Passage of Bill on Science Council of Japan: Take Opportunity of Incorporation to Become New Organization

Editorial

15:11 JST, June 13, 2025

Taking the opportunity of its incorporation, the Science Council of Japan must aim to become an entity that is comparable with academic bodies around the world. It is hoped that the SCJ will contribute to the development of science and technology and provide timely proposals that lead to the improvement of people’s lives.

A bill that focuses on changing the status of the SCJ from the current “special organization of the state” to a special corporation has been passed into law. This is the biggest reform since its establishment in 1949 as an organization representing scientists. The new corporation will be inaugurated in October next year.

The SCJ has the role of providing various recommendations on government policies from a scientific standpoint. However, so far, it is hard to say that the council has performed adequately in this regard.

Between 2011 and 2022, the SCJ did not issue a single recommendation, which is an opinion the council provides on its own initiative. For many years, it has opposed research for military purposes and has also put the brakes on dual-use research with both military and civilian applications.

Reform of the SCJ was put on the table in response to the refusal by then Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to appoint six of the potential members in 2020. Since then, there has also been criticism that the selection of SCJ members was “decided through coordination among the existing members.”

The opaque nature of membership selection should be reviewed, and the new corporation should be changed into an organization that comprises a diverse range of personnel.

The new corporation is required to formulate a mid-term plan every six years and conduct a self-evaluation. An “evaluation committee” made up of outside experts will check whether the contents of the plan and other matters are appropriate. Moreover, as many as two auditors will be appointed to audit finances and operations. Evaluation committee members and auditors will be appointed by the prime minister.

The SCJ side has protested against the addition of such an outside perspective to the council’s operations, claiming it would “threaten the council’s autonomy.”

However, the government intends to continue subsidizing the SCJ with an annual operating budget of about ¥1 billion even after the transition to the new corporation, as it has in the past. Since taxpayers’ money is being invested, it is quite natural that the government should inspect the new corporation as to whether it is making a contribution to society and achieving results.

Current national university corporations also formulate mid-term plans and undergo external evaluations. The mechanism is the same.

In the selection of SCJ members, the current method in which the prime minister formally appoints candidates proposed by the council will be changed. A committee of experts will select candidates, and then a decision will be made at the council’s general meetings. It is hoped that this will increase transparency in the selection process.

After its incorporation, it will be possible to obtain external funding. Many major academic bodies in Europe and the United States do not rely solely on government subsidies for their operations, but actively collect donations to fund research and other activities. The new corporation will also be asked to make efforts to raise external funds.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 13, 2025)