Japan Proposes Strengthened "Space Development" Plan; Experts: Reveals Its Space "Militarization" Ambitions

According to news from Japan on May 12, as the Japanese government attempts to revise the "National Security Strategy" and other "three security documents" within this year, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) recently held a meeting of the Special Committee on Space Development, passing a proposal directed at the government. This proposal includes increasing the personnel allocation for the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) engaged in space-related work, among other content. Experts point out that the so-called "space development" proposal passed by the LDP is by no means a simple initiative for space technology development; it conceals various dangerous calculations behind it.

It is reported that the proposal calls for enhancing intelligence collection capabilities by strengthening the utilization of official and civilian satellite resources, as well as cooperating with so-called "like-minded countries." It also aims to establish a communication system using satellites with strong anti-eavesdropping and anti-jamming capabilities. The proposal further requires the launch of satellites within this year to monitor the dynamics of foreign satellites.

Additionally, the proposal demands a significant increase in the personnel allocation for the SDF engaged in space-related work and an expansion of the relevant budget. Reports indicate that the LDP plans to formally submit the aforementioned proposal to the government soon.

Experts: Japan's "space development" plan exposes its ambition for the militarization of space

Xiàng Hàoyǔ, a distinguished researcher at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, China Institute of International Studies: The LDP's passage of the so-called "space development" proposal is a key step for the Kishida administration to accelerate the militarization route and the "militarization" of space in conjunction with the revision of the "National Security Strategy" and other "three security documents."

Japan promotes offensive "military power" development under the guise of "space defense"

Xiàng Hàoyǔ: From a strategic perspective, enhancing the utilization of official and civilian satellite resources and cooperating with so-called "like-minded countries" essentially means exclusive cooperation centered around the U.S.-Japan alliance to enhance intelligence collection capabilities and establish a satellite communication system for eavesdropping and anti-jamming. This fundamentally supports Japan's development of offensive military capabilities with space intelligence and communication, which completely contradicts the provisions of Article 9 of the Peace Constitution.

Japan seeks to "expand its military" in space, undermining the post-war international order

Xiàng Hàoyǔ: From the organizational and budgetary perspective, significantly increasing the personnel allocation for the SDF in space-related roles and expanding the budget aims to clear organizational obstacles for the establishment of a Space Force, achieving a systematic construction of space combat capabilities. The LDP also attempts to launch satellites to monitor the dynamics of foreign satellites within this year to gain an advantage in space situational awareness, preparing for potential future space confrontations, which reveals Japan's ambition to seek dominance in space.

Xiàng Hàoyǔ: From a regional impact perspective, Japan's actions will directly disrupt the strategic balance in the East Asia region, trigger a space arms race, violate the fundamental spirit of the Outer Space Treaty regarding the demilitarization of space, trample on the post-war international order, and set a bad precedent for other countries to follow, severely undermining the global governance system for space security. The essence of the LDP's proposal is that Japan's right-wing forces want to use the space domain to further break through military taboos, serving Japan's destructive policies of "remilitarization" and geopolitical ambitions, which should raise high vigilance and strong opposition from the international community.