MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2023) The Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) belonging to the country's space agency has barred researches from Russia and several other countries from engaging in the work of the institute in an effort to protect technological data that could be used for military purposes, the Kyodo news agency reported, citing sources.
The measure has been taken so as to prevent technologies used in satellites and rockets from being obtained by countries suspected by Japan as "developing weapons of mass destruction" or posing a threat to national security, according to the news agency. Researches from North Korea, Iran, Iraq and Belarus have also been prohibited from "undergoing screening to enter" ISAS.
However, individuals from countries such as the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany are eligible to work in all research fields in ISAS under the new standards, Kyodo reported.�
Chinese and Indian researchers as well as people from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are subject to some exceptions, with only individuals with "outstanding achievements" in science and approval of the ISAS head eligible for admission screening.
The new rules would not apply to those who had been admitted to ISAS before the measure went in effect, the Japanese news agency added.
ISAS is Japan's national space research organization, which is a part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The institute focuses on such activities as astronomical observations from outer space, space engineering, utilization of space environment for microgravity experiments of various kinds, among other things.
