By Xiang Haoyu
Not long ago, Japan's Ministry of Defense unveiled its high-profile plan for strengthening defense capabilities in the space domain, while its newly built "satellite constellation" system officially entered operation. This space system, dubbed the Japanese version of Starlink, is by no means merely a defensive tool. Rather, it is a "space-based eye" tailor-made for long-range strike weapons, capable of locking onto and tracking targets throughout the entire process while transmitting intelligence in real time, thereby significantly enhancing long-range counterstrike capabilities.
This series of moves demonstrates that, under the banner of "defense and security," Japan is continuously expanding its space military buildup, laying bare its ambition to comprehensively advance remilitarization.
In just a few years, Japan's military space capabilities have grown explosively. When Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) first established a space unit in May 2020, it consisted of only 20 personnel. By March 2027, that number is expected to surge to 880. Moreover, Japan's Ministry of Defense plans to rename the Air Self-Defense Force the Air and Space Self-Defense Force in fiscal year 2026, formally placing space on the same operational level as land, sea, and air domains. This marks a shift of space combat capabilities from a supporting role to a core military force structure.
The surging financial investment further lays bare Japan's ambitions for the militarization of space. Japan's space defense budget has skyrocketed from 50.6 billion yen in fiscal year 2020 to 540.3 billion yen in fiscal year 2025. The massive funding has mainly been directed toward four areas: procuring and developing new operational satellites, building a space surveillance system covering multiple orbital layers, upgrading launch infrastructure, and maintaining the daily operations and intensive training of space combat units. This prioritization of military expansion over public well-being has completely torn away the false facade of Japan's so-called "passive defense strategy."
The upgrading and iteration of military equipment represent a key move in Japan's space militarization strategy. In recent years, the Japanese military has coordinated closely with domestic defense industry giants and research institutions to build a multi-orbit, all-weather, combat-oriented military satellite system, continuously addressing weaknesses in its space warfare capabilities. The AI tactical satellite developed by NTT Data breaks through the limitations of traditional observation satellites, enabling real-time analysis in space and rapid data transmission. Meanwhile, Canon Electronics is developing a multi-orbit observation platform capable of conducting all-weather monitoring of various spacecraft from low-Earth orbit to geostationary orbit. Japan's Ministry of Defense also plans to launch a dedicated "space situational awareness satellite" in fiscal year 2026 to connect space-to-ground intelligence links and establish a comprehensive, multidimensional military space reconnaissance network.
Japan has also deeply tied itself to the US-led Western military alliance system, attempting to integrate into the global space warfare architecture and seizing the opportunity to amplify its own military influence. In December 2024, the US Space Force was formally deployed to Japan, enabling interconnection between US and Japanese space monitoring systems and real-time intelligence sharing, pushing bilateral military space integration to a much deeper level. At the 2025 US-Japan defense ministers' meeting, the two sides further strengthened cooperation by agreeing to jointly develop a low-Earth-orbit satellite network specifically designed for advanced military scenarios such as tracking hypersonic glide vehicles, revealing a clear intention to engage in a targeted arms race.
Viewed as a whole, Japan's series of aggressive moves demonstrates that its so-called "space defense" has never been a legitimate act of self-defense, but rather part of a political script aimed at breaking through the postwar framework and achieving remilitarization. For a long time, Japan has been continuously pushing the boundaries of its military capabilities, expanding from land and sea to air and space, with its military buildup repeatedly pushing beyond previous limits and constraints. Behind all of this lies the reckless drive of neo-militarism.
The peaceful use of outer space is the trend of the times. Any attempt to form military blocs, provoke camp-based confrontation, or undermine the peaceful order of outer space runs counter to the course of history and will be opposed. The international community must remain highly vigilant, continue to strengthen oversight and constraints, firmly curb the countercurrent of space militarization, and safeguard the vast space shared by all humanity.
(The author is a distinguished research fellow at the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies, China Institute of International Studies.)
Editor's Note: Originally published on people.com.cn, 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.