It is generally agreed that East Asian economic development has been realized through techno-scientific success. The Japanese were the first in East Asia to adopt Western science and technology and have the strongest economy because of it. It is equally obvious, however, that while local innovation and technological advancement have brought benefits, they have also brought suffering, challenging situations, and unresolved ambiguities. Subjecting techno-science to serious social study is the concern of STS scholars in Asia and around the world.
