April 2, 2026
Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Daimon Mikishi on April 1 questioned the 7th Science, Technology, and Innovation Basic Plan for prominently promoting the dual use of science and technology, with “organic linkage between science and technology and national security” as the plan’s central pillar.
At a meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on Digital Society and AI, JCP Daimon raised the issue of integrating military and academic research, which the 7th Basic Plan actively promotes.
He pointed out that the plan runs counter to the long-standing principle of the Japanese academic community, which has rejected military research based on reflection on its prewar collaboration with the military, stating that “scientific research shall not be conducted for military purposes.”
The JCP lawmaker expressed his suspicion that the plan aims to involve private companies, universities, and research institutions in military research on a large scale, as is currently the case in the United States. He stated, “Japan should devise its own economic strategy and economic security by strictly adhering to the peace principles of its postwar Constitution.”
However, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Onoda Kimi did not address his concerns, instead insisting that the plan is important because “it will contribute to Japan’s economic growth.”
Daimon emphasized that dual-use technology is inextricably linked to the “security clearance system” under which the government investigates individuals, including private sector workers who handle “classified” materials, and collects their personal information, including details of their political leanings, medical records, and level of debt. He pointed out that this system, under the pretext of protecting military secrets, could lead to the restriction of academic freedom.
Past related article:
> Gov’t science and technology plan may involve further utilization of universities for military purposes [March 28, 2028]
At a meeting of the House of Councillors Special Committee on Digital Society and AI, JCP Daimon raised the issue of integrating military and academic research, which the 7th Basic Plan actively promotes.
He pointed out that the plan runs counter to the long-standing principle of the Japanese academic community, which has rejected military research based on reflection on its prewar collaboration with the military, stating that “scientific research shall not be conducted for military purposes.”
The JCP lawmaker expressed his suspicion that the plan aims to involve private companies, universities, and research institutions in military research on a large scale, as is currently the case in the United States. He stated, “Japan should devise its own economic strategy and economic security by strictly adhering to the peace principles of its postwar Constitution.”
However, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy Onoda Kimi did not address his concerns, instead insisting that the plan is important because “it will contribute to Japan’s economic growth.”
Daimon emphasized that dual-use technology is inextricably linked to the “security clearance system” under which the government investigates individuals, including private sector workers who handle “classified” materials, and collects their personal information, including details of their political leanings, medical records, and level of debt. He pointed out that this system, under the pretext of protecting military secrets, could lead to the restriction of academic freedom.
Past related article:
> Gov’t science and technology plan may involve further utilization of universities for military purposes [March 28, 2028]
