Japan Press Weekly

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2016 December 7 - 13 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Kansai University makes formal decision to refuse military-related research

Kansai University, a major private university based in Osaka, on December 7 decided that its researchers will not apply for the Defense Ministry’s subsidy program for security-related research projects.

In accordance with the decision, the researchers in the university will refrain from joining other universities’ research projects which are awarded the government subsidy. The university also declared that it will refuse funds from the military authorities as well as from related public organizations both inside and outside Japan. In addition, the university decided that it will reject weapons development projects sponsored by private companies.

The Kansai University research ethics guidelines stipulate that the university should keep away from research activities which go against the right to human dignity, basic human rights, world peace, and public welfare.

The Defense Ministry is making a budget request of 11 billion yen for the research subsidy program for fiscal 2017, up by 18 times from 600 million yen in the previous year. The Abe government is stepping up its efforts to lure university researchers to become involved in weapons development projects.

Past related articles:
> Citizens and scientists form network to oppose military-academia cooperation [October 1, 2016]
> Defense Ministry considers huge budget to lure academics into military research [September 1, 2016]