Within the next 18 months, Japan will deploy a second space defense entity at an air force base located in the western part of the country to track electromagnetic risk to satellites. According to a statement by Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, the proposal to establish the Second Space Operations Squadron at Kitago North Base in Yamaguchi Prefecture on November 14 is “very important to protect the stable use of outer space. “. The entity will be established in Japan in 2022 and will begin on April 1.
“It is absolutely important to protect the stable use of outer space in expanding our activities in new areas such as outer space, cyberspace, and the field of electromagnetic spectrum,” the Minister of Defense said. “The location was chosen after careful consideration of some variables.
According to Kyodo News, the formation of a new squadron is “part of Japan’s efforts to strengthen its capabilities in new areas such as outer space as Russia and China increase their capabilities in the electromagnetic spectrum.” According to the report, space surveillance radar is currently under development at an air force base and will be operational in 2023.
In May 2020, Japan established the first Space Operations Squadron at a parking base in Fuchu, western Tokyo, to monitor the dangers of space fragments and satellites such as asteroids.
The formation of the Second Squadron suggests that Japan will strengthen its cooperation with the United States on space security issues. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces are gradually working with US soldiers, worried about improving China’s capabilities, and are trying to increase cooperation with the US Space Force and interoperability of weapons. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the US Space Command signed a space security partnership agreement in March. As part of the agreement, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force has sent a managing liaison to the headquarters of the US Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. From November 2018, we started using the domestic geoposition system “quasi-zenith satellite technology” to improve regional accuracy of timing centered on GPS and navigation services. The GPS system is controlled by the United States Space Force.
As for private space, it joined NASA’s Artemis Initiative in October 2020, paving the way for Japanese companies to support US-led lunar exploration. Tokyo-based aliens are working on a robot lunar lander to compete for NASA’s commercial payload trade, while JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has joined space station NASA and its partner Moon gateway. Agreed to provide key components and planned to build near the Moon to support surface operations.