KYOTO -- Nearly 400 government ministers, Nobel laureates, corporate executives and leading scholars gathered here Sunday for a three-day conference to discuss the impact of scientific and technological progress on society.
The forum, the brainchild of House of Representatives member Koji Omi, a former science and technology minister, will discuss a broad range of issues from global energy needs to the ethical aspects of cloning to the prevention of contagious diseases.
"The advance of science and technology raises important ethical, safety and environmental issues," Omi said. "These issues are beyond the control of any single country, so this forum aims to provide a new mechanism for open discussion on an informal basis."
On Monday, Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, president of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, will lead a discussion on meeting energy needs in developing countries and how industrialized countries can advise them on efficient and clean energy use.
Another seminar expected to draw attention is on the ethical aspects of cloning.