Integrating Natural and Social Sciences - towards the Creation of an Innovative Society

Research integrating the social and life sciences is expected to make a significant contribution not only to the fight against infectious diseases but also to improving the health and well-being of people and economies around the world by promoting innovation. This conference aimed to provide an important opportunity to develop such fusion research between the natural and social sciences.

In his opening remarks, Professor Atsushi Nakajima, the President of the Maison Franco-Japonaise and former President of RIETI, explained the significance of fusion research in today's society and how fusion areas were positioned in RIETI's mid-term plan from FY 2020.

In his introduction, "Innovation Ecosystem and Market Quality, " Professor Makoto Yano of Kyoto University defined innovation as the process by which individual inventions and new ideas are accepted by a society and/or institutions. He presented a dynamic mechanism by which members of a society achieve a happy and satisfying life through innovation.

In his keynote address, "Innovative Science for Societal Innovation," Professor Philippe Kourilsky, an Honorary Professor of Collège de France and Honorary President of the Pasteur Institute, discussed the inspiration that immunology could have for social science, particularly the importance of the ability to survive to internal and external hazards and to continue functioning (robustness). He also introduced the "RESOLIS" initiative, which is built on the concept of the gathering local initiatives to improve social activities in France in a bottom-up approach allowing the development of local social ecosystems.

Professor Shigeru Hirota of Kyoto Sangyo University, a RIETI Faculty Fellow, presented "Socio-Life Scientific Factors to Control the Spread of the COVID-19," based on data collected from the Nagahama cohort using a highly accurate antibody test provided by the Pasteur Institute, and discussed the relationship between COVID-19 infection and behavioral change and social and economic characteristics.

Dr. Simon Cauchemez, Director of the Mathematical Modeling of Infectious Diseases Unit at the Pasteur Institute, presented his paper, "Using Modelling to Better Understand Infectious Disease Transmission Dynamics." He described the achievements of using mathematical models and data to understand the dynamics of infectious disease transmission, with a focus on the French experience. The mathematical models were used to predict the number of infected people and the medical resources needed, as well as to analyze the effects of non-medical interventions and to develop vaccination strategies.

Professor Philippe Aghion of the Collège de France, the London School of Economics, and INSEAD gave a special lecture, "Is Green Growth Possible?" in which he discussed the path dependence of companies that have already made many "dirty" investments that have contributed to global warming and proposed the use of subsidies to promote clean investments is needed in addition to a carbon tax. He also pointed out that investments in intermediate energy sources such as shale gas may increase greenhouse gas emissions in the long run. It was pointed out that the more environmentally conscious consumers are in a society, the more companies will make clean investments. He concluded the importance of a “civil” society.

In his report, "Effect of Ecosystem Disturbance on Emerging Vector-borne Diseases," Dr. Anavaj Sakuntabhai, Director of the Pasteur Foundation Japan, explained that global warming is changing the endemic areas of dengue fever and the Pasteur Institute's network to respond to such global epidemics of emerging infectious diseases. He also introduced the roadmap recently agreed between France and Japan for cooperation in the field of health.

Professor Fumihiko Matsuda of Kyoto University led the panel discussion to which Professor Yano, Professor Kourilsky, and Professor Aghion joined. The panel discussion was titled "Future Perspective of Integration of Natural and Social Sciences." After reviewing the history of integrated research at RIETI and Kyoto University, the panelists discussed the importance of citizen participation, the free flow of ideas and discussion platforms that make it possible, the breaking down of silos in education, the interplay between technology and institutions, and the harmonization of competition and cooperation in order to realize an innovative society.

At the end, Professor Didier Marty-Dessus, Science and Technology Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Tokyo gave a concise summary to each presentation. This was followed by Professor Shujiro Urata, the chairperson of RIETI gave a closing remark, expressing his determination to continue to promote integrated research between the natural and social sciences.