文明のターンテーブルThe Turntable of Civilization

The following is from a regular column by Nobuyuki Kaji, Professor Emeritus of Osaka University, published in today's Sankei Shimbun under the title "Differences between Reports and Papers." 
It is a must-read not only for Japanese citizens but for people worldwide.

As an older man, I am approaching the end of my life. 
The decline of the five senses is severe. 
In the old days, when I heard one, my brain would instantly know ten. Right now, whether I listen to that one or not, I'm all the same. 
All will sink into the sea of oblivion. 
Sorry for the bad news. 
Either way, you too. 
Excuse me, excuse me; you can still go.   
In any case, I'm in an old age of oblivion and watch TV daily. 
In that case, my lifelong habit, that is, my critical spirit, will reveal what I should have seen if I looked at it honestly. 
For example, NHK's morning drama "Ranman." 
The main character is a setting called Tomitaro Makino. 
As you know, Makino only went to elementary school. 
However, he connected with Tokyo Imperial University and was allowed to go in and out. 
NHK is trying to draw various human dramas born from that.   
Although I am a researcher with absolutely no connection with botany, as an older man and a Chinese philosopher, I have something in common regarding research and researcher, so I gradually came to watch this drama often. 
Of course, since it's a drama, NHK is probably producing it from that standpoint, so I won't complain about that.
However, I think it would be a problem if viewers all over the country were to have an academic image of this drama that is currently being broadcast.
I want to tell you what the problem is.
There are common assessments in every field of study. 　
Research results are the same whether in the humanities or the sciences and always appear as printed matter.
The first decision to make about the publication is whether it is an article or a report. 　
The reports are rigorous research reports on individual subjects.
It is an important base material for research. 　
A thesis is a document that presents a new opinion as a theory based on such reports.
The above is the knowledge of researchers. 　
The work of Tomitaro Makino.
He left some awe-inspiring achievements, but most were reports on plants.
Of course, good reporting is of great value, but reporting is research, not discourse. 　
There will be times behind this.
In the Meiji and Taisho eras, the distinction between papers and reports was not strict and often confused.
It is because, at that time, "erudition and extensive knowledge" was valued.  
For example, regarding the number of papers published, China currently has the most significant digit, ranking first globally.
However, the tone of the mass media is that Japan is in 36th place, even at the top of the list, the University of Tokyo.
But I dare say.
Most of the so-called Chinese papers are reports.
It is also necessary for the Chinese to see no distinction between papers and reports. 　
"Xunzi," it said that if you don't climb high mountains, you won't know how high the heavens are.  　　　　　　　
(Kaji Nobuyuki)