Sir

Your Opinion article “Japan's beef scandal” (Nature 413, 333; 2001) had an extraordinary impact on the Japanese mass media. Many newspapers and television news shows criticized the government's irresponsible attitude to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or mad-cow disease) by citing your article.

You pointed out the cosy relationships between government and industry and between government and healthcare institutions, strengthened by the former ministry officials, known as amakudari (because they have 'descended from heaven'), who retired from government to join large companies. This is a major reason why the government did not take immediate action to prevent the spread of this dreadful disease. It seems to me that official comments about a “lack of scientific evidence” for the risk of BSE development results from a lack of scientists in the government.

Although many scientists with PhDs are now working for the government, most of them are in scientific research institutes belonging to the ministries. Only a few scientists with research experience are high-ranking officials. Political decisions related to science and health are made by recommendations from government advisory councils. Because high-ranking officials cannot understand the scientific logic behind this advice, they tend to accept it without criticism or question. Therefore, political decisions are almost completely dependent on the people appointed to these advisory boards. Cosy relationships between government and industry are fostered when officials select members of advisory councils.

I believe that Japan should make a prompt effort to increase the number of scientists with appropriate research experience in the various ministries, especially those for health and science. Good scientists can well understand from their experience how trivial problems can lead to a fatal catastrophe. In addition, they have been trained to make judgements based on scientific logic, rather than to accept assertions uncritically.

I think that Japanese scientists and scientific societies should also feel some responsibility for the present situation. They have never spoken out or made efforts to increase the number of scientists in government. Nowadays, our daily lives cannot be detached from science. Japanese scientists should understand the present requirements of our nation, and take the initiative to change an irresponsible system.