Science Council Of Japan
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The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) is a representative organization of Japanese scholars and scientists in all fields of sciences, including humanities, social sciences, life sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. , president of Toyohashi Tech, is the elected president as of 2016, having been elected for two consecutive terms starting in 2013. The SCJ is headquartered in Roppongi, a district of
Minato, Tokyo is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English. Minato was formed in 1947 as a merger of Akasaka, Tokyo, Akasaka, Azabu and Shiba, Tokyo, Shiba wards following Tokyo City's Local Autonomy Ac ...
. Members of the SCJ are elected by scientists of all levels, including research scholars. Elected members are confirmed by the
Government of Japan The Government of Japan is the central government of Japan. It consists of legislative, executive (government), executive and judiciary branches and functions under the framework established by the Constitution of Japan. Japan is a unitary st ...
, a method similar to that of the
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
in the United States, upon which the structure of the SCJ was based. It was officially founded in January 1949 to function as an independent scientific statutory body under the jurisdiction of the
prime minister of Japan The is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its ministers of state. The prime minister also serves as the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Force ...
. As of 2015, the SCJ consists of 210 elected members appointed by the prime minister and 2,000 associate members. Its organizational setup includes a General Assembly, an executive board, three Section Meetings (namely Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering), 30 committees based on fields of specialties, five Administrative Committees for operation, and issue-oriented ad hoc committees.


History

The Science Council of Japan was founded by Harry C. Kelly during the American occupation of Japan after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. A former professor of physics at
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...
, Kelly was working in the American occupation forces. He was appointed as the civilian chief of the Fundamental Research Branch, and was subsequently appointed its associate director. His first achievement was the creation of the Japan Association of Science Liaison, a private organisation. The organisation was developed into the Preparatory Committee (Sewaninkai) of the Scientific Research Organisation Renewal Committee. It was eventually renamed the Science Council of Japan and governmentally constituted in 1949 as a "special organisation". It was formally inaugurated on 20 January at its first general meeting. In 2020, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga rejected six candidates nominated for the council, drawing criticism from opposition lawmakers and academics.


Activities

In June 2015, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Japanese government issued a directive to abolish or reduce humanities and social sciences in all national universities. The Science Council of Japan opposed the order. Representing the resolution of the council's executive board, President Onishi held a press conference on 23 July condemning the official decision. He expressed the council's belief that the dissolution of these disciplines "may result in higher education in Japan losing its breadth and depth." The Science Council of Japan was a consultative and decision making body in Japan's high-level radioactive waste management policy. The Japanese government enacted the Designated Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Act in 2000, under which the Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan (NUMO) was established. The operations and reports of NUMO were submitted to the council for inspection and evaluation in 2011. The council offered its suggestions for action to the government in 2012.


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External links

* {{Authority control Organizations established in 1949 1949 establishments in Japan Members of the International Council for Science Scientific organizations based in Japan Members of the International Science Council