Japan will tighten deemed export control of technology

According to the Nikkei press on May 13, Japanese government will rectify FEFTL (Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law) to tighten deemed export of sensitive technical information in order to better protect national security.

http://bizplus.nikkei.co.jp/genre/soumu/index.cfm?i=2008051210507b3 (Japanese)

METI will impose business users screen knowledge transfer of sensitive advanced technology based on the law, such as e-mail, Internet transfer and bringing it by electric media. Currently, the control scheme is to screen the transfer from "Japanese resident" to "non-resident", and non-resident can be resident after staying in Japan more than 6 months. The potential problem is pointed out, foreign resident can be back to home countries after getting knowledge transfer legally within the stay in Japan more than 6 months. This is considered as "loophole" of FEFTL.
Therefore, METI will impose screening of intangible technology transfer as definite method to protect illegal technology export.

The amendment of FEFTL will be sometime in 2009. According to METI, they will modify Ministerial Ordinance and Notification accordingly, but to avoid confusion of business as much as possible, and intend NOT to give negative impact to international business by Japanese companies.

Interestingly, however on same day in United States, there is discussion that "ITAR Hurts U.S. Innovation, Industry Group Says". Source: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3524389&c=AME&s=TOP)
According to the article, The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) that govern the export of defense-related goods is hurting innovation in the U.S. space industry and threatening national security.

Well, it is always difficult to balance ease and tighten.