The field of the history of Japanese science is at a crossroads. By working with STS scholars, promoting interaction with the Asian region and beyond, the field can be reinvigorated. This paper outlines the current situation and identifies key institutions and players who will lead the field into the twenty-first century.
Over 20 years ago, I was asked to write a country report on Japan for the journal Social Studies of Science (Low 1989). This article provides me with an opportunity to comment on the field in Japan and beyond during the two decades that have followed. I am still somewhat of an outsider, based as I am at a distance in Australia, but my location allows me to comment more freely on what has transpired in recent times. I have visited Japan once or twice a year and have stayed in touch with Japanese colleagues especially on those occasions and when I have been in the USA participating in workshops and conferences.
