The layoffs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have become a reality. In Japan, a bill is being promoted to reduce the autonomy of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ), the country's largest scientific institution. The scientific community in a science advanced nation is facing a government-induced crisis.
NASA announced on 10th (local time) that it has decided to abolish key scientific advisory departments, including the Office of the Chief Scientist. Departments targeted for abolition include the Office of the Chief Scientist, technology and policy, strategy advisory departments, and those coordinating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) efforts. As part of the anticipated workforce reduction measures since President Donald Trump's inauguration, 24 positions are expected to be eliminated.
The Chief Scientist at NASA does not perform direct research but provides scientific advice to NASA's top officials and coordinates research directions among various departments. This department has existed since the 1980s but has remained vacant for a while.
The technology and policy strategy department established at NASA in 2021 has also been included in the list for abolition. This department was responsible for analyzing research directions and formulating strategies with economists and technology experts. The abolition of the DEIA department appears to be linked to President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce DEIA policies across government agencies.
Janet Petro, acting director of NASA, stated in an internal notice, "These changes will be difficult, but we should use this as an opportunity to operate a more efficient and effective agency while fulfilling our legal obligations." In response, Grant Tremblay, a researcher at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, noted, "While it is acknowledged that some reforms at NASA are necessary, the complete abolition of several departments is excessive," and added, "Most of these cuts are likely to be fundamentally irreversible."
There are also rumors that NASA's scientific budget will be halved. The Planetary Society, a U.S. space research organization, warned, "If NASA's budget is cut in half, U.S. space research will effectively collapse."
As concerns about changes in science policy grow in the United States, protests against President Trump's workforce reductions and cuts in research expenditures are taking place in multiple cities, including Washington D.C., Boston, and New Jersey. Co-organizer of the Actions for Science rally, Colette DelaWala, a researcher at Emory University, stated, "This is a very urgent situation," and said, "Scientists need to stop their research and step forward for policy change."
In Japan, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is promoting a bill to reduce the independence of the Science Council. The Science Council of Japan represents 870,000 scientists and has operated independently from the government, creating research ethics guidelines and advising on policies. However, on the 7th, the Japanese Cabinet approved a bill placing the Science Council under government control.
The Science Council of Japan has had conflicts with the LDP over the past few years. Established after World War II, the Science Council has emphasized peaceful research over research for war. However, the Japanese government and corporations have actively tried to promote research for military technology development, leading to clashes with the Science Council. This ongoing conflict appears to have prompted the government to prepare a bill to reduce the independence of the Science Council.
If this bill passes the National Diet, the operating funds of the Science Council of Japan will come under direct government control. Currently, the Science Council receives about 1 billion yen (about 100 million won) in government subsidies each year, but if the bill passes, it will only receive funding deemed necessary by the government. Additionally, the Prime Minister may appoint independent auditors to oversee the Science Council, and external experts may form committees to evaluate its activities. Outside personnel will also be able to intervene in the member election process within the Science Council.
Japanese scientists are strongly opposing this, stating that it is an attempt to strip the independence of the Science Council and make it conduct only research wanted by the government. Six former presidents of the Science Council warned in a joint statement on the 18th of last month, "If this bill passes, the Science Council will lose trust in the international scientific community and will not be able to fulfill its original role."
The influential Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun also expressed opposition to the bill through an editorial, stating, "This bill severely infringes on the freedom of science," and added, "When Japan's national universities were incorporated in the past, research activities were stifled and research capabilities deteriorated; we must not repeat the same mistake." Public dissent against the bill is rising, and an online petition has gathered more than 22,000 signatures so far.