October 28, 2026

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The Ministry of Defense on October 20 published the selection results for the “National Security Technology Research Promotion Program” which provides financial support for basic research applicable to military technology. The number of applicants, including universities, reached a record high of 291, a sharp increase of approximately 2.4 times compared with the previous year, and a record 30 projects (from 19 universities) were selected.

The Science Council of Japan in 2017 issued a statement criticizing the promotion program, noting that “calls for proposals and the subsequent selection process are conducted with the explicit objective of facilitating the future development of defense technology,” and that “the government’s significant intervention in the research is highly problematic.”

Despite this, applications from universities have surged over the past two years. Among national universities, 40 institutions, roughly half of the national total, have submitted applications.

One of the major factors lying behind this is that with cuts in government subsidies, researchers have been struggling with serious funding shortages. At the same time, the Defense Ministry has encouraged researchers to apply for the promotion program by emphasizing that the program provides broad support for research for civilian purposes as it is designed to support “dual-use” research.

However, given that the National Security Technology Research Promotion Program is a Defense Ministry program, it is obvious that this program’s purpose is to strengthen the research and development of weapons. Under the terms of the contract, if the government requests the use of research results, the researcher must grant such use free of charge. Furthermore, researchers cannot refuse to allow their findings to be utilized by foreign organizations, such as those in the U.S., Japan’s ally, and by the global military industry.

The government led by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, under the banner of a “virtuous cycle of defense and the economy,” places the military as a pillar of its “growth strategy” and intends to mobilize universities for the militarization of the economy. It is unacceptable for the government to use research findings produced by Japanese scientists to develop lethal weapons.

Universities should return to the parameters set by the SCJ’s 2017 statement. In addition, increasing public opinion and movements that oppose any attempts to turn Japan into a war-fighting nation and block the militarization of universities is an urgent task.