Japan to consolidate research organizations

Nature : The Japanese government is preparing to merge five of its science organizations: the RIKEN network of basic research laboratories, the National Institute for Materials Science, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The change is intended to increase efficiency while reducing costs. The agencies involved would pool research and administrative resources, and a supervisory body that covers all five agencies will probably be established. Few details are known about the timing or potential cost savings, and some researchers have expressed concern that the end result would be deep funding cuts and increased bureaucracy.