EAI Energia, Ambiente e Innovazione 3/2012 44 Doing science in dire straits: the role of internationalization to boost R&D This paper gives a view on the future research plans and funding opportunities between Europe, Japan, and Italy, as a member State of the Union, but also as a country with a strong tradition of bilateral collaborations with Japan. The policies chosen to support research and technological innovation are discussed in the light of the global economical crisis and the natural events of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. The policy decisions taken in Japan and Italy, as well as the future research program of the EU, show evidence that investing in research is broadly considered a priority. Yet, there are many uncertainties to the future implementation of research programs in a period of economic crisis and strategic uncertainties for dramatically important issues, such as, e.g., the energy sources, that may eventually result in a conservative approach, rather than in investing in long-term initiatives as research. The paper concludes with some considerations on the importance of the internationalization, to manage the way out of the crisis and achieve research and technological development ■ Domenico De Martinis, Chiara Clementel, Marina Leonardi R esearch and technological development (R&D) are es- sential factors to pursue in any country worldwide, either for a developing country that needs to improve the know-how of the population and create new tools for industry and market growth, or for the highly developed ones that need to maintain international competitiveness and are facing the challenge of sustainability. Even countries and areas traditionally benefiting from natural sources for their wealth are in the modern age recognizing the importance of having a strong scientific and technological background. Deve- loping “giants” such as the so cal- led BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) do not only have an important academic tradition, but are strongly boosting their research capabilities, leading in some cases to the so called “di- splacement effect”, as produced by the exponential increase of China and other scientifically emerging countries such as India and Brazil on the main European producers 1 , namely Germany, France and UK. The derived innovation resulting from the research effort is therefo- re broadly considered essential to guarantee, or improve the quality of life, increase security of sources (e.g., energy, food), achieve sustai- nability, and ensure education and employment of the populations. There is no governance or policy program that would deny the im- portance of R&D, yet when it goes to (public) funding and (national) budget allocation, practice may prove to be different from theory. Primo p iano SCIENCE POLICY AFTER FUKUSHIMA ■ Domenico De Martinis ENEA, Technical Unit for Nuclear Fusion ■ Chiara Clementel, Marina Leonardi ENEA, Relations Central Unit, International Relations Service