The government plans to seek funds in fiscal 2006 to develop technology to artificially induce rainfall to fight droughts or prevent torrential rain, Cabinet Office officials said Friday.
It is theoretically possible to inject dry ice and other catalytic substances into clouds to stimulate rainfall, the officials said.
The idea calls for causing rain or snow above dams in the winter because there aren't many clouds during summer droughts.
Technology to minimize rainfall on land by stimulating clouds at sea to rain before they reach land will also be studied, they said.
The Cabinet Office will decide which agency or ministry will get the project, financed by the budget for science and technology promotion, they said.