TOKYO: The Japanese government expects to provide fiscal assistance to studies on unmanned marine explorers and hypersonic technologies to achieve at least five times the speed of sound.

The two areas are among the nearly 30 fields selected for the first round of fiscal support the government plans to provide to facilitate the development of advanced technologies considered important in terms of economic security.

The selected fields are named in a draft list for the first-round assistance, presented at a government meeting with experts Monday. The experts broadly approved the draft.

The selected fields, expected for applications in the aerospace, marine, cyberspace and bio-related areas, include technologies for autonomous unmanned explorers for better marine observations, advanced materials for aircraft engines, elemental technologies for hypersonic speeds and cybersecurity measures using artificial intelligence.

Based on the list, the experts will draw up the first of their planned visions for research and development within August. The government hopes to adopt the first one at a cabinet meeting on economic security so that it can start soliciting applicants within this year at the earliest.

JIJI Press