首相に一定の監督権　学術会議の解釈変更せず―内閣府が１８年見解公表

　内閣府は６日、立憲民主党など野党の合同ヒアリングで、日本学術会議が推薦した会員候補６人の任命を菅義偉首相が拒否した問題をめぐり、時の首相が学術会議の推薦に従う義務はないとの見解を記した２０１８年の文書を公表した。首相は任命権者として学術会議に人事を通じて一定の監督権を行使できると明記。内閣法制局は法解釈の変更ではないと説明した。
　１９８３年の国会答弁で中曽根康弘首相（当時）は、「政府が行うのは形式的任命にすぎない」と明言しており、文書との整合性が問われるのは必至。野党も国会で徹底追及する方針だ。
　加藤勝信官房長官は６日の記者会見で、内閣府の見解に関し「（これまでと）解釈が変わらないので直ちに公表する必要はなかったと当時判断した」と説明した。（2020/10/06-18:52）

Japan's Cabinet Office offered the view in 2018 that the prime minister has no obligation to appoint nominees to the Science Council of Japan recommended by the organization, it was learned Tuesday.
   Current Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is under fire for rejecting recently the appointments of six nominees to the representative body for the country's academic community.
   In a document, dated Nov. 13, 2018, the Cabinet Office said that the prime minister has power to supervise the SCJ to some extent through personnel appointments as the appointer of its members, because the council is a state administrative institution under the jurisdiction of the prime minister.
   The document was submitted by the Cabinet Office at a joint hearing session among opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, on Tuesday.
   The Cabinet Office examined whether the prime minister is obligated to appoint nominees recommended by the SCJ as its members, based on Article 17 of the law on the council.