Science and technology ISSUES

Basic Information in Japanese

Basic Information in English

AI Overview in easy-to-understand English 

(Gemini-generated; edited over multiple interactions)

What It Is

     Science and technology affect everyone, but they do not affect everyone equally. Looking at science issues in Japanese society from a social justice perspective, it is evident that major scientificic and technological systems often reflect long-standing inequalities. Some important issues include gender discrimination in research, environmental damage in rural areas, algorithmic bias against minorities, and historical eugenics policies. 

Broader Issues

     Several related issues occur across different areas of scientific and technological development.

     Gender Inequality in STEM

     Gender inequality in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) areas is extreme: Japan has the lowest percentage of female STEM researchers among OECD countries. Social norms and family expectations often pressure young women toward traditional roles instead of scientific careers. Mass media stereotypes reinforce this by portraying scientists almost exclusively as men, while framing women as suited mainly for domestic or caregiving roles. In education, systemic bias—such as teachers discouraging girls from advanced maths or workplace cultures demanding long working hours—creates deep structural barriers that stop women from advancing their careers.

     Environmental Injustice and Energy

     Environmental injustice means that rural communities often carry greater ecological risks than urban areas in the production of energy: The 2011 Fukushima disaster showed that rural communities absorb long-term health and economic dangers from nuclear power plants in supplying electricity to large cities like Tokyo. Many nuclear plants are located in economically vulnerable rural regions, leaving local populations to bear the safety risks.

     Digital Bias and Marginalised Groups

     New technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can repeat human prejudices: Surveillance technology and digital data collection disproportionately target foreign workers, resident Koreans, and minority groups like the Burakumin. As Japan pushes toward a high-tech "Society 5.0," it risks the digital exclusion of elderly citizens, disabled individuals, and migrants who lack digital access or language support.

     Historical Legacies and Bioethics

     Past scientific practices and bioethical failures still influence modern discrimination: One example is the Eugenic Protection Law, which was in effect until 1996. Under this law, thousands of people with disabilities or mental illnesses were forcibly sterilized. Victims are still fighting for full restorative justice today. Another example is scientific racism: historically, pseudo-scientific theories about bloodlines and physical traits were misused to label indigenous Ainu and Burakumin communities as "inferior," creating long-lasting prejudice in public welfare policies.

     Similar issues may be found in other societies.

Sharing Your Initial Thoughts

1. Which points in the What It Is section and/or the Broader Issues overview do you find the most interesting, and which points do you have questions about? Why?

2. Do you disagree with any points in the AI Overview? If so, which point(s), and why?

3. Share your ideas about 1. and 2. with (an)other student(s).

Developing Your Own Critical Inquiry

1. What do you find interesting, surprising, or worrying about Science and Technology Issues?

2. What do you want to find out about Science and Technology Issues? Why?

3. What focus do you want to take in your inquiry:

• People's individual experiences and perspectives? 

• Situations and issues in a local community, town or city?

• Different actions taken by local or regional organisations and actors? 

• Law, policy, human rights, political issues, or systemic changes at the national/international levels?

• A mixture of angles and viewpoints?

4. What are your starting questions and next steps?