Kansai University will ban its researchers from applying for Defense Ministry funds for projects that could then be used for military technologies, its president said Thursday.
The Defense Ministry's subsidy program, which started in fiscal 2015, has drawn criticism from some academics who are concerned about involvement in military research, with the public Hiroshima University having already established a ban.
The Science Council of Japan, a representative organization of Japanese scientists, has been debating the subsidy program through a panel.
"Although freedom of research is an important principle, it is necessary to show our university's stance," said Keiji Shibai, president of Kansai University, a private university in Osaka Prefecture.
The university decided at an internal meeting on Wednesday to stick to its ethical standard that calls for researchers to avoid activities that run counter to peace and the welfare of humans.
It also decided to prohibit researchers from joining projects at other universities that apply for the subsidy, while making it clear that the university will not receive funds from public institutions overseeing military defense policy as well as those from the defense industry.