The Japanese Adoption of Consensus Conference and its Problems

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  • 日本でのコンセンサス会議の展開とその課題
  • ニホン デ ノ コンセンサス カイギ ノ テンカイ ト ソノ カダイ

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Abstract

<p>The consensus conference was first developed by the Danish Board of Technology (DBT)in the 1980s as a tool for participatory technology assessment. In the 1990s, Japanese researchers in science and technology studies introduced the method and implemented it on a trial basis. Since then, about ten consensus conferences have been held in Japan under various themes such as gene therapy, the Internet, genetically modified crops, brain death and organ transplants, and nanotechnologies. Through the decade of its introduction and trials in Japan, it became obvious that the consensus conference functions effectively in Japanese society as a means for public engagement in science and technology. The method proved flexible to a variety of topics, resources and time constraints. The next agenda is to magnify the method's prevalence in society and increase its influence on the policymaking processes. In order to achieve this, there are several actions. One option is incorporating the consensus conference into administrative agencies; while another is building an independent agency or nongovernmental networks to organize public deliberation.</p>

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