This paper discusses the implications of risk communication, which is the gift of the evolution of life, and proposes to make effective use of risk communication by providing the general public with much more natural ways in which to present their thoughts for public choice. Although the constitution of Japan declared long ago that society should function on the principles of democracy, making the general public the major decision maker, the general public has never played a major role either in policy assessment or policy formulation.
Governmental organizations have practically monopolized the power of public choice, in particular, through the use of the word “public”. However, Japanese society has somehow overlooked the misleading use of the word “public” that has been increasingly translated as “in the hands of governmental bureaucracy”.
The fundamental nature of public choice for policy assessment and implementation has been paternalistic and bureaucratic using a top-down approach as long as the related laws are implemented; yet, the general public in several local communities has courageously stood up and taken the decision-making power into their hands.
Empirical studies on these “advanced cases of public choice”, illustrated by many stakeholders of the choice, considered the general public to be untrained both in terms of the scientific knowledge necessary for decision-making and the manners of communication required to express their views.
Most of these criticisms should be regarded as originating from paternalism, which cannot be allowed in public choice without legitimate acceptance from the general public. However, it is true that officially organized communication processes for public choice are rarely designed to effectively deal with risk communication among the general public. The paper discusses the steps to be taken to incorporate risk communication into a broarder participatory policy assessment procedure; this argument will provide the society with a more sustainable public choice.
View full abstract