October 9, 2025

Akahata ‘current’ column (excerpts)

The world of natural science researchers seems to be a tolerant society. They trust each other’s research results and build on new findings to advance new research. At the same time, they seem tolerant of errors arising from unconventional studies or from attempts to pioneer new frontiers.

Sakaguchi Shimon, who won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with U.S. researchers, wrote something to that effect in his book.

For more than 40 years, Sakaguchi has dedicated himself to research on “regulatory T cells” which suppress overreactions in the immune system.

After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine at Kyoto University, driven by a desire to understand the “rules of disease” (yamai no kotowari), Sakaguchi embarked on a career in basic research in pathology. However, his cell studies did not receive much attention in Japan, so he moved to the United States to seek advanced research opportunities. He continued his research there while applying for foundation funding.

During a telephone conversation with Minister of Education, Science and Technology Abe Toshiko, Sakaguchi expressed his concerns about the insufficient amount of state support for basic science in Japan and requested adequate funding.

According to several surveys, nearly 90% of researchers in Japan believe that the country’s scientific research capabilities are declining.

Japan’s Nobel laureates consistently voice concerns about inadequate government support. They note that research funding, for example, in immunology is only about one-third of Germany’s level.

Japan needs to become tolerant and create an environment that enhances the willingness of young researchers and students to promote free-thinking and take on difficult challenges.