Ensuring Science Integrity and Preventing Misconduct Japans Challenge

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Ensuring Science Integrity and Preventing
Misconduct- Japans Challenge -

• ST Policy Bureau
• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports,
• Science and Technology (MEXT)
• JAPAN
• Feb 22, 2007 Tokyo, Japan

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Summary

• Research misconducts including fabrication has
  been pointed out one after the other recent years
  in Japan.
• Research misconduct is an act of violating the
  moral and ethical principles of research to
  distort the essence or original intent of
  research activities.
• Research misconduct undermines public trust in
  science, obstructs the development of science and
  desecrates science.
• There is a greater need to ensure fairness in
  research for the effective utilization of
  government funds.
• The Special Committee was established under the
  Council of ST in February 2006.
• The Guideline was established in August 2006.

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Guideline from Council of ST (2)
Scope of Guideline
Research Misconduct ()
Scope of Guideline
RD Activities funded through the competitive
research funding scheme by MEXT and MEXT-related
funding agencies.
(Out of scope)

• RD Activities funded through the
• block funding scheme
• - RD Activities self-funded etc.

() Definition of research misconduct
Fabrication, falsification and plagiarism of data
or research results appearing in published
research results.
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Guideline from Council of ST (3)

• Table of Contents of Guideline
• Section 1 Basic Principles Concerning Research
  Misconduct
• Section 2 Guidelines for Responses to Research
  Misconduct Pertaining to Research Supported by
  Competitive Funding
• 1. Purpose of the Guidelines
• 2. Definition of research misconduct
• Receiving of Allegations and Other Information
• Investigation of Allegations and Other
  Information
• 5. Measures Applicable to Informants and Subjects
  of Allegations
• 6. Actions by Funding Institutions Against
  Persons Culpable of Misconduct

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Guideline from Council of ST (4)
Receiving of Allegations Research institutions
and funding institutions shall individually
establish offices for receiving allegations and
other information concerning research misconduct.
- Following this Guideline, for example, MEXT
established the office in ST Policy Bureau in
November, 2006. JSPS established the office
in General Affairs Division in December, 2006.
JST established the office in Department of
General Affairs in December, 2006.
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Guideline from Council of ST (4)
Actions by Funding Institutions Against Persons
Culpable of Misconduct Description of
actions - Termination of competitive funding -
Rejection of applications for competitive funds -
Return of competitive funds related to
misconduct - Restrictions on applications for
competitive funds
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Japans Action Beyond Guideline (1)
Research Misconduct
Scope of MEXTs Guideline
(RD Activities funded nationally)
Other RD Activities?
Actions by scientific community themselves
should be taken, because the over-regulation
should be avoided to maintain the autonomy of
academia.
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Japans Action Beyond Guideline (2)
Autonomous action by Japans Academia
Important as an action complement to the
Governments one. Science Council of Japan
(SCJ) Statement Code of Conduct for
Scientists (October, 2006) President of
Science Council of Japan (SCJ) Comment on the
scientific experiment on the TV program etc.
(January 26, 2007) - Quick response to the
social problem, so-called Aru-aru incident took
place on January 7, 2007.
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For Discussion
From our experience, the following discussion
points would be left for us. What actions
should be taken by Government? And, what should
be left for the autonomous action by the
academia? What kind of punishment would be
appropriate for what kind of misconduct?
Prevention of misconduct itself would be more
important than the dealing with misconduct. What
kind of science system is effective to prevent
misconducts?
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Reference
Aru-aru incident (January, 2007) In the
Japanese popular TV science program Aru-aru
Encyclopedia II (audience rating about 15),
the fabrication of experimental data was founded.
In the program, the data was used to justify a
new scientific theorem that Natto (bean-based
Japanese traditional food) is effective for diet
(weight loss). After the program was on air on
January 7, 2007, the huge reaction was seen all
over Japan, for example, Natto was almost sold
out and its price was raised.
Natto Bean-based Japanese traditional food
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Reference
MEXT Guidelines for Responses to Research
Misconduct (August, 2006) http//www.mext.go.jp/
b_menu/shingi/gijyutu/gijyutu12/houkoku/06082316.h
tm only in Japanese (English version will be
uploaded soon)
Science Council of Japan (SCJ) Statement Code
of Conduct for Scientists (October,
2006) http//www.scj.go.jp/ja/info/kohyo/pdf/kohy
o-20-s3e-1.pdf in English