![[2026 Edition] What Are Research Integrity and Research Security? Why They Are Now Essential for Universities and Research Institutions](/images/columns/default-column.png)
[2026 Edition] What Are Research Integrity and Research Security? Why They Are Now Essential for Universities and Research Institutions
This is Hamamoto from TIMEWELL.
Have you heard the terms "research integrity" and "research security"?
Since 2025, the Japanese government has been stepping up its efforts in both areas in earnest. MEXT launched pilot programs in FY2025, and the Cabinet Office is advancing its "Research Security and Integrity Risk Management Framework Support Program."
This article explains why these topics are attracting attention now, and what universities, research institutions, and companies should be doing — in terms accessible to those new to the subject.
Summary (What You Will Learn from This Article)
- Research integrity: Ensuring transparency and fairness in research activities
- Research security: Preventing unauthorized leakage of research results and technology
- Background: International competition for technological supremacy, and real technology leak incidents
- Mandatory requirements: Pilot programs launched in FY2025 under certain JST programs
- Risk of violations: FEFTA violations carry penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to 1 billion yen
Table of Contents
- What Is Research Integrity?
- What Is Research Security?
- Why Is This Attracting Attention Now?
- Real Technology Leak Incidents
- Government Initiatives and the Move Toward Mandatory Requirements
- Measures Universities and Research Institutions Should Take
- How to Strengthen Research Security with AI
What Is Research Integrity?
Definition
Research integrity refers to ensuring transparency and fairness in research activities.
The Cabinet Office's definition includes the following types of initiatives:
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Disclosure of conflicts of interest | Clearly identifying the source of research funding and relationships with foreign governments |
| Proper management of research data | Prevention of fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism |
| Ensuring transparency | Disclosure of joint research partners and funding sources |
| Responsible research conduct | Acting in accordance with research ethics |
Why It Matters
When research integrity is compromised, the following risks arise:
- Decline in the credibility of research results
- Exclusion from international collaborative research
- Suspension of research funding
- Damage to the reputation of the university or institution
Concrete Example: The Problem of Conflicts of Interest
For instance, if a researcher receives funding from a foreign government without disclosing this fact while also receiving Japanese public research funds, this constitutes a conflict of interest.
From around 2020, a series of researchers in the United States were arrested and indicted for concealing their participation in the Thousand Talents Program. As similar cases are now considered possible in Japan, there is growing momentum to strengthen disclosure obligations.
How to solve export compliance challenges?
Learn about TRAFEED (formerly ZEROCK ExCHECK) features and implementation benefits in our materials.
What Is Research Security?
Definition
Research security refers to efforts to prevent the unintended leakage of research results and technology.
While research integrity focuses on "transparency and fairness," research security places greater emphasis on "preventing technology leaks."
Differences Between the Two Concepts
| Perspective | Research Integrity | Research Security |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Ensuring transparency and fairness | Preventing technology leakage |
| Focus | Researcher behavior and disclosure | Management of information and technology |
| Subject | Conflicts of interest, research ethics | Sensitive technology, export control |
| Regulatory relationship | Research ethics guidelines | FEFTA, deemed export regulations |
Concrete Research Security Initiatives
- Identifying sensitive technology: Understanding which research is subject to regulation
- Access management: Controlling who can access information
- Screening of international students and researchers: Verifying relationships with foreign governments
- Screening of joint research partners: Confirming counterparties are not of concern
- Management of technology transfer: Compliance with deemed export regulations
Why Is This Attracting Attention Now?
Changes in the International Situation
The factors behind the rapid rise in attention to research security are as follows:
| Factor | Content |
|---|---|
| Competition for technological supremacy | Intensifying competition between the U.S. and China in AI and semiconductors |
| Growing importance of economic security | Technological advantage is directly linked to national security |
| Increase in technology leak incidents | Technology leaks from universities and research institutions are becoming visible |
| Formation of international frameworks | G7 established "Best Practices for Safe and Open Research" |
G7 Agreement
In February 2024, the G7 published "Best Practices for Safe and Open Research." This serves as a guide for each country's approach to research security.
The Japanese government has also stepped up its domestic efforts based on this agreement.
Japan's Sense of Crisis
Japan has long been dismissed as a "spy paradise." The reasons typically cited include:
- No anti-espionage law
- Low security awareness at universities
- Lax screening of international students
- Light penalties for technology leaks
However, with the enforcement of the Economic Security Promotion Act and revisions to FEFTA, the situation is beginning to change.
Real Technology Leak Incidents
Case 1: The AIST Incident (2023)
A senior principal researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) was arrested for leaking technical information related to fluorine compounds to a Chinese company.
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Charge | Violation of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (trade secret misappropriation) |
| Recipient of the leak | A Chinese private company |
| Background | The suspect was a graduate of one of China's "Defense Seven Universities" |
| Impact | The security framework of national research institutions came under scrutiny |
The Defense Seven Universities are Chinese universities that have concluded contracts with the People's Liberation Army involving military technology development. Joint research with graduates and affiliates of these universities requires particular caution.
Case 2: The JAXA Cyberattack Case
A Japanese student, persuaded by a woman he met on social media, became a cooperator for a PLA cyber unit and was placed on an international wanted list on suspicion of involvement in a cyberattack targeting the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Key point: Even students who initially had no malicious intent can be recruited and become cooperators.
Case 3: Cases Prosecuted in the United States
The United States has prosecuted numerous technology leak cases at universities and research institutions.
| Case | Content |
|---|---|
| Illinois Institute of Technology | A graduate student was hired by Chinese intelligence to gather information |
| UCLA | An adjunct professor smuggled military-applicable microchips to China |
| University of Texas | A professor provided high-tech technology to Huawei |
Why Universities Are Targeted
The reasons universities and research institutions tend to become targets for technology leaks are as follows:
- Concentration of cutting-edge technology: Some fields have more advanced basic research than industry
- Open culture: A tendency to prioritize information sharing, with lower security awareness
- Acceptance of international students and researchers: Difficult to verify relationships with foreign governments
- Insufficient security budgets: Countermeasures lag behind industry
Government Initiatives and the Move Toward Mandatory Requirements
MEXT Initiatives
MEXT is advancing concrete initiatives to ensure research security.
| Period | Initiative |
|---|---|
| April 2021 | Decision on "Response Policy for Ensuring Research Integrity" |
| December 2024 | Compilation of "Directions for Research Security Efforts at Universities and Similar Institutions" |
| FY2025 onward | Pilot programs launched under certain JST programs |
| FY2026 onward | Staged expansion of coverage planned |
Cabinet Office Initiatives
The Cabinet Office has convened an Expert Panel on Ensuring Research Security and Research Integrity, and is implementing the following programs:
- Research and analysis on research integrity (commissioned research)
- Research Security and Integrity Risk Management Framework Support Program
Disclosure Obligations When Applying for Research Funding
When applying for public research funding, disclosure of the following is increasingly required:
- Funding from foreign governments: Whether participation in programs such as the Thousand Talents Program has occurred
- Concurrent employment and positions: Relationships with foreign institutions
- Joint research partners: Joint research with foreign institutions
- Conflicts of interest: Economic interest relationships
Important: False declarations can lead to suspension of research funding and demands for repayment.
Measures Universities and Research Institutions Should Take
Building Organizational Frameworks
| Measure | Content |
|---|---|
| Establishing a dedicated department | Setting up a department and officer responsible for research security |
| Developing policies | Formulating a research security policy |
| Conducting training | Regular education for faculty, staff, and students |
| Setting up a consultation desk | MEXT has also established a research security consultation desk |
Strengthening Acceptance Screening
When accepting international students and researchers, the following checks are recommended:
- Confirming home institution: Relationships with the Defense Seven Universities, etc.
- Confirming funding sources: Scholarships from foreign governments, etc.
- Confirming employment relationships: Employment contracts with foreign government institutions
- Cross-referencing against the Foreign User List: Checking METI's list
Strengthening Technology Management
The following measures are necessary for managing research data and technology:
- Identifying sensitive technology: Understanding which of the institution's research is subject to regulation
- Managing access rights: Need-to-know principle
- Classifying information: Management according to confidentiality level
- Addressing deemed export regulations: Managing technology transfer to foreign nationals
Addressing Deemed Export Regulations
Deemed export is a system under which, even when technology is provided domestically to a foreign national, the same type of license is required as for an actual export.
Following the May 2022 amendment, the following cases also became subject to regulation:
- Even residents may be subject to regulation if they are in a state of being under "strong foreign government influence" (the "specified category")
Examples of the specified category:
- Having an employment contract with a foreign government
- Receiving substantial financial remuneration from a foreign government
- Being contractually required to follow the instructions of a foreign government
How to Strengthen Research Security with AI
Challenges in Research Security
The practical work of research security involves the following challenges:
| Challenge | Detail |
|---|---|
| Enormous volume of verification work | Screening of international students and researchers, verification of joint research partners |
| Lack of specialized knowledge | Few personnel with expertise in export control and FEFTA |
| List updates | The Foreign User List and similar lists are revised frequently |
| Difficulty of judgment | Gray-area cases are difficult to assess |
Addressing all of these through manual effort alone has its limits.
Solution with TRAFEED (formerly ZEROCK ExCHECK)
TRAFEED (formerly ZEROCK ExCHECK) is an export control-specialized AI agent provided by TIMEWELL. It can also be applied to research security operations.
| Function | Application to Research Security |
|---|---|
| Counterparty screening | Automated checking of joint research partners and the home institutions of candidate recipients |
| Classification support | Automatic determination of whether research technology falls under list controls |
| Automatic regulatory updates | Automatically captures revisions to the Foreign User List |
| Automatic report generation | Automatically creates and stores screening records |
Implementation Benefits
| Metric | Effect |
|---|---|
| Investigation work time | 90% reduction |
| Missed verifications | Zero |
| Response to regulatory changes | Real-time |
Security Features
Information handled at research institutions is highly sensitive, making security critical.
- Domestic server operation: Data processing within AWS domestic regions
- ISO 27001 compliant: International security certification obtained
- Desktop-type: Designed so that sensitive information does not leak externally
Summary
Key Points from This Article
- Research integrity: Ensuring transparency and fairness in research activities
- Research security: Preventing unauthorized leakage of research results and technology
- Background: Competition for technological supremacy, increase in actual technology leak incidents
- Mandatory requirements: Pilot programs launched in FY2025 under certain JST programs
- Measures: Building organizational frameworks, strengthening acceptance screening, strengthening technology management
Future Outlook
Research security will become increasingly important going forward.
- Mandatory requirements as a condition for applying for public research funding will advance
- It will become a prerequisite for international collaborative research
- Sanctions for violations will become more severe
Striking the right balance between "academic freedom" and "security" while implementing appropriate measures is what is now required.
TIMEWELL Research Security Support
TIMEWELL supports universities and research institutions in building research security frameworks.
Inquire About TRAFEED (formerly ZEROCK ExCHECK)
- Implementation consultation: Diagnose your institution's research security framework
- Demo: Experience how it can be applied in your actual operations
- Customization: Optimization tailored to research institutions
"Protecting academic freedom while also protecting national security."
For questions about applying AI to research security, please feel free to reach out.
References
- MEXT, Research Integrity and Research Security
- Cabinet Office, Research Integrity
- METI, Security Trade Control
- G7, Best Practices for Safe and Open Research
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