Academics Protest Bill Allowing Dismissal from Science Council for Political Views

TOKYO, Jun 09 (News On Japan) - A group of scholars staged a sit-in near the Diet on June 4th to protest a new bill concerning the Science Council of Japan, warning that it could threaten academic independence and freedom of expression.

"This isn’t just an issue for academia. It’s a matter of democracy," said Ozawa Ryuichi, emeritus professor at Jikei University School of Medicine.

Kato Yoko, professor at the University of Tokyo, added, "This bill on the Science Council is truly dangerous."

The proposed legislation would reorganize the Science Council as a special incorporated administrative agency and introduce government-appointed inspectors and evaluation committee members, raising concerns about increased political interference under the current administration.

A key point of contention is a recent remark by Sakai Manabu, Minister of State for Special Missions, who said:

"Under this bill, members who repeatedly express specific ideologies or partisan positions could be removed from the Council."

This comment has sparked widespread concern among academics, who fear that allowing dismissals based on political beliefs could undermine freedom of speech and expression, leading scholars to self-censor rather than voice opinions that differ from government views.

When questioned about his remark on June 5th, Sakai responded:

"The government itself would not carry out dismissals. The Science Council would be responsible for that. I do not believe this would cause any chilling effect."

Source: TBS

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