Key facts
- The US Department of War has issued formal notifications to 30 domestic academic institutions for research security audits.
- The audits will scrutinize collaborations with foreign entities identified under Section 1286 of the FY19 NDAA and rebranded Confucius Institutes.
- Institutions must complete audits, assess sensitive research exposure, and implement mitigation plans by August 31, 2026.
- Japan's co-authored scientific papers with organizations flagged for security risks doubled in 2025 compared to a decade prior.
- Japan is developing guidelines to screen researchers in sensitive fields like semiconductors and AI to prevent data leakage.
- These Japanese guidelines will apply to government-funded projects in designated high-risk programs starting in April.
The U.S. Department of War has mandated comprehensive audits of academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities deemed to pose national security risks. Thirty domestic academic institutions have been formally notified to initiate these reviews, which are designed to protect American taxpayer-funded research investments from unauthorized technology transfer and adversarial exploitation.
Institutions receiving federal funding must complete a thorough audit of all identified foreign collaborations, assess the exposure of sensitive or export-controlled research, and implement strict mitigation plans, which may include terminating problematic partnerships. These universities are required to report their findings and actions directly to the Department by August 31, 2026, to maintain eligibility for future federal research funding. Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, stated that the department has zero tolerance for academic partnerships compromising national security.
Separately, Japan is experiencing a significant increase in co-authored scientific papers with organizations flagged for national security concerns. Analysis by Nikkei indicates that the number of such papers doubled over the past decade, reaching approximately 7,200 in 2025. In response, the Japanese government has drafted its first guidelines to screen researchers' backgrounds and restrict access to sensitive information in advanced technology fields to prevent the overseas leakage of critical research data. These guidelines, expected to be formally announced soon and implemented starting in April, will apply to government-funded projects in designated high-risk programs, covering principal researchers, students, and senior researchers from partner institutions. While carrying no legal force, they aim to shape how institutions manage sensitive research in areas like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and quantum information science, acknowledging the tension between scientific openness and national security needs.