Japan Society of Political Economy

The Japan Society for Political Economy No. 2025-01

April 19, 2025

Urgent Statement Calling for the Abolition of the Science Council of Japan Bill

The Executive Committee of the Japan Society for Political Economy

The Science Council of Japan Bill, which was approved by the Cabinet on March 7 and submitted by the government to the Diet, undermines the independence of the Science Council of Japan as an organization that represents Japanese scientists internally and externally, and the Japanese Society for Political Economy (JSPE) calls for its repeal.

We have opposed the government's policy of intervening in and effectively controlling the Science Council of Japan, in order to (1) maintain its independence as an organization that directly advises the government and society on the opinions of Japanese scientists, (2) eliminate non-scientific dynamics in the selection and appointment of members, and (3) respect independent reform of the Science Council of Japan through open and deliberate dialogue with the public and the government.

It is an indispensable social infrastructure for fundamental human rights, peace and security, freedom and democracy in our civilized society that academic research be conducted in a free sphere, separate from politics and power, and based on the proactive participation of a broad and diverse range of researchers. In light of the above, this bill is fraught with serious problems. This concern is also clearly expressed in the resolution adopted at the April 15 general meeting of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) calling for amendments to this bill, and in the statement proposed by the President of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ).

These issues are at the heart of this bill, namely the incorporation of the Science Council of Japan, and the concerns cannot be resolved by amending the bill while maintaining its core. In order to achieve truly careful deliberation, we strongly urge that this bill be repealed.