Scientific Commission for Environmental Problems

An Analysis of Itai-itai Disease, Minamata Disease, and Yokkaichi Asthma

Abstract

This paper analyzes the institution of the scientific commission. The government sets up a commission of scientists to investigate an environmental problem and use the research results to justify a policy related to the problem. Most studies in environmental sociology consider scientists in light of whether they are for or against the victims and overlook autonomous features of scientists. Jasanoff (1990) fails to consider the social contexts of the scientific commission. This paper argues three environmental problems in Japan : Itai-itai disease, Minamata disease, and Yokkaichi asthma.
Commissioned researches can be classified into three types. Free commission research provides grants to groups of scientists to investigate an environmental problem without any restrictions. Limited commission research commissions groups of scientists to implement a research plan designed by the government. Review commission brings together scientists to review previous studies and provide a scientific basis for justifying a policy. The characteristics of these types of commission research largely differ based on the progress made in the studies pertaining to the problem. In free commission researches, before progress in the field has been made, scientists have academic motives and tend to study the problem autonomously. They often modify or strengthen their opinions and hope to disclose the research results at some point of time. In commission researches, after progress has been made, or in limited/review commission researches before progress, by contrast, scientists do not have many academic motives and are largely influenced by the opinion of the government. Since they rarely change their opinion through commission research, the distribution of the committee members' opinions initially strongly affects the conclusion.
Government policy, accountability tendency of committee members, and public opinion affect the disclosure of the results of the commission research. Disclosures interact with public opinion and urge the government to take measures to address the problem.