Japan Press Weekly

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2018 June 6 - 12 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Hokkaido University withdraws from Defense Ministry’s research grant program

Akahata on June 11 learned that a research team of Hokkaido University has withdrawn from a Defense Ministry program offering subsidies for military-related R&D projects at universities. This is the first time that a recipient university decided to discontinue taking part in the program.

Explaining the reason for the decision, the public relations section of the university said that it took into account the Science Council Japan’s statement opposing military research which was issued in March 2017.

The council in its statement pointed out that the Defense Ministry’s funding program is controversial because it leads to government interference in research at universities.

Nagoya University Professor Emeritus Ikeuchi Satoru, who co-heads a liaison council of civil groups opposing military-academia collaboration, evaluated Hokkaido University’s decision to stop receiving subsidies from the Defense Ministry as epoch-making. Ikeuchi said that he hopes that the decision will influence other universities to break away from the program.

Past related articles:
> Panel of Japan’s science council decides to maintain ban on military research [March 8, 2017]
> Professors criticize Hokkaido Univ. for promoting military-academia cooperation [September 28, 2016]