Today, we held a meeting of the “Space Development Strategy Headquarters” and decided on the future “key priorities” of the “Basic Space Plan.”
The current “Basic Space Plan” was revised three years ago by me, when I served as the Minister in charge of space policy.
In addition to clearly defining the technologies that our country should prioritize, it set forth initiatives such as strengthening strategic and flexible funding for private sector entities.
In the Takai Cabinet, the space sector is positioned as one of 17 strategic fields. We view investment in space as a critical investment in “next-generation national infrastructure” that supports security, economic activities, and people’s daily lives.
First, from the perspective of “national security,” we will work to fundamentally strengthen defense capabilities through space utilization, including enhancing situational awareness in the space domain and leveraging satellite constellations.
At the same time, we will further strengthen collaboration with allied and like-minded countries to ensure free and open access to space.
Additionally, with regard to lunar exploration, where international competition is intensifying, we will actively participate in the U.S.-led “Artemis Program,” aiming to develop the lunar exploration vehicle “pressurized rover for human use” and realize a moon landing by Japanese astronauts.
The foundation supporting such space activities in our country is “rockets and launch sites.” Today, the launch of Japan’s mainstay rocket “H3” was successfully conducted at the Tanegashima Space Center’s launch site.
This is extremely welcome news.
To meet launch demands both domestically and internationally, we will further enhance our rocket launch capabilities.
Furthermore, to advance “the utilization of satellites in civilian sectors,” we will create initial demand through government procurement, while also considering support for startups in a wide range of fields such as smart agriculture and infrastructure inspections.
In addition, we will expand the framework for the “Michibiki” satellite, which boasts world-class positioning accuracy, and broaden the usable domains of the satellite positioning system, which is expected to be utilized in areas such as drones and autonomous driving.
To advance such policies, it is necessary to promote technology development through the “Space Strategy Fund,” as well as to strengthen JAXA’s human resources and the organizational capacity of the Space Development Strategy Promotion Office.
In order to maintain and enhance the independence of our country’s space activities and to vigorously accelerate efforts to lead the world as one of the advanced spacefaring nations, I have instructed relevant cabinet members to accelerate preparations for the revision of next year’s “Basic Space Plan.”
(Space Development Strategy Headquarters (34th Meeting))
: Sanae Takaichi
Prime Minister of Japan