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• Date of publication Jan 29, 2020 Category: Conference Review

  Creating opportunities to discuss the nature of Japanese science communication

  by Mitsuru Kudo , Matthew Wood

  Build SciComm, an international symposium on strategies for fostering science communication in Japan held at the University of Tsukuba in November 2019, brought together academics and practitioners to discuss issues faced by the field in Japan and vision for future direction. Informally, the symposium was well received and generally considered to be a useful and stimulating event. We discuss issues to be considered for future incarnations and explain why this symposium provides an important forum for inclusive discussions on fundamental questions about the nature of science communication in Japan.

  Volume 19 • Issue 01 • 2020

• Date of publication Jun 14, 2019 Category: Article

  How science, technology and innovation can be placed in broader visions — Public opinions from inclusive public engagement activities

  by Kei Kano , Mitsuru Kudo , Go Yoshizawa , Eri Mizumachi , Makiko Suga , Naonori Akiya , Kuniyoshi Ebina , Takayuki Goto , Masayuki Itoh , Ayami Joh , Haruhiko Maenami , Toshifumi Minamoto , Mikihiko Mori , Yoshitaka Morimura , TAMAKI Motoki , Akie Nakayama , Katsuya Takanashi

  This study investigates how different segments of the public, with varying degrees of interest in S&T, could formulate opinions on a broader vision and the role they think STI should play in Japanese society through 2020 (Tokyo's Olympic and Paralympic year) and toward 2030. We conducted nine inclusive public engagement activities. Results indicated that the broad public opinions did not completely overlap with officials' opinions, a value of “open and appropriate” was mainly found from the unengaged public, and the visions and values based on their opinions could well be incorporated into the official document. Engaging the disinterested in S&T remains an issue.

  Volume 18 • Issue 03 • 2019 • Special Issue: Communication at the Intersection of Science and Politics, 2019 (Intersection of Science and Politics)

• Date of publication Oct 03, 2018 Category: Practice Insight

  Engaging with policy practitioners to promote institutionalisation of public participation in science, technology and innovation policy

  by Mitsuru Kudo , Go Yoshizawa , Kei Kano

  This paper is a reflective account of a public participation project the authors conducted in Japan in 2012–2015, as part of the central government's initiative for evidence-based policy-making. The reflection focusses on three key aspects of the project: setting a precedent of involving public participation in policy-making; embedding an official mechanism for public participation in policy-making process; and raising policy practitioners' awareness of public participation. We also discuss why we think engaging with policy practitioners, while problematic in various ways, is and will continue to be important in promoting institutionalised practice of public participation.

  Volume 17 • Issue 04 • 2018