Exploring the Contexts of ELSI and RRI in Japan: Case Studies in Dual-Use, Regenerative Medicine, and Nanotechnology

In this paper, we focus on the Japanese context of ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Social Implications) and RRI (Responsible Research and Innovation) related issues, delving into the cases of the dual-use issues led by the Japanese physicists, stem cell research (SCR) and regenerative medicine (RM), and the media coverage on the risk of nanotechnology in Japan. Through our quantitative analysis of discussions on the three topics, we found the diverse ways people shape the ELSI/RRI discussions regarding the three technologies. In the first two cases of dual-use and SCR, the similar structure of discourses concerning the technology is identified: while those affirmative on the technology tend to emphasize the technical and economic aspects, those negative on the technology criticize such moves on the basis of ideal of pacifism or responsible governance. In the last case of nanotechnology, on the contrary, criticism of concentration on the technical and economic aspects of technology was shared throughout the arguments. We showed that Japanese media utilized the memory of post-war pollution disasters in order to help people imagine the risks of the emerging nanotechnology, and thus argued for the overcoming of the economy-first principle. These findings showed how the social context shapes people’s imagination on the benefits and risks of certain technologies. We must take such “socio-technical imaginaries” into consideration during ELSI and RRI discussions.