Science Council Urges Pm To Appoint 6 Nominees
The Science Council of Japan says it wants Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide to explain why he refused to appoint some of its nominated candidates. It has also decided to repeat its call for their appointment.
The council is designated as a special organization under the jurisdiction of the prime minister. It makes policy proposals independently from the government.
Half of the members are decided every three years. Candidates are recommended by the council and appointed by the prime minister.
It had submitted a list of 105 candidates, but six of them were not appointed.
The council said this is the first time any of its nominees has been rejected by the prime minister since the current appointment system began in 2004.
At a general meeting on Friday, the members discussed the matter and agreed to produce a written request. They said they will discuss the details of the wording later.
The council's president, Kajita Takaaki, is a Nobel laureate and Distinguished Professor at the University of Tokyo. Kajita said the matter is of grave importance. He added that the council will continue its discussions and deal with the matter properly.
