No. 1307 A Draft Bill to Worsen Law on Science Council of Japan The Kishida administration has relinquished to put a draft bill on debate during the current Diet session; it is a bill on the Science Council of Japan to incorporate a clause that allows third parties to join in selecting members of the entity, revising the existing Act on the Science Council of Japan. The government, however, does not abandon the determination, but attempts to review the act more thoroughly, taking advantage of the occasion.
LET’S STRUGGLE TO ASSURE INDEPENDENCE OF THE SCEIENCE COUN CIL!
The government and ruling parties try to interfere in choosing member candidates of the council so as to control over it. The body fiercely contests the policy as it ‘erodes independence’, demanding the government not to present a draft bill to the Diet.
Six candidates rejected
Late September of 2020, the then-Suga government went against appointment, without showing reasons, of six of the candidates chosen by the council. This is the beginning. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) compiled a report under the Suga administration to reorganize the Science Council to be independent of the government, giving it a status of corporation.
The Kishida government, maintaining it as a state entity, attempts to establish an ‘Advisory Commission on Selection’ on the basis to seek ‘transparency’ and urges to respect opinions of the said commission.
The Science Council, however, issued a letter of ‘admonishment’ on April 18, as an extraordinary practice, asking the government for not to put the bill on the Diet agenda. On the previous day strong objections had been raised one after another, pointing out ‘loss of independence’, when the government had outlined the bill in the council’s general assembly.
Core of freedom of research
The Science Council of Japan, set up as a government organ, deliberates important issues on science independently and helps to implement them. It has duties and authorities by the law to advise the government after the latter asks for guidance.
The council selects candidates for membership, whom the prime minister appoints. Like other academies of foreign countries, it has rules of independence and self-management in terms its organizational structure and activities.
Mr. Ishikawa Kenji, an expert on constitutional law, criticized the rejection of appointment of the six by the prime minister; he said that ‘the core of freedom of research lies in maintaining independence of each specific academic field. The Science Council of Japan represents a bulwark to that decree. The denial meant government’s interference in personnel affair’.
Government wishes military studies
The ruling bloc tries to make the council be a convenient tool to the governing authority. The academic body has a firm stance ‘not to involve in military researches’, which derives from the tragic experiences of cooperation during the WWII. Now the government wants to change the academic organization so that it can commit in military studies.
The government’s panel of experts advises that it is ‘necessary to have broad cooperation of the academic fields and researchers’ in order to enhance the national defense system, instructing that a unified body of the government, universities and business entities should be founded immediately so as to engage in R&D efforts. The government, following the endorsement, has released lately the ‘National Security Strategy’, which provides ‘fostering practical connection in the national security area among the government, enterprises and the academic world’.
Even though the administration has given up the draft bill in the current session, it will not end its offensive. To defend independence and self-management of the Science Council of Japan is combined with our struggles to defend the Constitution. The New Socialist Party of Japan is determined to fight together with the Council.
岸田政権は、日本学術会議の会員選考に第三者を関与させる日本学術会議法改定案の今国会への提出を断念した。だが、改悪を諦めたわけではなく、これを機に更なる見直しに踏み込む構えだ。
政府・自民党は、会員選考に介入して学術会議の支配を目論む。学術会議側は「独立性が損なわれる」として強く反発、法案提出を止めるよう求めていた。
６人の任命を拒否
学術会議への攻撃は20年９月末、菅政権が学術会議の提出した会員候補のうち６名を、理由を明らかにせずに任命拒否したことに始まる。菅政権下で自民党は、学術会議を政府から独立した法人格に組織変更を求める提言をまとめた。
現政権の案は、国の機関として維持した上で、「透明性を求める」として「選考諮問委員会」を新設、会員選考時に諮問委の意見を尊重することを求める内容だ。
これに対し学術会議は４月18日、政府に法案の提出中止を求める異例の「勧告」を出した。前日開かれた総会で政府側が法案の概要を説明し、「独立性を損なう」などと強い反対意見が続出した。
学問の自由の核心
日本学術会議は政府の機関として設置され、独立して科学に関する重要事項を審議、その実現を図り、政府の諮問に応え、政府に勧告する「職務及び権限」を法定されている。
そして、会員は学術会議が推薦した候補者を首相が任命する。世界のアカデミーと同じように、日本学術会議も組織と活動の独立・自律性が原則だ。
憲法学者の石川健治氏は６名の任命拒否を、「学問の自由の核心は、専門分野の自立性を守ること。その防波堤である日本学術会議に対して人事介入が行われた」と批判した。
軍事研究をさせる
政府・自民党は、学術会議の御用機関化を狙う。戦争協力への反省から「軍事研究はしない」とする基本を変質させ、軍事研究する組織にしようというのだ。
政府の有識者会議は、防衛体制の強化には「広くアカデミアや研究者の協力が必須」で「政府と大学、民間が一体となって研究開発を進める仕組み作りに早急に取り組むべき」とした。提言を受けて策定された「国家安全保障戦略」は、「安全保障分野における政府と企業・学術界との実践的な連携の強化」を謳う。
今国会への法案提出を断念しても、権力の攻撃は続く。日本学術会議の独立・自律性を守ることは、憲法を守る闘いと一体だ。共に闘うことを決意する。
英訳版↓
No. 1307 A Draft Bill to Worsen Law on Science Council of Japan
The Kishida administration has relinquished to put a draft bill on debate during the current Diet session; it is a bill on the Science Council of Japan to incorporate a clause that allows third parties to join in selecting members of the entity, revising the existing Act on the Science Council of Japan. The government, however, does not abandon the determination, but attempts to review the act more thoroughly, taking advantage of the occasion.
LET’S STRUGGLE TO ASSURE INDEPENDENCE OF THE SCEIENCE COUN CIL!
The government and ruling parties try to interfere in choosing member candidates of the council so as to control over it. The body fiercely contests the policy as it ‘erodes independence’, demanding the government not to present a draft bill to the Diet.
Six candidates rejected
Late September of 2020, the then-Suga government went against appointment, without showing reasons, of six of the candidates chosen by the council. This is the beginning. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) compiled a report under the Suga administration to reorganize the Science Council to be independent of the government, giving it a status of corporation.
The Kishida government, maintaining it as a state entity, attempts to establish an ‘Advisory Commission on Selection’ on the basis to seek ‘transparency’ and urges to respect opinions of the said commission.
The Science Council, however, issued a letter of ‘admonishment’ on April 18, as an extraordinary practice, asking the government for not to put the bill on the Diet agenda. On the previous day strong objections had been raised one after another, pointing out ‘loss of independence’, when the government had outlined the bill in the council’s general assembly.
Core of freedom of research
The Science Council of Japan, set up as a government organ, deliberates important issues on science independently and helps to implement them. It has duties and authorities by the law to advise the government after the latter asks for guidance.
The council selects candidates for membership, whom the prime minister appoints. Like other academies of foreign countries, it has rules of independence and self-management in terms its organizational structure and activities.
Mr. Ishikawa Kenji, an expert on constitutional law, criticized the rejection of appointment of the six by the prime minister; he said that ‘the core of freedom of research lies in maintaining independence of each specific academic field. The Science Council of Japan represents a bulwark to that decree. The denial meant government’s interference in personnel affair’.
Government wishes military studies
The ruling bloc tries to make the council be a convenient tool to the governing authority. The academic body has a firm stance ‘not to involve in military researches’, which derives from the tragic experiences of cooperation during the WWII. Now the government wants to change the academic organization so that it can commit in military studies.
The government’s panel of experts advises that it is ‘necessary to have broad cooperation of the academic fields and researchers’ in order to enhance the national defense system, instructing that a unified body of the government, universities and business entities should be founded immediately so as to engage in R&D efforts. The government, following the endorsement, has released lately the ‘National Security Strategy’, which provides ‘fostering practical connection in the national security area among the government, enterprises and the academic world’.
Even though the administration has given up the draft bill in the current session, it will not end its offensive. To defend independence and self-management of the Science Council of Japan is combined with our struggles to defend the Constitution. The New Socialist Party of Japan is determined to fight together with the Council.
May 17, 2023