JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2017

Presentation information

Print

[JJ] Oral

U (Union) » Union

[U-06] [JJ] Future of earth and planetary science (7): basic research fund system of ATLA, Ministry of Defense

Sat. May 20, 2017 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM 103 (International Conference Hall 1F)

convener:Shuhei Okubo(Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo), Hodaka Kawahata(Atmosphere Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo), Ryoichi Fujii(Nagoya University), Eiichi Tajika(Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo), Chairperson:Shuhei Okubo(Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo), Chairperson:Hodaka Kawahata(Atmosphere Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo)

1:45 PM - 2:05 PM

[U06-01] The aim of this session

★Invited papers

*Ryoichi Fujii1 (1.Research Organization of Information and Systems)

Keywords:research fund for future defense equipment, earth and planetary sciences, code of "Refusing research with the aim of war" by SCJ

The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), Ministry of Defense, Japan established a funding system in 2015 for basic research projects that can be bases for future equipment of the Self Defense Force (SDF) and since then it has invited applications from the civil academic sectors such as universities, national research and development agencies, and private companies. The Japanese academic community has expressed serious concerns about the funding system, since conducting research with this funding system may violate the widely accepted code of "Refusing research with the aim of war" issued by the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) in 1950 and 1967. The SCJ has set up a committee dedicated to this issue and it is planned to express its opinion on the matter in April this year. Considering that geophysics was occasionally related to military researches in the past and our community is partly involved in the present funding program, it is important and timely for the sound development of our community to discuss extensively how the earth and planetary science community should deal with research whose outcomes might be used for military (including defense) activities. Focusing particularly on research aiming primarily at future SDF equipment, the session aims at understanding and sharing a variety of thoughts and opinions on how the ATLA funding system affects the academic community, researchers and society.