VolNATURE 462|3|Vol December 462|3 December 2009 2009 NEWS

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[email protected] K. CAMPBELL/GETTY Japan budget threat sparks backlash Nobel laureates and leading researchers rally to protest at proposed spending cuts.

Japanese scientists have mobilized a huge

national and international protest against KYODO the budget-slashing policies of their new government. The criticisms came as government- appointed working groups of roughly 20 people — with few scientists among them — reached the final week of hearings that are recommend- ing budget cuts for 220 government-funded projects, including many major research initia- tives. The recommendations are part of the gov- ernment’s effort to reduce next year’s national budget by ¥3 trillion (US$33.7 billion). The proposed cuts would hit, among oth- ers, the SPring-8 synchrotron in Harima and a project to build the world’s fastest super- computer. But they also call for reductions in Eminent Japanese scientists gathered to air concerns that the country could lose its competitive edge. the grants that form the lifeline for many scien- tists (see Nature 462, 258–259; 2009). symposium, says that the sudden outcry reminds Exploration Agency faces a suspension of its A hastily arranged symposium at the Univer- him of one of the most turbulent periods in Jap- budget. The working groups also recommended sity of Tokyo on 25 November saw four Japanese anese history: the 1960 ‘anpo’ demonstrations, unspecified cuts to the ¥97-billion budget for Nobel laureates and a Fields medalist speak when faculty members and students protested major university-affiliated facilities, such as about the potential damage in front of some against the US–Japan security treaty. the Super-Kamiokande neutrino observatory 1,000 attendees (see go.nature.com/oV9dZ2). On 26 November, the four Nobel laureates — in Hida and Japan’s Subaru telescope at the At the end of the meeting, the audience chemist Ryoji Noyori, immunologist Susumu Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii. erupted into applause to show its support for Tonegawa and physicists Reona (Leo) Esaki Hitoshi Murayama, director of the Institute a proposed statement from the distinguished and Makoto Kobayashi — joined a delegation for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe scientists calling for the government to “take of scientists who met with Japan’s Prime Minis- at the University of Tokyo, has been particularly into account the opinions of scientists and aca- ter Yukio Hatoyama to press their case. During active in rallying support from international demics when deciding budgets for universities the meeting, Noyori “pointed out that world- colleagues. “I’ve asked distinguished scientists and allocations for research grants”. class infrastructures such as supercomputers, from around the world to write e-mails to the In the past week, the normally staid world of accelerators and bioresources are absolutely vice-ministers of education and, as far as I know, Japanese science policy has seen a rash of such essential to academia and industry to carry out about a hundred people responded.” statements. On 24 November, presidents from the highest-standard science and technology George Smoot, a Nobel-prizewinning Japan’s top nine national and private universities research”, he later told Nature. astrophysicist at the Lawrence Berkeley issued a declaration saying the government’s pol- In a statement issued after the meeting, all National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, icies “are moving in the opposite direction from eight science Nobelists living in Japan said: has been quoted in the Japanese media as say- the rest of the world” and called “The weakening of “For Japan, a country poor in ing that the cuts “will send a strong message to for funding of young-researcher resources, the weakening of our the worldwide science community that Japan grants and university-operating our science and science and technology means is no longer a trustworthy partner”. costs to be maintained. technology means the the decay of our country.” Marine geophysicist Greg Moore of the Uni- The next day, the heads of decay of our country.” “I will firmly support versity of Hawaii laments the proposed 10–20% nine university-related centres science,” responded Hatoyama. cut to Japan’s ocean-drilling programme, which that focus on computer and information tech- “I will take the opinions of the Nobelists into supports Chikyu, the world’s largest research- nology issued a statement calling for support consideration and decide our future direction.” drilling vessel. “I wonder how the Japanese gov- for the threatened supercomputer project. In the last few days of the working-group ernment can justify wasting this technological Leaders of 17 Centers of Excellence at the Uni- hearings, which ended on 27 November, the jewel by further cutting support for its use,” he versity of Tokyo, along with its president, have groups gave full support to a prototype Jap- wrote to the science ministry. “The worldwide released a statement appealing for the mainte- anese–European fusion reactor, part of the marine geoscience community is rapidly losing nance of their budgets. Presidents from Japan’s international ITER atomic-fusion project, in confidence in Japan’s ability to lead the Inte- top nine national and private universities and line with the Hatoyama administration’s enthu- grated Ocean Drilling Program,” he added. 31 leaders of various Global Centers of Excel- siasm for developing new energy sources and The government is now considering the lence have also weighed in. green technology. working groups’ recommendations and will Shiro Ishii, an emeritus professor of law at But a mid-size rocket being developed by unveil its budget by the end of the year. ■ the University of Tokyo who organized the a consortium including the Japan Aerospace David Cyranoski

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