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Japan Joins U.S. in Dangerous Space Race

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 May 2025

Bruce K. Gagnon
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Japan is now embarking on a historic and potentially dangerous journey into space, urged on by the U.S., which seeks a more heavily armed and militarily active partner in the Asia- Pacific.

Space technology is being developed for two primary reasons. One is to give nations the ability to better coordinate warfare on Earth. The second is that many nations and corporations view space as the “new world.” Gold on asteroids, water and helium-3 on the moon, magnesium, cobalt, and uranium are believed to be on Mars. Corporations intend to venture to these planetary bodies and secure massive profits in the years ahead. But first new space technologies have to be created that make it possible, and cost effective, to “mine the skies.” [1]

Type
Research Article
Information
Asia-Pacific Journal , Volume 3 , Issue 7 , July 2005 , e10
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2005

References

[1] John S. Lewis, “Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets and Planets,” 1996.

[2] Thomas E. Ricks, “For Pentagon, Asia Moving to Forefront,” Washington Post, May 26, 2000.

[3] “Full Text of Joint U.S.-Japan Security Committee Statement,” Feb. 20, 2005, CNA News.

[4] U.S. Space Command, “Vision for 2020,” planning document Feb. 1997.

[5] U.S. Space Command, “Long Range Plan,” March 1998, Pg. 7.

[6] Air Force Space Command, “Strategic Master Plan FY06 and Beyond,” Oct. 1, 2003.

[7] Space Alert! Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space, Issue #14, Fall 2003.

[8] Oliver Moore, “Canada refuses further role in missile defense,” Feb. 24, 2005, The Globe and Mail.

[9] Eiichiro Sekigawa, “Recce Recovery,” Aviation Week & Space Technology, Feb. 7, 2005.

[10] Paul Mann, “Economic Woes Shadow Japan's Missile Defense,” Aviation Week & Space Technology, March 11, 2002.

[11] Associated Press, “Rocket Success Puts Japan in Space Race,” Feb. 26, 2005.

[12] Nao Shimoyachi, “New defense chief sees SDF playing more active role in global security,” The Japan Times, Sept. 29, 2004.

[13] Conn Hallinan, “Cornering the Dragon: Bad Idea,” Feb. 26, 2005, Foreign Policy in Focus.