PM Suga refuses to appoint 6 scholars to Science Council of Japan in unprecedented move - The Mainichi

PM Suga refuses to appoint 6 scholars to Science Council of Japan in unprecedented move - The Mainichi

Japan science council questions Suga’s snub

Japanese academics are incensed that the country’s new prime minister has refused to appoint six scientists that were nominated to the Science Council of Japan (SCJ). Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has yet to give a reason for the unprecedented snub. The SCJ, which represents more than 800,000 Japanese scholars, needs the approval of the prime minister to assign people to its 210-member governing body. Some of the six academics — all social scientists — have spoken out against government policies. The council and academics are demanding an explanation. “The council has maintained its autonomy since it was founded (in 1949). The appointment refusals without any explanation will greatly affect the council's existence,” says Kyoto University president and outgoing SCJ head Juichi Yamagiwa.

Mainichi Shimbun | 3 min read