Science Council Transformed into Corporation

The experts’ conference for reform of Science Council of Japan (SCJ) wrapped up its report which urged the council further independent from the government of Japan in the form of corporation. While the government will continue its financial support, the conference decided to appoint a supervisor who oversees the spendings of the public fund. The council accepted the report, leaving a slight concern on intervention of the government. 

Established in 1949, four years after Japan experienced devastative defeat in the World War II, SCJ has been making proposals for the society and politics in Japan as an independent special organization under the control of the prime minister. Act of the Science Council of Japan says that the council is established “standing upon the assurance that science is the foundation of a cultured nation, and under the consensus of the entire scientific community, with the missions of contributing to the peaceful revitalization of Japan, the welfare of human society, and to academic progress, in coordination with global academic communities.”

 

However, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga intervened in the selection of the member of SCJ and refused nomination of six scholars in 2020. Suga is known as an earnest follower of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, who had been uneasy about criticisms from scholars on his policy, especially on his constitutional amendment. Suga’s successor, Fumio Kishida, tried to settle the dispute by corporatizing SCJ, while the council would continue to be one of the governmental organizations with financial support.

 

The experts who have been discussing the shape of the corporatized SCJ recommended that new SCJ would have a supervisor, appointed by the prime minister, to let the council explain about its spendings. From the bureaucratic point of view, the council has to be responsible for the spendings as long as it receives fund from tax payers. But some scholars still see it to be an intervention in academic freedom. The dispute has an aspect of conflict between the elites, namely bureaucrats and professors who might once have been classmates in the highest educational institute.

 

Conservative lawmakers in the Liberal Democratic Party, mostly the allies of Abe, and bureaucrats in Kasumigaseki who have ambition of extending their power were reluctant to support academism, if the scholars disturb unilateral exercise of political power for its own cause. The reform of SCJ was concluded in halfway, in terms of cutting off an uncontrollable organization.

 

SCJ decided to accept the final report of the experts, leaving skepticism on excessive oversight from the government. “I hope to look forward, even though we express our concerns. I am going to closely discuss with the government on the legislation for the reform,” told SCJ President, Mamoru Mitsuishi. Mitsuishi is trying to embrace the reform which abolishes nomination by the prime minister and hopefully increases annual budget for SCJ.

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