A numerical perspective on Nature authors.

So far this year, only the United States has submitted more papers to Nature than Japan. A good publication record can be important when trying to secure funding in Japan, says Jun Yamamoto of Kyoto University, whose recent work on a new liquid-crystal phase is described on page 525. But a strong and interesting research programme is also important, he adds.

Ichiro Terasaki of Waseda University agrees. In addition, he says, it is a good thing to allow individuals freedom to perform experiments, follow their own leads and direct their own research agendas. This policy led Fumiaki Sawano, one of Terasaki's co-authors and an undergraduate at the time, to discover an organic material that can intrinsically act as a d.c. to a.c. current converter (see page 522).

786 submissions have been made to Nature from Japan this year (which represents 7.9% of total submissions).

201 authors of papers published in Nature so far this year are working in Japan (total number of published authors=4,155).

5 is the median number of authors per paper for published papers submitted from Japan.

21 authors working in Japan present research in this week's issue of Nature.