Science Council Demands Appointment Of Scholars
The Science Council of Japan, the country's leading academic body, has again demanded that Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide appoint all the scholars it nominated for membership.
This is the third such call by the council since last October, when Suga refused to appoint six of the 105 nominees it recommended. The council is made up of 210 members, half of whom are replaced with new members every three years.
At a session of its general assembly on Thursday, the council adopted a statement calling for immediate appointment of the six scholars.
The statement says the prime minister is obliged by law to appoint the 105 scholars recommended by the council. It also says he bears responsibility to offer specific reasons for rejecting nominees, beyond the general explanations he has offered so far.
At the session, the council is also discussing its draft report on what kind of organization it should be. This follows a government demand that the council discuss the matter.
The council is an independent body, but its members are special national government employees. It is expected to make policy recommendations to the government and the public.