One of the central questions in the development of international biotechnology policy is whether persons have the same concepts of benefit and risk between countries, and how these views influence the policy. The first part of this paper presents analysis of comments on the benefits, risks and moral acceptability of biotechnology in Japan as viewed from different sectors of society. Two samples were obtained from mail response surveys in the year 2000, from the general public (N=297) and scientists (N=370), and one from the general public in 2003 (N=377). Comparison was made for a series of four questions on utility, risk, moral acceptability and overall encouragement, for applications of technology. The questions requested both agreement with a 5-point self-indicated scale, and the reasons behind these attitudes through open comments. The most acceptable of the applications were medicines ...