Japan science council reforms threaten autonomy, say members

Proposed changes to the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) could “undermine” the independence of the policy body, its members have warned.

Earlier this month the Liberal Democratic Party-led government adopted a bill that would incorporate the organisation, ending its current position as a “special organisation” of the state and severing direct ties with the government. 

At the same time, aspects of the bill would increase government oversight, including appointing auditors to review the council’s activities and finances, sparking concerns about political interference. 

The council, which was established in 1949 to give advice and recommendations to policymakers, would continue to be funded by the government, which currently provides about ¥1 billion (£5.2 million) a year to support its operating costs.

Although it is currently under the jurisdiction of the prime minister, the body’s independence has been enshrined in law since its creation.  

“This shift means that to secure its budget, the SCJ may need to pay even closer attention to government decisions, which could paradoxically undermine its independence,” said Akira Mori, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Research Centre for Advanced Science and Technology and a member of the council.

The SCJ has previously clashed with leaders on topics including military research and national security. The council has repeatedly opposed scientific research for military purposes and decried government intervention in such research, while critics believe the council should be supportive of Japan’s national security efforts. 

Tensions between the government and council escalated in 2020, when the prime minister and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party at the time, Yoshihide Suga, rejected six proposed appointments to the council’s membership – normally a rubber-stamp exercise – without explanation, provoking a backlash.  

In 2023, the government revoked plans to revise the council’s membership selection processes after opposition from the council. 

For some, the new bill was seen as the latest in a series of political attacks on the council.

“The proposed amendment undermines the independence and autonomy of the SCJ as a national academy,” said Aya Yoshida, a professor at Waseda University and a member of the SCJ. 

“The SCJ would be required to follow the directives of advisory and evaluation committees, whose members are appointed by the prime minister, and it would no longer be able to select its members through co-option among existing members.” 

This, she said, raised “serious concerns” that it would become “an organisation unable to engage in free discussions based on academic expertise”.

In a statement in response to the bill, Mamoru Mitsuishi, president of the council, said: “It is regrettable that the Cabinet decision on the bill was made while the concerns that the SCJ has raised from the standpoint of autonomy and independence have not been alleviated.

“In order for the SCJ to respond to this entrustment as a national academy and to play its role as the representative organisation of scientists to promote welfare and develop society in Japan, it must first ensure the autonomy and independence of its activities.”

Mitsuishi said the council would re-examine the bill and hoped the Cabinet Office would “clarify its position” based on the council’s concerns.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com