The following are Iwate Prefectural University President Atsuto Suzuki’s comments from the February 6th seminar in Morioka.
“We are now at a point where we have all of Japan supporting the ILC, what with the #ILC Supporters grassroots support movement. The Federation of Diet Members for the ILC is also urging the national government to make their decision.
Scientists around the world have high expectations that the Japanese government will decide to host the project, and the US Government has demonstrated that they will support Japan in the effort.
If we could just get a decision from the Japanese government, then we could start government negotiations to figure out how to share the costs internationally.
While the Science Council of Japan stated that the ILC had scientific merit, they have pointed out that it is not let clear how we would share the costs internationally.
If that is the case, then it is important what we do next.
Whenever you push forth a big, international project, it is normal at each stage in the process to debate the project and then make a decision to move forward. Right now we are at the stage where we would deliberate on international cost-sharing, but before we start negotiations, we must get a strong expression of intent from the Japanese government that they are interested in the ILC. Then we can continue the debate, and eventually make a final decision on the project.
In the past, governments have taken the lead on big projects like super computers and the International Space Station because they had more than just academic value. I have high hopes in the national government’s decision on the ILC.”