Science Council of Japan issues two new proposals

The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) has compiled and published two proposals: "Toward Gender Equality and Fairness in Society and Academia: Challenges for 2030" and "Mobilizing Total Efforts of Industry, Government, Academia, and Citizens to Address the Climate Crisis: Transition to a Carbon-Neutral Society That Leverages the Circular Economy and Harmonizes with Nature Restoration." Attention is focused on how government agencies and the business community will respond to these proposals going forward.

Japan's gender equality not progressing: Concrete efforts insufficient

The SCJ has issued 14 proposals related to gender equality over the past 10 years. Despite 25 years passing since the enactment of the Basic Act for Gender Equal Society in 1999 and the establishment of the Gender Equality Bureau Cabinet Office, Japan's gender equality has been progressing very slowly. In the Gender Gap Index (World Economic Forum), Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries and last among the G7.

The Basic Act includes provisions for gender mainstreaming. The Basic Act for a Gender Equal Society in 2000 established an expert research committee and developed a gender impact assessment system, but no surveys have been conducted. Chair Mana Shimaoka of the Sub-Committee for the 6th Basic Plan for Gender Equality (Professor, Graduate School of Law and Politics at the University of Osaka), stated, "This year, the cabinet decision on the 6th Basic Plan for Gender Equality is scheduled for December, so we focused on compiling matters that have not been addressed in previous proposals."

The proposal points out that the implementation system to ensure the effectiveness of the five basic plans is not functioning and calls for concrete efforts. It states that it is necessary to revive the expert research committee at the Council for Gender Equality, formulate and monitor an "implementation policy," publish annual reports, revive the Headquarters for the Promotion of Gender Equality and liaison meetings with officials, revive the Council for the Promotion of Gender Equality headed by vice ministers from each ministry and agency, evaluate progress, analyze reasons when there are problems with progress, have the Council for Gender Equality submit opinions to ministries and agencies, and secure personnel and budgets.

The proposal also recommends further strengthening the prevention of gender-based discrimination and violence at each stage of precautionary measures, perpetrator punishment, and victim relief, and that gender equality and fairness should be realized in human resource development in all fields.

Furthermore, to eliminate gender inequality in academia, the proposal suggests ensuring diverse gender perspectives in academic research, developing gender-specific medicine and gendered innovation, implementing comprehensive sexuality education, and introducing gender indicators in the evaluation criteria for various large-scale research projects and grants-in-aid for scientific research.

Global warming: Must Address without delay - sharing sense of crisis essential

Global average temperatures in 2024 reached the highest on record, and Japan experienced a very hot summer. Geopolitically unstable conditions have led to soaring energy prices and inflation, putting pressure on citizens' lives.

Chair Yuichi Moriguchi of the Committee on Transitioning to a Carbon-Neutral Society That Harmonizes with Nature Restoration by Leveraging the Circular Economy (Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo), said, "It is precisely because of this situation that I believe it is important to have a common understanding that addressing global environmental issues is essential without leaving them to the next generation. We need mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and adaptation measures to minimize the unavoidable adverse effects of climate change. We are at a stage where we should present prescriptions for accelerating climate crisis responses on both fronts."

Therefore, the committee issued seven proposals: (1) sharing a sense of crisis to accelerate domestic and international measures against climate change progressing faster than expected; (2) social implementation plans specifying checkpoints and implementing entities for achieving the 2050 goals; (3) support measures for social implementation that are specific to the region and leverage strengths in industry-government-academia collaboration; (4) the role of academia in the social implementation of policies and measures; (5) strategies for simultaneous achievement based on organizing common interests and conflicts between carbon neutrality, circular economy, and nature restoration; (6) decision-making and implementation of problem-solving measures by multiple entities based on comprehensive organization of complex issues; and (7) mobilizing total efforts toward achieving sustainability at both global and regional levels.

Moriguchi stated, "While this proposal is primarily directed at government agencies, we naturally want the business community to read it as well, and above all, we want to send a strong message to academic research institutions. The problems will not be solved simply by academia asking the government to do this. Academia itself must fulfill its role properly. In particular, interdisciplinary collaboration within academia is necessary, and collaboration with other actors and sectors through transdisciplinary activities is also very important. We need to properly implement governance for simultaneously achieving environmental issues and other problems."