Science Council of Japan

Science Council of Japan
日本学術会議
AbbreviationSCJ
PredecessorJapan Association of Science Liaison
Preparatory Committee (Sewaninkai)
Formation20 January 1949 (1949-01-20)
FounderHarry C. Kelly
PurposeDevelopment of science in Japan
HeadquartersRoppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
FieldsScience
Membership (2015)
210
President
Takashi Onishi [ja]
Vice-President (Organizational Management)
Chiaki Mukai
Vice-President (Contacts with Government)
Kumie Inose
Vice-President (International Activities)
Keisuke Hanaki
Key people
Kôdi Husimi
Akira Fujiwara
Toshiyuki Kobayashi
AffiliationsAssociation of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC)
Websitewww.scj.go.jp/en/

The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) is a representative organization of Japanese scholars and scientists in all fields of sciences, including humanities, social sciences, life sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. Takashi Onishi [ja], president of Toyohashi Tech, is the elected president as of 2016, having been elected for two consecutive terms starting in 2013.[1] The SCJ is headquartered in Roppongi, a district of Minato, Tokyo.[2] Members of the SCJ are elected by scientists of all levels, including research scholars. Elected members are confirmed by the Government of Japan, a method similar to that of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, upon which the structure of the SCJ was based. It was officially founded in January 1949 to function as an independent scientific statutory body under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister of Japan.[3]

As of 2015, the SCJ consists of 210 elected members appointed by the prime minister and 2,000 associate members. Its organizational setup includes a General Assembly, an executive board, three Section Meetings (namely Humanities and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences and Engineering), 30 committees based on fields of specialties, five Administrative Committees for operation, and issue-oriented ad hoc committees.[4]

  1. ^ "President Takashi Onishi is reelected as the head of the Science Council of Japan". Toyohashi University of Technology. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Science Council of Japan (SCJ)". iamp. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Science Council of Japan (SCJ)". IAP. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Science Council of Japan (SCJ)". PreventionWeb. Retrieved 24 November 2015.