They already have the local academic talent, and they're not looking to move away. Poaching US academics who are left in the lurch by the current administration

They already have the local academic talent, and they're not looking to move away. Poaching US academics who are left in the lurch by the current administration's policies is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Japan to achieve research dominance in economically and geopolitically important fields like semiconductors, defense, and biotechnology. Japan learned this lesson the hard way when they lost their semiconductor researchers to Taiwan, Korea, and the US in the early 90s. The US's misplay has given them a chance at redemption.