Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera pledged to work with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to clean up dangerous debris floating in space on a visit to JAXA’s Tsukuba Space Center on July 2.

The debris, consisting of numerous retired artificial satellites and broken-up parts from them, is at risk of colliding with active satellites and causing serious damage to them.

“We will proactively get involved with monitoring the situation in space so that we can use it safely,” said Onodera, expressing the government’s intention to deepen its cooperation with JAXA.

Taking countermeasures against possible collisions is important for enabling the practical use of self-driving cars, which rely on satellite technology, as well as defending against ballistic missiles, Onodera told reporters after touring the space center in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.

“I hope the Defense Ministry, as well as the Self-Defense Forces, will advance the exploration and utilization of cosmic space for the purpose of guaranteeing security through my visit to JAXA,” said Onodera.

The Defense Ministry is focusing on strengthening defenses in space. It is expected to install a space surveillance radar in Sanyo-Onoda, Yamaguchi Prefecture, by 2022, and have the “space division” of the Air Self-Defense Force ready for operations in fiscal 2023.

Quelle: The Asahi Shimbun