Scientific Advice and Public Communication: New challenges posed by the COVID-19 response in Japan

Abstract

Experts have played active roles in the Japanese government's efforts to respond to novel coronavirus infections. Those who participated in scientific advisory organizations not only expressed their opinions on the government's policies and measures based on their scientific knowledge, but also advised the government on the major directions and strategies to be taken, and took on public communication to encourage people to voluntarily change their behavior. However, given the current institutional framework, such actions of scientific advisors in combating novel coronavirus infections go beyond the prescribed roles and responsibilities of scientific advisors as brokers between science and the government. Public communication is an important means of fostering public trust and consent, which are essential for ensuring the effectiveness of policy responses based on scientific advice. Therefore, there is an urgent need to incorporate public communication more explicitly into scientific advice activities. This paper reviews Japan's national efforts for scientific advice, which accelerated after the Great East Japan Earthquake, as well as efforts on public communication by scientific advisors and advisory organizations, and then points out unresolved issues on the relationships between scientific advice and society, in light of Japan's recent experience with new coronavirus infection.