No. 1395 A Bill to Privatize Science Council of Japan
A bill has been presented to the Diet to make the Science Council of Japan incorporated; the authorities are planned to intervene in its organizational functions and management. That means the council’s academic freedom and independence will be lost and scholars and researchers will be forced to cooperate with the official military and war plans. Such a bill must be withdrawn.
LET’S RAISE OUR VOICES TO CANCEL THE BILL!
Appointment was refused in violation of law
Problems over the Science Council of Japan began in 2020 when the then-Prime-Minister Suga Yoshihide refused to appoint six researchers to be members against the law. The illegal situation could have been annulled, if the rejection had been backed down. On the contrary, however, the Ishiba government has presented a bill to privatize the council.
The government officials compiled the bill, following the ‘final report’ released on December 24, 2024, by the ‘advisory body of experts on the status of the Science Council of Japan’. During the processing period strong objections were raised from various social organizations, including an announcement of the statement to demand withdrawal of the bill by six former council presidents, including ex-President Kajita Takaaki.
The bill upsets the relevant law on the council enacted in 1948 in which independence of academic duties and autonomous election of council members are provided. The new draft stipulates to uproot the council’s foundation, institutionalizing intervention of the state’s power, as is seen in the idea to make the entity a special corporation. The existing law is based on the deep remorse over the academic cooperation during the wartime and is combined with Article 23 of the Constitution, in which academic freedom is guaranteed. This fact must not be forgotten.
Council’s independence will collapse
Major pillars of the bill are as follows:
A ‘director’ appointed by Prime Minister should control management and finance,
An ‘advisory committee to select candidate members’ composed of external representatives should take initiative in choosing members,
An ‘appraisal committee’ appointed by Prime Minister should mediate in the processes
The bill will destroy ‘independence’ of the activities and organizational functions maintained firmly by the Science Council. It has a definite objective to break down the body. Ex-President Kajita says, warning, that;
‘If “privatization without cause” is implemented, “an end will begin” in the Japanese academism. I am worrying about that.’ (Asahi Shinbun newspaper dated February 11, 2025)
Under the Koizumi administration in 2004 national universities were coercively reorganized into incorporations; the government’s control over the universities became stronger and research activities were disturbed, thus, potentials were deteriorated. The lesson must be learned sincerely.
Requirements that could represent the nation Japan
The Science Council of Japan, responding to the rejection of six academicians by the government, announced in April 2021 the requirements that represent a national academy – a body of scientists which represents the nation Japan;
A status as an entity that represents the nation Japan in terms of academic activities,
Bestowment of official qualification for the above-mentioned objective,
Financial basis to be sustained by the nation’s budget,
Independence of the government in terms of academic activities,
Selection of members should rely on the Council’s own initiative and independence
The preamble of the law provides: ‘the Council shall contribute to peaceful reconstruction of the country and to welfare of the mankind’s society under the comprehensive will of scientists.’ Let’s raise our voices to withdraw the bill to secure the ideal.
日本学術会議を法人化し、組織や運営に権力介入を目論む法案が国会提出された。学問の自由・独立を奪い、学者・研究者を軍事・戦争に協力させることになりかねない法案は廃案しかない。
任命拒否が違法だ
日本学術会議を巡る問題は、菅義偉首相(当時)が２０２０年に会員６名を違法に任命拒否したことに始まる。任命拒否の撤回で違法状態を解消すべきなのに、石破政権は学術会議法人化法案を閣議決定し国会提出した。
政府は、「日本学術会議の在り方に関する有識者懇談会」が24年12月20日に提出した「最終報告」を受けて法案策定を行った。その過程で、同会議の梶田隆章前会長ら歴代会長６人が撤回を求める声明を出したのをはじめ各方面から強い反対の声が上がった。
法案は、職務の独立性や会員選考の自主性を定めた１９４８年制定の現行法を廃止して学術会議を根本から作り替えるもので、権力の介入を制度化する特殊法人化などが柱だ。現行法が、戦争協力への深い反省の上にあり、学問の自由を保障する憲法23条と一体であることを忘れてはならない。
独立性を突き崩す
法案は、首相が任命する「監事」が業務と財政を統制し、外部委員の「会員候補者選定助言委員会」が会員の選考を枠づけ、首相が任命する「評価委員会」による介入が骨格となっている。
日本学術会議が堅持してきた活動と組織の「独立性」を根底からつき崩すもので、学術会議つぶしが目的と言わざるを得ない。梶田前会長は、「このような『理念なき法人化』が本当に行われたなら、日本の学術の『終わりの始まり』になる。心配です」（朝日新聞２月11日付）と警鐘を鳴らしている。
小泉政権下の２００４年に強行された国立大学の法人化で政府の締め付けが強化され、研究活動の阻害が生じ、研究力の低下を招いた轍てつを踏んではならない。
国を代表する要件
６人の任命拒否以降の政府の動きに対して日本学術会議は21年４月、ナショナルアカデミー（国を代表する科学者会議）であるための要件を示した。①日本の学術的に国を代表する機関としての地位、②そのための公的資格の付与、③国家財政による財政基盤、④活動面での政府からの独立、⑤会員選考における自主性・独立性―である。
現行法前文にある「科学者の総意の下に、わが国の平和的復興、人類社会福祉に貢献」の理念を守るためにも廃案へ国民が声を上げよう。
英訳版↓
No. 1395 A Bill to Privatize Science Council of Japan
A bill has been presented to the Diet to make the Science Council of Japan incorporated; the authorities are planned to intervene in its organizational functions and management. That means the council’s academic freedom and independence will be lost and scholars and researchers will be forced to cooperate with the official military and war plans. Such a bill must be withdrawn.
LET’S RAISE OUR VOICES TO CANCEL THE BILL!
Appointment was refused in violation of law
Problems over the Science Council of Japan began in 2020 when the then-Prime-Minister Suga Yoshihide refused to appoint six researchers to be members against the law. The illegal situation could have been annulled, if the rejection had been backed down. On the contrary, however, the Ishiba government has presented a bill to privatize the council.
The government officials compiled the bill, following the ‘final report’ released on December 24, 2024, by the ‘advisory body of experts on the status of the Science Council of Japan’. During the processing period strong objections were raised from various social organizations, including an announcement of the statement to demand withdrawal of the bill by six former council presidents, including ex-President Kajita Takaaki.
The bill upsets the relevant law on the council enacted in 1948 in which independence of academic duties and autonomous election of council members are provided. The new draft stipulates to uproot the council’s foundation, institutionalizing intervention of the state’s power, as is seen in the idea to make the entity a special corporation. The existing law is based on the deep remorse over the academic cooperation during the wartime and is combined with Article 23 of the Constitution, in which academic freedom is guaranteed. This fact must not be forgotten.
Council’s independence will collapse
Major pillars of the bill are as follows:
The bill will destroy ‘independence’ of the activities and organizational functions maintained firmly by the Science Council. It has a definite objective to break down the body. Ex-President Kajita says, warning, that;
‘If “privatization without cause” is implemented, “an end will begin” in the Japanese academism. I am worrying about that.’ (Asahi Shinbun newspaper dated February 11, 2025)
Under the Koizumi administration in 2004 national universities were coercively reorganized into incorporations; the government’s control over the universities became stronger and research activities were disturbed, thus, potentials were deteriorated. The lesson must be learned sincerely.
Requirements that could represent the nation Japan
The Science Council of Japan, responding to the rejection of six academicians by the government, announced in April 2021 the requirements that represent a national academy – a body of scientists which represents the nation Japan;
The preamble of the law provides: ‘the Council shall contribute to peaceful reconstruction of the country and to welfare of the mankind’s society under the comprehensive will of scientists.’ Let’s raise our voices to withdraw the bill to secure the ideal.
March19, 2025