Japan's science minister hopes aliens exist
TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's science minister said Friday he hoped aliens existed so children would become more interested in space, as a debate on UFOs continued to demand the attention of the cabinet.
"It would be fun if they existed," education and science minister Kisaburo Tokai told reporters.
"There have been films like 'ET.' Children may grow up with ambitions regarding space," he said, referring to Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic about a boy's friendship with an extraterrestrial.
Japan has an increasingly ambitious space programme, with a major lunar probe launched in September. But it is struggling to boost children's interest in science with a survey this month showing Japanese students came last internationally in the percentage seeking science careers.
Tokai said the cabinet, despite other pressing issues and a new poll showing a sharp fall in public support, started its regular meeting Friday with a lively discussion about UFOs.
But he declined to take sides on whether he personally believed in alien life-forms.
"The government is not considering a study on UFOs but I want to ask various things if I meet experts," he said.
The science minister's comments came a day after Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was looking at how Japan's military could respond to an alien invasion under the pacifist constitution.
The debate was set off on Tuesday when the government, asked for its position by an opposition lawmaker, stated it had no knowledge of UFOs.
The statement prompting a surprise rebuttal from chief government spokesman Nobutaka Machimura, who said: "Personally, I absolutely believe they exist."
