Sanae Takaichi, minister in charge of economic security, center, speaks at a meeting of a government panel of experts on economic security legislation in the Cabinet on Tuesday.
6:00 JST, June 6, 2024
In an effort to prevent leaks, a government panel of experts on Tuesday called on companies and other entities to restrict access to key technologies under development with government support.
The Expert Panel on Economic Security Law, chaired by Prof. Setsuko Aoki of Keio University, presented a number of measures that companies and other entities should take to prevent technology leaks.
The panel’s proposals related to the arrest last year of a researcher from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, a national research and development organization, on suspicion of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act by leaking research data to a Chinese company.
The panel noted recent leaks of trade secrets from companies and other entities. “As the economic field is rapidly becoming linked to national security, proper government management of key technologies is an urgent matter,” the report emphasizes.
The panel also suggested measures that companies and other groups can implement, such as limiting access to technologies and monitoring whether employees come into contact with suspicious individuals or collect large amounts of data.
For research conducted mainly at universities, in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology and semiconductors, the panel urged ministries that provide financial support to consider measures to prevent technology leaks.
The panel also called for thorough screening of investigators from other countries, with proposals to work with relevant government organizations, including investigative and public security authorities and law enforcement agencies, to further strengthen border controls.
The government plans to draw up a list of concrete measures based on the proposals.
