THE 33RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OPENS
The 33rd general assembly (formerly, the annual convention)
was held at Tokyo Institute of Technology
in Tokyo on May 29 and 30, under the rules
revised in the 32nd annual convention to hold the general assembly
biennially. The representatives from the
whole 47 branches participated. Opening address
was given by Prof. Hamabayashi, representative
councilor, pointing out that this convention
was held in a critical situation where the
Law of University Reform, the Law of Administrative
Reform, and three laws relevant to the new
guideline (triggering the automatic war-participation
of Japan) have been successively legislated
and therefore had special meaning to elucidate
the situation.
The activities in the 33 and 34 term were
reported and carried. Prof. Nakamoto ( Tokyo
branch) , from the philosopher's standpoint,
posed a problem in the lecture "scientists'
movements: survey of the 20th century and prospect of the 21st century". In the discussion on the
action plan in the 35 and 36 term and 1999-2000
budget, opinions concerning their activities
in universities and branches were given from
35 representatives. The action plan as well
as the budget for the next terms was adopted
and Prof. Iwasa (Hitotsubashi Univ.) was
elected for general secretary of the JSA.
The assembly finally adopted a declaration to perform: 1) balanced development of science and technology, reinforcement of democratic action in universities as well as national and public institutes, realization of comprehensive human education, 2) realization of world peace, 3) positive participation into the action to protect the nation from environmental deterioration and disasters, and three resolutions: 1) protest against revision of the School Education Act, 2) protest against steamrollering new guideline relevant laws, 3) demand for the improvement of labor conditions for part-time lecturers.
PARTICIPATING STUDENT PUGWASH USA'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
The international conference celebrating
the 20th anniversary of the Student Pugwash USA was
held in the University of California, San
Diego from June 28 to July 4. Under the main
theme on "Science and Social Responsibility
in the New Millennium", this conference
was divided into 10 working groups (1. Communications
technologies, 2. computers and biotechnology,
3. education, ethics and science, 4. energy
and international security, 5. environment
and energy, 6. human genetics, 7. nuclear-weapons-free
world, 8. science, technology and culture,
9. war and disease, 10. war-free world).
At the opening session, there were special lectures by Prof. Sir. Josheph Rotblat who was a founder of the Pugwash Conference received the Novel Peace Prize in 1995, and by Mr. Jeffrey Leifer who was the one of the founders of Student Pugwash USA. In their lectures, they emphasized on the spread of Student Pugwash worldwide and the importance of its role.
From the second day the discussion went on by the working groups in addition to the plenary. Each working group discussed and analyzed the war and peace with the view of science and ethics. One of the features of this conference was to focus on the changing process in constructing the better world and to promote the social responsibility and ethical behavior of each scientist to make peace. In addition, the participants were interdisciplinary, international as well as intergenerational.
In accordance with the proliferation of Study
of the 20th century and prospect of the 21st century"ent Pugwash worldwide, we have
just founded Student/Young Pugwash-Japan.
It is open to the foreign students or researchers
in Japan as well as Japanese so that we search
for world peace from the human point of view,
not from the narrow national identity. In
this sense, "human security" which
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
advocates becomes the important idea in peace
studies for proliferating culture of peace.
Meanwhile, regional network with Asian and
Pacific Pugwash groups will be strengthened
in the near future. For making the War-Free-World,
it is important that the activities of Student/Young
Pugwash-Japan spread among Japanese universities.
(O. Kitamura)
NATIONWIDE GATHERING
A number of gathering are held by the JSA alone or in cooperation with friendly organizations
1999-SUMMER SCHOOL HELD IN YOKOHAMA
Summer school is one of the annual events of JSA in which young scientists get together to study and discuss on a variety of topics. The JSA 1999 summer school was held in Yokohama City from August 27 to 29 in 1999. The executive committee was organized by the JSA Tokyo branch.
In these several years, the summer schools have been held in the place where participants could study the local problems through timely topics. However, this year, the executive committee tried to set a summer school in which participants can present their studies and activities, and exchange their information and opinions. For instance, in the session entitled "On the future of the global environment", four young scientists including two graduate students from Miyagi, Tokyo and Kanagawa branches reported their researches on meteorology and economics, and their activities of citizens. In the session "Responsibility of scientists for peace", a graduate student reported the discussion in the meeting of Student Pugwash USA held in this June and July. Another graduate student introduced the activity for peace in his own university. Participants discussed the recognition of wars and nuclear weapons, the relation between their studies and wars, and how to make peace movements in their own universities.
Another characteristic of this summer school was the discussion on the growth as researchers. To young researchers, especially to graduate students, two doctors (S. Iwata: soil science, Ibaraki branch, soil science; and S. Iwasa: philosophy, Hitotsubashi Univ.) gave their messages on the start as researchers based on their own experiences; for instance, how to overcome the difficulty in their studies and what is important in the determination of themes. Dr. Iwata emphasized the importance of the effort to establish democracy in university and institute.
In the session "What is the meaning of 'scientific' in our studies?", participants asked themselves whether their studies can really be called to be scientific, and discussed the methodology of researches. Many problems in the studies of participants were reported. For instance, it was revealed that the discussion to pursue the truth of the study is not necessarily usual, especially in social science.
Other sessions on the economic crisis, the nature and developments of Tokyo Bay, and the problems in recent technology of information and communication were also rich in content. After these sessions, participants enjoyed the excursion to Chinese town in Yokohama.
This summer school was successfully carried out as an event planned by young scientists. The fruits of the discussion will be developed in the future activity of JSA.
DISTRICTS AND BRANCHES' ACTIVITIES
The JSA consisits of 47 branches which are grouped into 9 districts, and they are independently
and/or cooperatively carrying out their activities in addition to the headquarters' ones
1) 28TH CSSC HELD IN OSAKA
In the past and present daily life, unsustainable-minded production and consumption result in a number of environmental issues that must be solved in a global scale, in which our existence is threatened and many children are suffering from a shortage of water in the society deepening contradiction. The JSA should find out the way that we could create a sustainable society by solving all the social contradiction in the presence of scientific power. This is why the JSA has organized the comprehensive scientific study convention (CSSC) since 1976. The headquarters holds the CSSC in alternate years, but some branches yearly organize their owns.
On February 28, the Osaka branch held the 28th CSSC at Osaka University of Economics in Osaka City under the title "Thinking of the future for human being and the globe". At the beginning of the convention, Prof. Okishio (Osaka Univ. of Economics) gave a keynote speech entitled "Market or state? - Role of economics", which was followed by enthusiastic discussions. Then, five scientific sessions were organized: 1) economics "The future of Osaka economics", 2) information society "The present society and internet", 3) international exchange "The problems of foreigners who settle down and set work", 4) pollution and environment "From unsustainable to sustainable society", and 5) education "What education should be in the coming century". All the participants enjoyed presentations and discussions.
2) FORUM "THINKING OF FINANCIAL 'BIG BANG' IN JAPAN" HELD
The Kyoto branch held a forum on financial reorganization in Japan on March 16, where Prof. T. Sakurai (economist, Hannan Univ.) gave a lecture on the structural change in Japanese finance, its affect on the civic life and possible countermeasure in the presence of citizens. Through discussion participants from various scientific areas understood that Japanese financial structure will be changed after US financial model, where the middle class as well as the upper class will be the target of Japanese banks' surviving competition and therefore one should become the finance-managing subject who can exploit his/her financial properties for his/her sake.
3) REGULAR MEETING "LIBERALIZATION OF RICE AND JAPANESE AGRICULTURAL FUTURE" IN TOTTORI
The Tottori branch invited Prof.Horiuchi
(Tottori Univ.) to the 3rd regular meeting entitled above on April
23. His talk was mainly on four subjects.
The first one was on "the North-South problem of world food". He explained the mechanism of occurrences of both of "starvation" in the developing countries and "satiation" in the advanced countries, and the scheme to solve this problem. The second one was on "the trend to liberalize trade and WTO (World Trade Organization) system". He explained the tripolar structure among the U.S.A. exporting food, EC countries achieving food self-sufficiency and Japan importing food, the agriculture agreement of the GATT Uruguay Round, and WTO system. The third one was on "imposing duty on rice under WTO system. He explained the economic meaning of the duty and a feasibility of enlarging the scale of production for cost-reduction. Finally, he talked on "food security problem of the country depending on imported food". He provided two suggestions for food self-sufficiency in Japan, which were to establish a food life of Japanese style and to promote persons who engage in agriculture, "attractive agriculture" for young generation and "hobby agriculture after retirement " for aged generation.
Around thirty participants of teachers and students made an enthusiastic discussion.
CONTRIBUTION
THE OBUCHI CABINET JEOPARDIZES DEMOCRACY
The 145 ordinary session of the Diet that is maltreated by the Obuchi Cabinet will be recorded as one with the worst achievements in the post-war history of the Diet. The dangerous laws enacted represent destruction of and defiance at the peace and democratic principles of the Constitution. Those examples are as follows.
1) The guidelines-related laws (war laws) are to support the US war in the presence of the Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF). Japan and the US updated their bilateral defense cooperation guidelines (new guidelines) in 1996 to secure more Japanese logistic support for the US forces, and to broaden Japanese ability to conduct search and rescue operations and ship inspections should an emergency occur near Japan. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner (the Liberal Party and the Komei Party) pressed the Houses to pass three controversial bills to cover the above defense guidelines. The enactment of the laws in the Houses means that Japan will necessarily be enforced to involve in the US war in violation of its peace Constitution. The points in the laws are as follows. a) Situations in area surrounding Japan that would require the dispatch of the SDF are defined as situations in which the peace and safety of Japan are gravely threatened, for instance, those that if not addresses would result in a direct military attack on Japan. b) The purpose of the laws is to ensure Japanese peace and safety, and to contribute to the effective use of the Japan-US Security Treaty. c) It is necessary to require the Diet approval prior to the SDF logistic support operations in non-combat zones as well as search and rescue operations. However, the Diet approval can come after as the SDF dispatch in case of high-level emergencies. The results of the SDF operations in addition to the basic plan for the SDF dispatch and its charges must be reported to the Diet. d) The use of weapons by the SDF will be limited to that of self-defense when logistic support is being provided in non-combat areas, or search and rescue operations are being carried out. We still do have many discussions, although the laws became effect on August 25.
2) The new university management law is to
reform all university system. On March 9,
the government submitted a bill to partially
amend the School Education Act and the like
(four Acts) to the Diet session. They have
made a lack-zeal discussion in the Diet from
April 14. The law, so-called new university
administration law, is to give a legal guarantee
for realizing the University Council Report
"A vision of universities in the 21st century and reform measures - To be distinctive
universities in a competitive environment"
that was proposed on October 26, 1998. We
must call upon the people not to let the
law realize in universities in order to create
a university for the people in the coming
century.
3) Ministry reorganization laws and local decentralization package laws are to consolidate government ministries and agencies, and to strengthen state control and undermine local government power and people's livelihood in the name of local decentralization. Especially, the former laws are to give the Cabinet the strengthened cabinet function to prepare invoking the new Japan-US guidelines and the war laws. Also, the Cabinet will have greater powers over the national budget in the interests of big enterprises and to a greater disadvantage for the people's living conditions than the present. We have to urge the government not to realize the laws.
4) The wire-tapping law is to provide police and government with dangerous weapon for violating privacy. Citizens' privacy and basic human rights will unlimitedly be violated, and human rights of ordinary people who have nothing to do with crimes will also be threatened.
5) The governmental organization reform laws are to enforce the cabinet power. The laws also contain the general principle for establishing independently managed agency. The government, using the above 2) and the term-based employment system formerly enacted, intends to reform national institutes and universities to independently managed agencies. The reformation of national institutes has already started. Now, not only national but public and private universities become critical, which has never experienced in the university history. The Ministry of Education is pushing all national universities to give their proposal for reforming own university to agency. Simultaneously proposed was the Ministry's preliminary draft on August 19, describing that the Ministry intends to show the basic principle for reforming national university to independently managed agency by the end of September. The people as well as the related must strongly act against such an intention in order to develop a university for the people in the coming century.
6) The law for the legislation of Hinomaru (sun rising) and Kimigayo (Imperial reign) as the national flag and anthem of Japan, which necessarily be utilized for unifying the people in order to establish a war-mobilization structure as described in 1). Due consideration should be paid to the history behind Hinomaru which was used to lead the way into Japan's war of aggression in the Asian countries. The song Kimigayo is in every sense a song for glorifying the Emperor and therefore be inappropriate to be Japan's national anthem. The government must not force the people to use them.
The Obuchi Cabinet was inaugurated in late July 1998 contrary to the people's will. The Cabinet was to create a mechanism to spend 60 trillion Yen of tax money to support the major banks and several rounds of budgetary measures for public works' projects which mainly benefit general constructor construction companies. This scheme has resulted in the massive issuance of deficit-covering national bonds and an increase of 56 trillion Yen in the national debt at the central and local government levels during the year. The Cabinet has rejected any idea of cutting the regressive consumption tax rate to boost consumer spending. The Cabinet supported and encouraged workforce dismissal by large corporations under the heading of restructuring which in fact aggravated the already worst unemployment situation in the postwar period. Then the Cabinet enacted a number of laws against the peoples' will as mentioned above. The Cabinet has driven Japan's politics into an abyss by sacrificing the people in the every aspect of domestic economy, foreign affaires and democracy. The Cabinet has accordingly accumulated numerical violence in the both Houses. Such maltreatment in the politics has basically been encouraged in the presence of the coalition partnership (the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party and the Komei Party). Now, the Cabinet should immediately dissolve the Diet and hold a general election to seek the people's judgment, which is its minimum obligation to the people. (Contributed by S. YUASA)
ARTICLES OF "JOURNAL OF JAPANESE SCIENTISTS"
The Journal of Japanese Scientists or NIHON NO KAGAKUSHA (in Japanese) covering all the
scientific fields is monthly published and distributed to all the members and other readers
Vol.34(No.6)(1999)
[Title-page message]
Tsuruta, M.: Where are you going so hastily on the narrow earth?
[Special issue: Chemical risk management]
Izumi, K.: A threat of flooding chemicals
Kawazoe, S.: Endocrine disruptors--present status and problems
Itoh T.: Chemical risk management on industrial activity
Kajiyama, S.: Legal control of chemical substances and PRTR
[Colloquy]
Akama, M.: Internet and cooperative and common spirit
[General]
Omori, M.: On the meaning of the right of scientific researchers and their recent status in Japan
Vol.34(No.7)(1999)
[Title-page message]
Kitazumi, K.: Multiculturalism in the 21st century
[Special issue: Metamorphoses of Japanese modern society and social awareness]
Nakanishi, S.: Changing consciousness of contemporary Japanese workers
Naruse, T.: Modern way of life and consumer's consciousness
Iwasa, S.: Sense of value swings in the 1990's
[Colloquy]
Yonekawa, G.: Hawks migration and haiku-meeting
[General]
Nakamura, Y.: The comprehensive agrarian reform program of the Philippines and transnational corporations - The case of the Dole Philippines Inc.
Tanaka, T. and Takahashi, T.: Acute radiation symptoms appeared in A-bomb survivors, located at long distance from the Hypocenter and/or entered around the hypocenter after the bombing
Onozuka, H.: A negative inheritance -- A new problem of PCB pollution
Matsuda, H.: Environmental impact assessment of Japan World Exposition 2005 and trends in environmental policy
Vol.34(No.8)(1999)
[Title-page message]
Ushiyama, T.: Risk assessment and injunction
[Special issue: 50 years under the Law for Construction of Hiroshima Eternal Peace Commemorating City]
Ishimaru, N.: City planning from the viewpoint of Bill for Construction of Hiroshima Eternal Peace Commemorating City - What is the fundamental idea for city construction of Hiroshima?
Kawase, M.: Preservation of the Taishoya kimono shop (Hiroshima city rest-house)
Ubuki, S.: How can we succeed A-bombed experience by ruins?
Funahashi, Y.: Peace education in Hiroshima
[Colloquy]
Kasahara, Y.: Interchange between Japan and foreign students
[General]
Takezoe, A.: The delight in studying literature
Irie, T.: Sick-house syndrome and its countermeasure