The Science Council of Japan has adopted an action plan to tackle various scientific problems facing humanity in the 21st century.
The plan, called the "Japan Perspective," adopted at Tuesday's general meeting of the council, says that while scientific research has contributed greatly to humanity by the accumulation of knowledge, it has also led to such threats as the degradation of the environment.
Through the plan, Japan hopes to shed light on the causes of such problems, find solutions in cooperation with other countries and outline a specific role for Japan on this issue in 2001, council sources said.
The Science Council of Japan is an offshoot of the Prime Minister's Office.