The dynamic change survey and the theory of mutualrelationship between military and nonmilitary scientific research at war-related period in Japan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00271
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01080:Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo National College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Kawamura Yutaka 東京工業高等専門学校, 一般教育科, 嘱託教授 (10369944)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 戦時科学史 / 電波兵器 / 科学者動員 / 両用技術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Wartime-related activities by Japan scientists during World War II can be divided into two roles: advisory and developmental roles. The former is the involvement of scientists in policy and public opinion formation during wartime, and the latter is the direct involvement of scientists in the development of military technology. Since equipment compatible with consumer technology was required, and the knowledge of developing nuclear physics was effective for development, On the other hand, in Britain and the United States, scientists became advisors to politicians and senior military officials, but they did not exist in Japan. It can be concluded that this was due to differences in wartime status, such as civil servants in the United Kingdom, university affiliation in the United States, and part-time employment in the military in Japan.

Free Research Field

科学史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年，軍事技術部門に関わる科学技術領域での軍民両用性や，経済安全保障に関わる議論が行われている．本研究は，第二次世界大戦期での科学者の戦時的活動について，実証的研究と理論的研究を行ったが，近年のこうした議論については，第一に，民間部門の科学者が関与した最初の軍事技術が，航空機探知用の非兵器軍事技術と呼ばれる種類であり，そこに軍民両用性の起源と科学者が軍事部門に関与を強めるきっかけがあったこと，第二に，科学者の関与の仕方は，その時代の科学者の政府・軍部が科学者がどのような役職（発言力を示す地位）に置くかで決まる．この時期の英米に比較して日本の科学者は高い地位につくことが無かった点を指摘できる．