We agree with you. However, according to the MEXT’s definition, clusters need not involve local high-tech ventures. R&D collaboration between local public research institute and private firms outside of the cluster area is also an important part of a cluster for MEXT. Regarding the aim of local authorities, which includes the development of a cluster around a research organization or hospital, indeed cluster policy has not produced any outcomes yet.
The conceptual framework (figure 1) is very similar to the 'cluster initiative performance model' in the Cluster Initiative Greenbook (Solvell et al., 2003), adding the hypothesis that there might be an interaction between policy context and management and being somewhat more narrow on the elements included.