The National University Corporation Faculty of Science Dean's Conference issued a statement entitled "Investing in the Future" after receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine from Professor Yoshinori Ohsumi of Tokyo Institute of Technology.He is complaining about the need to promote basic science and the crisis caused by the reduction of operating grants of national universities, which is the basis of the promotion.The statement was issued jointly by the Dean of the Faculty of Science at 34 national universities nationwide.
Following the Nobel Prize in Physics from Professor Takaaki Kajita of the University of Tokyo last year, Professor Takaaki Kajita's award was evaluated as the result of basic research aimed at by science.He claims that basic science is a culture created by humankind and is an intellectual property that should be shared and inherited, and although it may not be useful to society right now, it will be useful in the future.However, as Professor Emeritus Okuma said, "The word" useful "is ruining society," research that is "useful" is being promoted in the current situation in Japan, and basic research based on "curiosity" is atrophied. It is said that there is.
In fact, he points out that national university operating grants have been reduced by 10% each year for more than 1 years, depriving them of the strength of basic research.In addition, the number of faculty members has decreased significantly in the last 10 years, and the fact that many national universities are proposing a significant reduction in faculty members in response to the 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan from this year raises a sense of crisis. ing.This undermines the inheritance and innovation of the university's knowledge, and I am concerned that Japan will not receive the Nobel Prize in the future.
Such a situation is extremely serious not only for universities but also for the country, and it is said that the posts, places and funds for young researchers to lively challenge the unknown are being lost.As an investment in the future, he is strongly advocating the promotion of basic research and the securing of operating grants and faculty posts that will be the basis for it.
