Japan Asks Universities to Test Foreign Students to Prevent Technology Leaks to China

Japan is calling on universities to investigate foreign students and scholars more closely to prevent the technology leaks into countries like China and to secure exchanges with universities in the United States and Europe.

While many Western countries have taken steps to prevent college espionage with rigorous screening and penalties for offenders, experts say that Japan often accepts foreign students unchecked. Therefore, it is said that it was a weak connection.

Officials say that a string of US arrests of Chinese academics in recent years over suspicion of spying was a wake-up call for Japan. 

An official, who declined to be identified as he does not have the authority to speak to the media has said, “We want Japanese universities to be trusted for their security and trade controls so that joint research with the United States for Europe can continue.”

"Around the world, export restrictions on foreign countries like China are becoming stricter," said a Japanese Commerce official who is helping universities develop ways to monitor high-risk technology transfers and students. 

In an era of supply chain disruptions, intellectual property theft, and cyberattacks, economic security has become a top priority for policymakers around the world and an important area of ​​diplomatic cooperation.