Japan Press Weekly

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2016 August 31 - September 6 [POLITICS]

Defense Ministry considers huge budget to lure academics into military research

The Defense Ministry on August 31 in its budgetary request for Fiscal Year 2017 demanded 11 billion yen for its subsidy program to encourage universities, public institutes, and private companies to conduct military research and development. If the request is approved, the subsidy program will have an 18 times larger budget than the 2016 budget.

When the subsidy program started in FY2015, it attracted 109 applicants. However, as more and more scientists are raising their voices against academics’ involvement in government-backed military projects, only 44 research teams applied for the subsidy in FY2016. On the other hand, the Japan Science Council, which has a policy to oppose military research based on remorse over scientists’ cooperation for the past war of aggression, in June started discussions on the pros and cons of the Abe government’s move to entice researchers into cooperating in military research.

Regarding the drastic increase in the budgetary request for the Defense Ministry’s subsidy program, Nagoya University Professor Emeritus Ikeuchi Satoru criticized the Abe government for intending to use the power of money to lure researchers into military R&D projects as well as to influence the JSC discussion.

Ikeuchi went on to say that if the Defense Ministry’s budget request is approved, it will change the course of scientific research in Japan. He stressed the need to strengthen civic movements against military-academia cooperation.

Past related articles:
> Health professionals and scientists in statement protest against military-academia cooperation [June 9, 2016]
> How far military-academia cooperation has advanced under Abe administration [November 19, 2015]