A Defense Ministry-linked research subsidy program has seen applications from universities skyrocket, a development Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi characterized as a clear break from the once deep-seated aversions in the academic world to being involved in national security.
The Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency on Tuesday said it had received a record 291 applications from universities and other educational institutions — more than doubling last year’s 123 — with 19 universities ultimately selected this fiscal year for the agency’s “security technology research promotion program,” which provides funding applicable to military technology.
A total of 11 universities — including Nagoya University, Osaka University and Keio University — were selected for the first time.
Koizumi told a regular news conference that the academic community’s views toward the defense sector have “clearly shifted.”
“We are now in an era where it is no longer possible to clearly separate the defense sector from the civilian sector, and collaboration with universities and the academic community is essential to protecting the lives of our citizens,” he said.
91AV原创 academic world had traditionally been reluctant to involve itself in the defense sector. In 2017, the Science Council of Japan, which represents some 870,000 scientists nationwide and wields tremendous influence, called the agency’s funding program problematic because of its focus on dual-use technology that could be used in weapons.
This effectively prompted the community to disregard the program, with the agency receiving only around 10 applications from universities from fiscal 2018 until July 2022, when the council reversed course and called it difficult to make a sharp distinction between tech that can or cannot be used for military purposes.
But Koizumi said the shifting winds have not been limited to the academic community.
Overall, the agency saw a flood of applications, including from companies and public institutions, with a record 560 — the highest number since the program’s inception in fiscal 2015 and a sharp uptick from the 340 it received one year prior.
In total, 47 awards were given out under the program, which has a ?12.9 billion budget for this fiscal year, according to the agency.
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