Youhei Wakabayashi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense of Japan, stated at the Committee on Cabinet of the House of Councillors on May 14 that a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) military reconnaissance satellite system "satellite constellation" has been operational since April this year.
The "satellite constellation," regarded as Japan's version of Starlink, mainly consists of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites and optical imaging satellites, which can be used to identify and track targets. What kind of military expansion ambitions does Japan's accelerated construction of military satellite networks reveal?
Xiang Haoyu, a distinguished research fellow at the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), believes that Japan's accelerated buildup of the LEO "satellite constellation" reflects that its remilitarization has completely breached the principle of "exclusively defense-oriented" principle and is fundamentally abandoning the defensive policy established by its pacifist Constitution.
He pointed out that under the guise of defense, Japan is constantly extending its military tentacles outward and accelerating the development of offensive and power-projection military capabilities. Under the pretext of the so-called "counterstrike capability," Japan uses the "satellite constellation" as space-based support for all-weather reconnaissance and target locking for long-range missiles, seeking to build a complete offensive combat system that integrates space reconnaissance, precision guidance, and overseas strikes. This fundamentally subverts postwar Japan's defensive military orientation and shifts it toward an offensive military framework with proactive overseas strike capabilities, marking a qualitative shift in Japan's military strategy from homeland defense to long-range offense.
Xiang analyzed that Japan not only seeks to build regional military superiority for external intervention, but is also fueling a space arms race to pursue the status of a major military power. By independently advancing its "satellite constellation" while seeking deep integration with US military satellite communication resources, Japan aims to both strengthen Japan-US military integration and enhance its independent space-based reconnaissance and strike capabilities, clearing technical hurdles for future overseas military operations.
Xiang further pointed out that Japan's efforts to militarize space are actually a continuous violation of its postwar security framework and the constraints imposed by the international community on its military development. This is accelerating the transformation of Japan's military forces toward a combat-oriented, offensive posture, which will profoundly alter the regional military balance, stimulate an arms race, and pose direct, long-term security risks to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Editor's note: Originally published on the CCTV news app, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.