EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation 日欧産業協力センター The Space Sector EU- Japan business and technological cooperation potential Veronica La Regina Minerva Fellow Tokyo 2015 1 Abstract This report aims to propose the best way of pursuing the EU-Japan industrial cooperation in the field of Space. Firstly, it reviews European and Japanese current cooperation in the field of Space. Secondly, it investigates the current level of trade between the two partners in order to understand the best way to generate further cooperation. Thirdly, the Report hopes to inform both sides about each region’s current Space sector landscape from the political, policy and industrial point of views. Fourthly, it identifies areas of industrial cooperation for which local gaps in knowledge or experience could be filled by foreign expertise, for example the European technological gaps in the small-size satellite constellation could be filled by the Japanese expertise while the Japanese intention to become more commercially oriented could be supported by the more expansive European experience in this area. Finally, recommendations to the Japanese and European stakeholders are provided. Disclaimer & Copyright Notice The information contained herein reflects the views of the author, and not necessarily the views of the EU- Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation or the views of the EU Commission or Japanese institutions. While utmost care was taken in the preparation of the report, the author and the EU-Japan Centre cannot be held responsible for any errors. This report does not constitute legal advice in terms of business development cases. The author can be reached at [email protected] © EU-Japan Centre for industrial Cooperation 2 Acknowledgement Though only my name appears on the cover of this report, a great many people have contributed to it. I wish to express my thanks to Dr. Silviu Jora, the EU side General Manager of the EU - Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation in Tokyo. I appreciated his availability even outside official working hours and his patience with my Italian customs. Also from the Centre, I thank Edgar Hahn for his assistance in translating from Japanese to English and also Fabrizio Mura for his endless support for my many proposals to organize workshops and interviews with relevant stakeholders. I also wish to thank Yoko Kadoya, Sam Claydon, Martin Lenkiewicz, Clarisse Pham, Luca Escoffier, Erwan Rannou, Jerome Camier, Tomoko Noguchi, Noriko Yudahira, Lyckle Griek and Stijn Lambrecht for making work hours more enjoyable. I am also grateful to Italian Space Agency (ASI) for allowing me to spend this six month fellowship in Japan, during which I had the pleasure of meeting enthusiastic space fans from across the industry, JAXA, JSF, SJAC, Cabinet Office and academia. The list of these individuals is long and I apologize for not naming them directly here, but my gratitude extends to everyone who either indirectly or directly lent their hand in this challenging report. In addition, I thank Amina Zaccardelli for helping me in the acronyms’ list and other editing issues. 3 Executive Summary The European Union (EU) and Japan are both currently pursuing a host of similar challenges, including new governance structures with the recognition of new roles and functions, the launch of new technologies with higher commercial vocation, the enhancement of economic returns from Space investments and the increasingly emerging enabling value of space-based technologies for multi-purpose requirements in other fields, such as energy, transport, climate change, managing early warning systems in case of natural disasters, security and poverty alleviation. The EU and Japan have recently initiated the EU-Japan Space Policy Dialogue. The two bodies met first in October 2014 to discuss their current programs and interests and are expected to meet again in Brussels by the end of 2015. Space has since been explicitly described as an element of cooperation by the joint statement released by the last EU – Japan Summit1, held in Tokyo in May 2015. Industrial cooperation is identified as the most promising tool for a successful EU-Japan collaboration. This report describes potential business opportunities within industrial cooperation between the EU and Japan in the field of Space. These opportunities have been evaluated through the different segments of the Space value chain from the front-runner R&D activities to launching technologies, manufacturing, components, downstream applications and spin-offs. They have also been evaluated based on potential future challenges. A successful industrial cooperation strategy will require, at minimum, a common understanding of both the technological challenges but also the soft-skills required for intercultural interaction. In order to increase mutual trust in the Space business, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of each region’s respective political framework, policy-setting and industrial dimension. To this end, this report serves primarily to inform the two partners about the each other’s governance, policy measures and markets. It also presents local dynamics and the diplomatic contexts. This report also identifies a number of potential business and technological opportunities in each segment of the Space value chain and identifies required action. Space business can also often include a governmental dimension, and thus required actions tend to involve other agencies such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in order to frame the guidelines for industrial player interactions. The report highlights three recommended goals for future EU-Japan industrial cooperation which are summarized in the table below. Recommendations Actions 1. Make EU-Japan Space • Secure actionable measures to facilitate the exchange of expertise for downstream applications industrial cooperation the introducing unambiguous, flexible and achievable criteria for companies (mainly SMEs and start- best tool for growing ups) interested in entering the two areas existing and new space • Harmonize the export control regimes between the two areas businesses that promote • Establish a Space session under the EU-Japan Business Round Table with the joint participation enterprise and investment of the EU, supported by ESA, and the Japanese METI, supported by JAXA • Promote the trans-disciplinary dimension of Space under the scope of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation 2. Increase economic returns from space-related • Facilitate Industry-to-Industry relations in the field of space launching systems, as a joint task of public expenditures by ESA and JAXA continuing to pursue new • Create an EU – Japan Engagement plan for the technological assets and facilities on board of the technological challenges ISS for the fertilisation of spin-off opportunities and securing greater • Develop a cost-effective space value chain by jointly funding innovative production procedures influence in the global (e.g. a 3-D printer) market 3. Stimulate a vibrant space • Propose the space sector to students, researchers and young professionals under the existing sector by promoting mobility programs (e. g. Vulcanus, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, EURAXESS, internationally-oriented etc.) professional skills • Motivate people to enhance the 3Is dimension of their professional profile with experiences at, for example, the ISU or the coming Okinawa School Policy recommendations for pursuing EU – Japan industrial cooperation in space 1 23rd Japan-EU Summit, Tokyo, 29 May 2015 - Joint Press Statement – Last access in June 2015 at: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/05/Joint-Press-Statement-EU-Japan_pdf/ 4 Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 5 List of Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................................... 7 List of Figures.................................................................................................................................................. 11 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................... 12 1 The Setting: Europe-Japan relations in the Space Sector ........................................................................ 13 1.1 The EU – Japan Space Policy Dialogue ........................................................................................... 13 1.2 Relations between ESA and JAXA .................................................................................................. 19 1.3 Relations between Austria and Japan ............................................................................................... 19 1.4 Relations between Belgium and Japan ............................................................................................. 19 1.5 Relations between Bulgaria and Japan ............................................................................................