Japan Asks Colleges, Universities To Screen Foreigners To Prevent Technology Theft

Japan is asking colleges and universities to scrutinise foreign students and scholars in a bid to improve national security and prevent espionage. The country has been seen by experts as the weak link among its Western allies for how warmly it welcomes foreigners to study in its soil.

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According to Reuters, to safeguard ties between U.S. and Europe universities, the Japanese government is now stepping up screening in the academia and imposing penalties on breaches. The move was driven by the arrests of Chinese academics in the U.S. in recent years over suspicion of spying and leaking technological secrets back to China. While Japanese officials did not cite a specific incident, they said combatting espionage in the educational sector is an aspect that needs improvement.

"Around the world, export controls are getting more stringent on foreign nations like China," an anonymous Japanese trade ministry official who works with colleges on solutions to monitor high-risk technology transfers told Reuters.

"We want Japanese universities to be trusted for their security and