Recently Nihon Keizai Shimbun Electronic Edition reported the following:
安保技術提供、留学生は許可制に 大学からの流出懸念
【イブニングスクープ】
2021年10月26日 18:00
[有料会員限定]
政府は日本の大学に長期留学する外国人について、安全保障にかかわる機微技術の提供を許可制にする。留学生の受け入れ時に安保上の懸念がないかを事前確認するように国が求めているにもかかわらず、実施していない大学が約4割ある。中国を念頭に留学生を通じて重要技術が国外に流出するのを防ぎ、経済安全保障を強化する。
経済産業省が年内に外為法の運用に関する通達を改正し、2022年度に施行する。日本に半年以上滞在する留学生に大学が重要技術を伝える場合、大学は経産相の許可を得る必要が生じる。
滞在半年未満の留学生は今も許可制で、長期滞在の留学生であっても年間所得の25%以上を外国政府から得るなど「外国の影響下にある」場合が新たに対象となる。
対象とする重要技術は汎用機器や部品の軍事転用を防ぐ国際枠組みに基づいて決める。半導体製造装置やロボットなど幅広い技術が含まれる。
政府は22年度から研究者の情報開示の指針を見直し、海外を含む外部機関から支援を得る場合は所属機関へ報告を求める。研究者が平時から所属する大学や企業に申告するよう促す。
大学側の対応は鈍い。文部科学省と経産省が4月、全国の国立大と、理系や情報系の学部を持つ公立・私立大の計320校を調べたところ、受け入れ時の事前審査を内部規定に盛り込んでいる大学は62.5%だった。国立が97.7%で、公立は59.0%、私立は47.7%にとどまった。
17年には東京都内の大学の技術系学部に所属する中国人留学生が航空機搭載用の赤外線カメラなどを香港経由で中国に輸出し、外為法違反で有罪となる事件が起きた。人工知能（AI）や量子暗号など最先端技術は軍民両用の性質をもつ。流出した技術が軍事転用されるおそれがある。
こうした分野の研究開発に取り組む日本の大学には中国などからの留学生が少なくない。東大先端科学技術研究センターの国分俊史特任教授は「機微技術の流出は日常的に発生しているとみられる」と指摘する。
民生技術は発展が速く、国際的な枠組みに基づいて規制対象を決める現行のやり方では追いつかない。大学はどの技術を留学生に伝える際に許可が必要か判断できない。国分氏は「規制対象とする技術を明確にする必要がある」と話す。
米国では18年成立の国防権限法で、AIや量子技術など14分野の技術を独自に指定。輸出規制を強化する方針だ。
日本の大学の研究はアジア留学生への依存を深めている。規制によっては研究に響く懸念もある。経済安保に詳しいバウワーグループアジア日本代表の油木清明氏は「国際的な水準に追いつくために必要な取り組みだ。大学の研究とバランスをとった議論が必要で、合理的な範囲内での規制になるだろう」と話す。
Translation
Regarding foreign students from abroad studying at Japanese universities, the government had a system targeting those providing sensitive technology related to security. Despite the government's request to confirm in advance whether there were any security concerns when accepting international students, about 40% of universities had not carried out this. With China in mind, economic security would be strengthened to prevent the outflow of important technologies by international students.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry would revise the
notification on the operation of the Foreign Exchange Law by the end of the
year and this would come into effect in 2022. If a
university wanted to pass important technology to international students who could
stay in Japan for more than half a year, the university would need to obtain
permission from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
At present, international students who stayed for less than half a year were still allowed in the permit system. For long-term international students who were "under the influence of a foreign country", such as earning 25% or more of their annual income from a foreign government, they would become a new target.
Important technologies that were targeted were determined
based on the international framework that prevented the military diversion of
general-purpose equipment and its parts. It would include a wide range of
technologies such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment and robots.
The guideline of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which was based on the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, required a preliminary examination for security concerns when a university accepted international students and foreign researchers. Yet it was not possible to identify who could become a regulated international student unless the actual situation such as financial support from foreign governments could be grasped at the stage of accepting international students for the first time.
The government would review the guidelines on information
disclosure of researchers from FY2022, and would request reports from the
affiliated institutions when receiving support from external institutions
including those from overseas. Researchers would be encouraged to report to
their university or company during ordinary times.
The response from the university side had been sluggish. In April, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, together with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry investigated the nationwide national universities, as well public and private universities that had faculties of science and information system totaling 320 institutions, only 62.5% of universities in their internal regulations included a pre-screening at the time of acceptance. In national universities it was 97.7%, in public ones was 59.0%, and private was 47.7%.
In 2017, a Chinese student belonged to the technical department of a university in Tokyo exported an infrared camera for an aircraft to China via Hong Kong, and was found guilty of violating the Foreign Exchange Law. State-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum cryptography had dual-use properties. The leaked technology could be converted to military use.
Many Japanese universities engaged in research and development in these fields had many international students from China and other countries. Toshifumi Kokubun (国分俊史), a specially appointed professor at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology of the University of Tokyo, pointed out that "the outflow of sensitive technology seems to occur on a daily basis."
Consumer technology was developing rapidly and could not keep up with the current method of determining regulatory targets based on an international framework. Universities could not determine which technology could require permission to convey them to international students. Kokubun said “We need to clarify the technology to be regulated".
In the United States, in 2018 the Defense Authority Law
enacted independently designated technologies in 14 fields such as AI and
quantum technology. The policy was to tighten export restrictions.
Japanese university research was becoming more dependent on
Asian students. There were also concerns that some regulations might affect
research. Mr. Kiyoaki Yuki (油木清明),
the representative of Bower Group Asia Japan who was familiar with economic
security said, "This is a necessary effort to catch up with international
standards. This requires discussions on university research and balancing, and to
set regulation within a reasonable range. "
So, in
Japan if a university wants to pass important technology to international
students, it will need to obtain permission from the government.
Note: According to the web-site of Bower Group Asia, this
company is a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Asia-Pacific. It
applies unmatched experience and expertise to help clients navigate the world’s
most complex and dynamic markets, provide actionable insights and analysis to
implement strategies, mitigate risk, expand business, and do great things in
Asia.
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