Impacts and Channels of University Spillovers Before the National Innovation System Reform in Japan

This study examines the presence and mechanism of university spillovers in the period when university-industry collaborations encountered institutional barriers. In addition to estimating the traditional regional knowledge production function, the knowledge spillover pool, which is accessible to firms through joint research with national universities, is incorporated into the regression model. Despite institutional constraints on formal interactions, the results indicate positive university spillovers in many technological categories. The effects of university research on industrial innovations vary according to technology, geographical proximity, and knowledge networks. The theoretical and policy implications of empirical findings are discussed