Protest for Academic Freedom from Government

 Former presidents of Japan Science Council (JSC) published a statement which required the government of Japan to drop the bill for revision of JSC Act on May 20th. The bill was submitted to the Diet and passed the House of Representatives a week ago. The scientists criticize the bill of its enhanced control of the government on the JSC, arguing violation of academic freedom.

Revision of JSC Act stems from former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s rejection of recommendation from the JSC for new members in 2020. The JSC Act stipulates that the prime minister appoints the members of JSC based on recommendation from the council. Although it had been usual for prime minister to approve all the candidates recommended by the council, Suga rejected six candidates who were regarded as critical on some policies of the government.

The government of Japan submitted a bill for revision of the JSC Act in March, which would downgrade the council from national academy to one of the special corporations of the government. The bill determines establishment of “JSC evaluation committee” in the Cabinet Office, which members are appointed by the prime minister. They will be selected from outside of the JSC. It also establishes a committee for selecting member candidates.

 

The bill passed the Lower House with approval of the Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin-no Kai). They argued that the revised law would guarantee a greater independence than ever.

 

Six former JSC presidents co-sponsored a statement that required to scrap the bill. They denounced that the bill would not meet JSC as a national academy of Japan, which are supposed to independently make advise to the government. “It brings deep concern on neglecting independence of science or use of science as means,” described the statement.

 

The three of those six former presidents held a press conference on May 20th. One of those three, Seigo Hirowatari, picked up a provision in the bill, which enables the member candidates selecting committee demanding the plenary meeting to discharge a member who committed an inappropriate activity. Hirowatari quoted a speech of Manabu Sakai, the minister in charge of Cabinet Office, in the Diet that indicated dismissal of a JSC member “who insists specific argument or ideology.”

 

The former presidents labeled the bill as “Japan Science Council Controlling Act.” They required the government to fulfill the five conditions for a national academy: status as academically representing a state, public states for that, stable financial basis with appropriation from national budget, activities independent on government, and autonomy and independence in selecting members.

 

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and other opposition parties voted no in the Lower House. CDPJ issued a statement that expressed concern about undermining academic freedom and independence of “the Diet for scientists.” However, the leading parties have a majority in the Upper House to pass the bill by the end of current session.

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