Four years ago, six university professors who were not appointed by then-Prime Minister Suga and supporting legal scholars over the appointment of members of the Science Council of Japan argued that ``it is illegal not to disclose the reasons for the refusal.'' We have filed a lawsuit with the government demanding the disclosure of documents.
Approximately 170 people filed the lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court, including six university professors who were not appointed as members of the Science Council of Japan four years ago, as well as supporting legal scholars and lawyers.
After then-Prime Minister Suga did not appoint six of the 105 candidates recommended by the Science Council of Japan as new members, university professors filed an information disclosure request for documents related to the Cabinet Office and other bodies. However, documents showing the reasons and circumstances surrounding the refusal of appointment were not disclosed as they were said to ``do not exist'' or would ``impede smooth personnel affairs.''
University professors are demanding disclosure of documents and compensation to the six people, claiming that ``this was an attempt to hide the fact that the refusal of appointment was arbitrary, and it is illegal.'' .
At a press conference held in Tokyo after the lawsuit was filed, Professor Masanori Okada of Waseda University, who was not appointed at the time, said, ``The government has an obligation to explain to the people how it decided to refuse the appointment.''
Professor Ryuichi Ozawa of the Jikei University School of Medicine, who was also not appointed, said, ``I want to clarify the truth behind the refusal of appointment, which was made at the Academic Council, which was created to be in accordance with the constitution that stipulates academic freedom.'' Ta.