As you are aware I was not posting much about my activities. I have been working, though slowly, on Corona Policy of Japan under the auspice of MInister Nishimura; the progress has been slow. Meanwhile, the unexpected resignation of PM Abe followed by Mr Suga, an event so sudden and new PM has been trying hard to do many challenges. One of the surprises of PM Suga was the rejection of 6 nominees of the Science Council of Japan ad no comment and explanation for this non-appro...val was not offered by the PMs office.
Today, LDP offered a few session on this matter at its HQ in Nagata-cho and I was invited as one of panel members to discuss his matter, eg what is SCJ, what it has done. As one of past Heads of SCJ, my arguments focused on what we have done in last 20- years as the major organization representing the science community at large of Japan.
During my tenure at National Science Academies, SCJ for Japan, developed G8 academy gathering and delivering statements at each G8 Summits since the time of Glen Eagles in 2005 hosted by PM Tony Blair of UK. Since then at each G8/7 Summits this process has been part of the Summits, a process of acknowledging the opinion of the science community at large on the agenda of the Summit. It is always good to study first a history whatever you may wish to know and how such action reflects the circumstances of such times. Of my presentation and arguments, I am not sure whether my arguments were strong enough to convince LDP committee members. Anyway, such is a process of modern civilization as it has been said it is right that the science community develops science-based analyses and proposals to policymakers and political processes to makers are to make decisions. Whether such modern functions of the political process may depend upon each country s based on her own history.
As some of you may have seen on TV this evening, LDP offered a short session today to discuss the Science Council of Japan, what it is and what to do with it inviting 3 former presidents of SCJ, ie, Professor Yoshikawa, Onishi and myself.