社説:ＳＴＡＰ否定 論文不正の全容解明を

December 20, 2014(Mainichi Japan)
Editorial: Full disclosure urged over STAP paper scandal
社説:ＳＴＡＰ否定　論文不正の全容解明を

Riken institute researcher Haruko Obokata has been unable to recreate stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) cells, as has a separate Riken team. With the consistent failure to create the cells, the institute has declared an end to the verification experiments -- hardly a surprise after Obokata herself failed to replicate STAP cells based on the methods detailed in her research papers.
　小保方晴子氏が実施した検証実験でＳＴＡＰ細胞は作製できなかったと理化学研究所が発表した。これとは別に理研のチームが進めていた検証実験でも作製できず、実験は打ち切られた。小保方氏自身が論文通りの方法でＳＴＡＰ細胞を再現できなかった以上、当然の判断だろう。

The STAP cell papers were dismissed once again and the purported existence of STAP cells returned to the realm of theory. Obokata is leaving Riken. The move marks a turning point in the STAP paper scandal -- which rocked not only scientific circles but also society at large, and led to the loss of a leading scientist. Still, suspicion remains.
　これで、ＳＴＡＰ論文は改めて否定され、科学的にも社会的にもＳＴＡＰ細胞の存在は白紙に戻った。小保方氏も理研を退職する。科学界だけでなく社会をも揺るがせ、業績のある科学者を失うことにもつながった論文不正事件のひとつの節目ではあるが、釈然としない思いは残る。

This is because the question of why the papers were released by Riken -- one of Japan's foremost research institutions -- has been unanswered.
　なぜ、こうした論文が、日本有数の研究機関である理研から公表されてしまったのか。その疑問がとけていないからだ。

A fact-finding committee set up at Riken has been investigating the remaining allegations surrounding the STAP papers. Those questions include what exactly the cells that the research paper authors claimed to have "created" were; what the data and charts in the papers indicate; what steps were taken before the papers were released; and what roles the co-authors of the papers played in that process.
　理研は、残された論文疑惑について調査委員会を設けて調べている。「作製できた」とされた細胞は何だったのか。その裏付けとして論文に掲載されたデータや図表は何を示しているのか。どういう経緯で論文が発表されるに至ったのか。その過程で、それぞれの共著者がどういう役割を果たしたのか。

In order to prevent a recurrence of such irregularities and confusion, Riken must get to the bottom of the allegations and be fully accountable.
　こうした不正や混乱を二度と起こさないためにも、徹底して全容を解明し、説明責任を果たしてほしい。

In addition, the country's scientific circles need to learn lessons from the STAP paper scandal, and make the most of them in preventing misconduct and responding to any allegations in the future.
　加えて、日本の科学界は一連のＳＴＡＰ問題から教訓をくみ取り、不正防止はもちろん、不正疑惑が生じた場合の対処の仕方にも生かしていかなくてはならない。

In retrospect, Riken took too much time to reach its latest conclusion. The institute was also too passive in verifying the papers' problems once they were uncovered. The way the STAP paper co-authors held press conferences individually was also problematic. There's no denying that Riken's poor response to the scandal resulted in prolonging the confusion.
　論文疑惑が生じた後の理研の対応を振り返ると、今回の結論に至るまでに時間がかかりすぎた。論文不正の検証にも消極的だった。論文の共著者が記者会見を個別に行うなど研究チームとしての対応にも問題があった。理研の対応のまずさが混乱を長引かせたことは否定できない。

Behind the STAP paper scandal lies a problem with the government's deficient policies on graduate education, despite an increase in PhD holders. An investigation conducted by Waseda University has found that Obokata's doctoral thesis contained material plagiarized from a U.S. website. The university has decided to strip her of her doctoral degree unless she resubmits her thesis.
　今回の論文不正の背景には、博士を増やしたにもかかわらず、大学院教育がおそまつだった日本の政策の問題もあるだろう。早稲田大学の調査では小保方氏の博士論文にも不正が認められ、同大は猶予付きで博士号の取り消しを決めている。

The incident underscores the fact that she failed to learn the basics of conducting proper research and writing papers -- scientific fundamentals she ought to have learned in her university and graduate school years. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as well as universities should take the matter seriously and work to improve the situation.
ここから浮かぶのは、大学や大学院で学ぶべき研究や論文執筆の基礎ができていなかった事実だ。文部科学省や大学はこの事態を重く受け止め、改善をはかるべきだ。

Even if the STAP papers had proved valid, they were no more than basic research using mice. Nevertheless, the papers triggered a wave of high expectations for regenerative medicine, due in part to extensive publicity. That may have affected the responses of Riken and the government. The country's policy on science and technology -- which emphasizes immediate practical application of basic research -- may have played a part in the series of scandals. The STAP incident should serve as an opportunity for Japan to reconsider exactly how basic scientific research is conducted in this country.
　ＳＴＡＰ論文は仮に正しかったとしてもマウスでの基礎研究に過ぎない。にもかかわらず、大々的な広報も手伝って再生医療への期待につながった。それが、理研や政府の対応に影響した可能性がある。背景には短期的な応用を重視する日本の科学技術政策もあったはずだ。今回の問題を基礎科学のあり方を再考するきっかけともしたい。

毎日新聞　2014年12月20日　02時40分（最終更新　12月20日　10時13分）