologies, of which Kyoto is proud. Japanese people have so far insisted on the demerits of feudalism too much, and have forgotten that it also has some merit.

Interviewer: Then what can we do to help young Japanese fully develop their talents and be globally successful? 　

Okada: It's partly a matter of odds. The more researchers we have, the more success we are likely to see. Another element is, after all, study. By studying the accomplishments of past researchers, you'll realize how that field should be developed in the future. Researchers who study a lot can find a new direction at an early stage. Those who haven't studied enough just keep going around in circles. In addition, it's my theory that the more you study, the more you'll be motivated to research a particular theme deeply. Studying also gives you confidence which helps you to overcome dozen of failures. So, you have to study a lot.

Tanaka: We also need to establish an atmosphere to accept such failures. When trying to do something nobody has ever tried, naturally you'll face many failures. However, Japanese society has been harsh and unforgiving of making any failure. It is too much to expect someone to do something new without some failures.

Interviewer: You experienced many failures, didn't you, Mr. Tanaka? 　

Tanaka: Yes. I was so lucky to be allowed to conduct a research which might not immediately be profitable but would bear fruit in the future, like five years later. So, I could keep up the research without worrying about failures. I was awarded the prize for just one success; however, I made a lot of failures before this success. Being a pioneer, you'll naturally face many failures. I hope this notion will be a little more accepted by Japanese society. But having said this, I thought it was a little extreme when a young researcher at a company thanked me saying, "After your success, the company accepts my research plans regardless of the risks of failures". I think he should be more responsible.