The Cabinet Office’s panel of experts has compiled a draft final report on the future of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ).
To ensure the SCJ can fully utilize its unique capacity to offer fully independent scientific advice to the government, the government and the SCJ need to engage in scrupulous and in-depth dialogue to reach a mutually agreeable solution.
The draft report underscores the expectation that the SCJ will undertake activities and deliver impactful recommendations that surpass the capabilities of individual academic societies or existing government councils.
To achieve this, the report suggests that incorporating the SCJ as an independent organization would not only expand its operational scope but also bolster its financial autonomy and overall independence.
However, there are serious concerns about the proposed reforms, particularly the new member selection process and the revised approach to evaluating the SCJ’s activities.
The proposed changes involve creating a new advisory committee on member selection policies and procedures, introducing a peer voting system for new members and abolishing the current practice of appointments by the prime minister.
According to the proposed governance overhaul, an evaluation committee and auditors, both appointed by the prime minister, would monitor and review the SCJ’s activities.
While retaining government funding for the special organization set up to promote and enhance the field of science, the entity would also be required to seek diversified funding sources.
As the panel’s deliberations has progressed, the SCJ has expressed strong opposition to reforms that might undermine its role as a representative academy dedicated to free and autonomous academic activities that are not influenced by short-sighted interests.
The science council has specifically rejected as unacceptable the auditors and the establishment of an evaluation committee appointed by a minister and the introduction of a special method for selecting members.
The controversy over the future of the science council began with then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s refusal in 2020 to appoint six nominated SCJ candidates.
This policy decision became a flashpoint, prompting the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to shift the debate toward the need for organizational and operational reforms within the SCJ.
Last year, the government attempted to introduce a bill to increase its involvement in the SCJ while maintaining its status as a state institution. However, the plan was abandoned due to a fierce backlash from the SCJ.
The panel has been developing a blueprint to revamp the SCJ despite the government providing no explanation for the prime minister’s abrupt refusal to appoint the candidates–an action that deviated from traditional policy.
Thus, it is understandable that the SCJ is concerned about preserving its independence and autonomy under the new system, and whether operational problems will arise again.
The consequences of the reforms to national universities that began about two decades ago, transforming these state-funded institutions into independent incorporated organizations, are contributing to current apprehensions about the future.
These reforms have resulted in cuts to state subsidies for fundamental operations and increased government influence over their management, leaving both universities and researchers struggling.
Publicly funded organizations should ensure operational transparency, undergo activity evaluations and consider external opinions.
However, any reforms that increase government oversight to the point where the SCJ becomes effectively subordinate to governmental intentions would undermine its core mission and essential role.
The SCJ serves the nation precisely because it can, at times, make harsh recommendations critical of government policies, unlike rubber-stamp advisory councils. Reforms that stifle this role would render the SCJ a toothless and meaningless body.
The Cabinet Office is continuing discussions with the SCJ to find common ground and aims to submit related legislation to the ordinary session of the Diet next year. The SCJ is set to deliberate the matter at its general assembly on Dec. 22.
To ensure that no lingering issues remain for the future, both sides must deepen their dialogue and discussions.
–The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 20
This post was originally published on here
