HISTORY OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION - From Top-Down to Bottom-Up: A Short History of Science Communication Policy in Japan

Aug 23, 2026

Japan’s policy orientation toward “public understanding of science (PUS)” has shifted to “science communication” since 2003, when key reports and a textbook supported promotion efforts and triggered a policy change at MEXT. The paper traces this evolution, including MEXT’s White Paper in 2004 and the founding of the Japanese Association for Science Communication in 2011. It also examines how public awareness changed after the Great East Japan Earthquake and analyzes the causes and cascade dynamics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

History of public communication of science

Phase 1: promoting public understanding of science and technology

HISTORY OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION From top-down to bottom-up: a short history of science communication policy in Japan Abstract Keywords Introduction Masataka Watanabe Japan's policy of “public understanding of science”(PUS) has shifted to“science communication” since 2003 . That year, there were a number of simultaneous developments with regard to science communication. The key report that advocated for the promotion of science communication anda textbook on science communication were published then. The most important consequence was that the report triggered a policy change at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) . The following year, MEXT published the White Paper on Science and Technology 2004, the main theme of which was concerned with science communication. Although the shift may have begun as a somewhat top-down contrivance, it has subsequently sunk down ﬁrm roots throughout Japan. In 2011 the Japanese Association for Science Communication was founded. People's awareness of science communication was signiﬁcantly changed by the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011. Why was such a policy shift possible? How did such a cascade effect occur? This paper will discuss the reasons behind these phenomena. History of public communication of science Western science and technology were brought to Japan from the sixteenth century onward via Portugal and the Netherlands. Through the mid-nineteenth century, Japan was a closed country, permitting commerce only with the Dutch. This precedent was broken by the American naval expedition that came to Japan in 1853 from the east. But in one stroke, the country took steps toward opening its doors and the Tokugawa shogunate was overturned. It was only after this that education in modern Western science and technology could formally be offered, though Japan had its own tradition of science and technology before then [Nagahama, 1994] . As a consequence, the Japanese people have interacted with modern science and technology for only about 150 years. After taking steps to artiﬁcially introduce Western science and technology, Japan asa nation hastened along in the spirit of trying to catch up with Western science and technology and then surpass it. During that time, most Japanese people believed that science and technology would gradually advance if left in the hands of specialists. Japan would go on to win fame as a country of advanced science and technology. Essay Journal of Science Communication 16(03)(2017)Y01 1 Phase 1: promoting public understanding of science and technology As part of its efforts to recast itself as a country of peace following World War II, Japan sought economic recovery centering on emerging science and technology. In 1958, the Japan Science and Technology Agency (founded in 1956) published its ﬁrst White Paper on Science and Technology. In Chapter 3 one can ﬁnd the following pronouncement: “In recent times, Japanese people have had many opportunities to build familiarity with science and technology. The more scientiﬁc and technological issues and successes are reported, the more people of all ages will place their dreams on science and technology. (. . . ) If we are able to offer educational opportunities to encourage the sound growth of dreams and aspirations relating to science and technology, then various self-motivated activities that make use of science and technology will effectively develop in the near future.” The Council for Science and Technology was established in 1959 to advise the Prime Minister on science-and technology-related policies. In its ﬁrst policy proposal in 1960, the council opined that, while it was vital for Japan to develop a talented workforce to drive its long-term pursuit of the sciences and technologies needed to grow the economy and improve lives, the Japanese people lacked basic knowledge of and education on these subjects. Moreover, there just wa

FAQs

What policy shift in Japan occurred around 2003 in the science communication field?

Japan’s “public understanding of science (PUS)” approach shifted toward “science communication” starting in 2003, supported by new reports and educational materials that contributed to a MEXT policy change.

Why does the paper examine the Great East Japan Earthquake in relation to science communication?

It highlights that the March 11, 2011 earthquake significantly changed people’s awareness of science communication, prompting questions about how such a cascade effect emerged.

What early efforts defined Phase 1 of public understanding of science and technology?

Phase 1 emphasizes government and agency actions such as white papers, policy proposals advocating awareness-raising, and initiatives like National Science and Technology Week and Japan Science Foundation activities.

Aug 23, 2026

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