FOCAL POINT ON COMMERCIAL SPACE EXPLORATION IN JAPAN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

FOCAL POINT ON COMMERCIAL SPACE EXPLORATION IN JAPAN Yasuhiro Yukimatsu, deputy the enacting of the Basic Space PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JAXA director-general of the National Law in 2008 and the Basic Plan on Space Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Space Policy in 2013 as a significant SOFTBANK, a major telecommunication Office, notes that Japanese turning point. These spelled out provider in Japan, HAS companies and universities have the three main goals of Japanese INVESTED US$10 developed micro-, nano- and space policy, namely encouraging THE RISE OF JAPAN BILLION IN ONEWEB, which is building a even pico-satellite technology, the private sector to invest in the mega constellation of which allows countries that have space industry, enhancing national hundreds of satellites to yet to join the space community security by utilizing space, and INTO NEW SPACE provide internet service all over the world. affordable access to space. Ishida maintaining and strengthening A QUIET REVOLUTION IS UNDERWAY IN SPACE EXPLORATION concurs: “Japanese space-related the science and technology and and development, and Japan is well placed to be a part of it business players have unique industrial basis. In 2017, the technologies and are working on Japanese government published its projects such as small launchers, Space Industry Vision 2030, which space debris removal, and space sets an ambitious target of doubling resource mining.” the size of the space industry by the early 2030s. The strong government “The world’s space industry is in the JAPAN IN SPACE support of the private sector is one throes of a major transformation,” Japan has a proud history of of the advantages that Japan has in Masayasu Ishida is says Masayasu Ishida. An energetic ‘old space’ government-funded developing new-space technologies, co-founder and president of the Tokyoite, Ishida is a principal at the exploration. It was the fourth says Ishida. SPACETIDE management consulting firm A.T. country to venture into space, and In terms of government FOUNDATION. Kearney and co-founder and president In March 2018, Japan the third one to send spacecraft to procurement, Japan’s space agency will host the SECOND of the Spacetide Foundation, an INTERNATIONAL both Mars and the Moon. It has the JAXA seems to be following NASA’s “Looking to organization dedicated to promoting SPACE EXPLORATION distinction of being the only country example of moving from government FORUM, a meeting for space businesses globally. high-level government to have brought a sample back from owned and operated systems to the future, Historically, space has been the representatives and an extraterrestrial body besides the contracting companies to work on exclusive domain of government private businesses. Moon, when Hayabusa landed in the specific projects. In this model, the I expect an and multinational projects, but Australian outback in 2010 with a government agency serves as the influx of new increasingly private enterprises are sample collected from the surface a lead investor and customer. venturing above in a movement deep-space asteroid. The government is also actively players, new dubbed ‘new space’. Entrepreneurs But times are changing. “For the seeking to support innovation in investments, such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and industry to realize sustainable space technologies through funding Richard Branson have captured the growth, a shift from the government research and development and it has new business headlines, but this movement is not to the private sector is urgently started a competition to stimulate restricted to famous entrepreneurs needed,” says Masanori Tsuruda ideas from the business community models, or huge corporations. Increasingly, from the Ministry of Economy, for space-related commercial and new small to medium-sized businesses are Trade and Industry (METI). This ventures. Called S-Booster it offered becoming involved. shift is driven in part by shrinking prizes of up to three million yen. customers Ishida, who has written a book on government budgets for big projects The transition is not without In December 2017, the from outside promoting the space industry to the UK SPACE AGENCY as well as the many emerging its challenges. “Japan’s domestic private sector, is excited about Japan’s AND THE JAPANESE possibilities for enterprises to profit market size is considerably smaller the industry.” GOVERNMENT signed involvement in new space. “I think an joint initiative that from space. than those of the US or Europe,” Japan has the potential to be one of will proactively tackle However, business cannot go says Yukimatsu. “As a result, the the world’s new-space industry hubs,” the problem of SPACE it alone in space because the Japanese space industry is not DEBRIS. he says. capital costs and risks are too high. as globally competitive, since the “Future space exploration needs Companies need a supportive world’s space industries still depend innovative technologies like robotics, environment to be able to flourish in on public demand.” But Ishida is artificial intelligence, advanced space. The Japanese government is upbeat about the prospects for communication, and new materials, now undertaking various initiatives new space gaining ground in Japan. which will be brought by non-space to nurture the domestic commercial “Looking to the future, I expect industries,” he explains. “Japan space industry. Ishida notes three an influx of new players, new is home to many of the world’s areas in which government can help investments, new business models, leading industries, and has a variety businesses invest in space: law and and new customers from outside of technological assets. Their legislation, government procurement, the industry,” he says. “We need involvement could be of help in the support of innovation, and contests. all these elements to create an global space exploration effort.” In the legal realm, Ishida considers ecosystem.” © Lorand Fenyes/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images Images/Getty Fenyes/Stocktrek © Lorand Images Plus © Petrovich9/iStock/Getty Images Plus; Bottom: Images Plus; Middle: © EnricoAgostoni/iStock/Getty © Harvepino/iStock/Getty Top: