Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has refused to appoint six nominees as new members of a leading organization of Japanese scientists, prompting a call for the move to be retracted.

The Science Council of Japan is designated as a special organization under the jurisdiction of the prime minister. It makes policy proposals, independent from the government.

Half of its members are decided every three years. Candidates are recommended by the council and appointed by the prime minister.

The council said it presented a list of 105 candidates but six of them were not appointed.

The council said it is the first time since the current system was adopted in 2004 that the candidates have not been appointed.

Among the six rejected are Jikei University School of Medicine Professor Ozawa Ryuichi, Waseda University Professor Okada Masanori, and Ritsumeikan University Professor Matsumiya Takaaki.

They handed in a joint letter of requests to the council president. They said if the rejection of their appointments is based on the evaluation of their research activities, it would constitute a serious invasion of constitutional academic freedom.

They said if the prime minister can appoint members arbitrarily, the position and independence of the council would be gravely undermined.

They urged the council to do its utmost to have the rejection withdrawn.