May 21, 1962

Or. Jerome 8. Wiesner

President's Science Advisory Comulttes
The White House

Washington, 0.C.

MEMORANDUM
Deer Jerry:
Some notes to tape daw the substance ef our telephone conversation.

The call wes made at Or. Doty's specific suggestion te convey seme
of our sutua!l lepressions shout the chief problem areas worthy of censideration
for U.S. Japan cooperation in science.

t. Rather than attempt to deal with specific substantive areas the
discussions should emphasize the genera! problem ef sclence communication
between the two countries. This should be dramatized in order to bring cut
@s many proposals for effective solutions as possible from the people who
could implement them rather then have thea directed from on high.

2. Some specific suggestions fol low:

a. Special support for English languege publication of Japanese
research. Hany of the present English or bilingual Journals are In serlous
financial difficulty.

b. Establishment of reference centers on @ reciprocal basis to
furnish access to current publications In the U.S. and Japan respectively.
to sclentists in the other countries.

¢. Broadening the functions of the sclence attache to include
survey reports enslegeus to those now furnished by ONR London. An aggressive
athe atcha officer in such a post could also be the focus of additions!
proposals.

d. Announce special eaphesis on the probles of effective comunt-~-
cation to elicit specific working proposals. This should be perticulerly
effective as se means of generating means to improve the use of a }
of general scientific communication (which happens te be English).

e. Paul elso wished to stress his very strong support fer in-
creased, not cut back, NIH funds for Japenese sclence, particularly in
support of badly needed equipment.

Yours sincerely,

Joshue Lederberg
Professor of Genetics
ec: Or. Paul doty
br. Alvin Weinberg