More than 220 Japanese academic societies of liberal arts have jointly demanded that the government explain why it refused to appoint six nominees for membership in the country's top academic body.
Ten people, including university professors who serve as heads of societies in the fields of humanities and social sciences, released the joint statement at a news conference on Friday.
A group of advocates of the Japanese Constitution has accused Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide of violating academic freedom by refusing to appoint six nominees for membership of the Science Council.
The accusation came in a statement issued by five members of the group "Save Constitutional Democracy Japan" at a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Former senior members of Japan's leading academic body have disclosed that the prime minister's office did not accept its choice of candidates for membership four years ago.
The Science Council of Japan is designated a special organization under the jurisdiction of the prime minister, but makes policy proposals independently of the government.