It is essential to understand the hurdles, motivation, and other issues affecting scientists' active participation in science communication to bridge the gap between science and society. This study analyzed 1115 responses of Japanese scientists regarding their attitudes toward science communication through a questionnaire focusing on the field of stem cell and regenerative medicine. As a result, we found that scientists face systemic issues such as lack of funding, time, opportunities, and evaluation systems for science communication. At the same time, there is a disparity of attitudes toward media discourse between scientists and the public. •Scientists face systemic issues: lack of funding, time, opportunities, and evaluation systems.•For over 15 years, scientists have continued to face infrastructural issues.•The expected counterpart of communication was “policymaker” and “patient or patient group.”•There was a difference in scientists' and public responses to media discourses.