tokyo

Now that proposals for a Japanese science and technology ministry have been dropped, one expectation is that the Council for Science and Technology will take over some of the tasks and functions of the present Science and Technology Agency, possibly including the administration of big-science programmes. The council is Japan’s highest science policy-making body and is chaired by the prime minister.

At present, the STA oversees an important part of Japan’s big-science programmes. As most of these — including nuclear fusion and space — have a heavy tilt towards development, many observers wonder how they could fit into the framework of the proposed new education, science and technology ministry. But others say that the proposed reform opens up an opportunity to render existing projects at STA both more cost-efficient and more scientifically rewarding.

In the future, the social sciences and humanities will be added to the council’s constituency — which at present covers only natural sciences and engineering. And the council will enjoy a considerably enlarged budget, with more authority and staff of its own, to help it fulfil its originally intended role of coordinating and overseeing all government science and technology.

“The fact that the council does not have administrative staff, but relies almost entirely on STA personnel, impinges on its ability to act as a coordinating body,” says Wataru Mori, a permanent member of the council.

Akito Arima of the Institute for Physical and Chemical Research hopes that the council can play a more active role in Japanese science policy. At present, the council’s main activity is to report on policy questions handed down to it by the prime minister. “A future Council for Science and Technology should play a more active role in policy-making,” he says.