By Zi Ge
According to Japanese media reports, the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) deployed personnel to participate in the AsterX 24 military space exercise from March 4 to 15. This marks the first official participation of the JSDF in the exercise, highlighting the deepening security cooperation between Japan and NATO.
From observer to participant
The AsterX series of exercises, hosted by France's Space Command, is named after France's first artificial earth satellite, "Asterix", which was launched in 1965. This series of exercises has been held annually since 2021 in Toulouse, the headquarters of France's Space Command.
The series of exercises typically simulates a confrontation environment, projecting the parameters of existing space operational capabilities of major countries worldwide for confrontation exercises. Simultaneously, several space threat scenarios are pre-set based on subject requirements, and participants are expected to swiftly analyze, assess, and work out specific countermeasures.
Japan began participating in the series of exercises as an observer in 2022, and this year, it officially deployed combat personnel from a newly formed space defense unit to participate. In March 2022, the Japan Ministry of Defense established a space defense unit based on the Air Self-Defense Force Fuchu Air Base, which is primarily responsible for monitoring and tracking orbiting satellites and space debris, as well as preparing for the operation of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) system. After nearly two years of development, the space defense unit has nearly 120 troops. The personnel of the JSDF transitioned from observers to official participants of AsterX, highlighting the proactive integration of Japan's space defense unit with relevant forces in NATO countries. In the future, the JSDF may regularly participate in space training activities of NATO and its affiliated countries.
Seizing the opportunity to enhance space power
Japan's official participation in the AsterX 24 military space exercises will further enhance its military cooperation with European countries. Before this, Japan regularly dispatched personnel to participate in the "Space Flag" exercise of the US Space Force to observe space intelligence processing and missile warning drills. It has also conducted joint training with France and Germany on multiple occasions and officially joined the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence in 2022. In 2023, Japan was invited to observe the NATO "Air Defender 23" joint exercise and participated in a summit meeting between leaders of NATO member states and announced its commitment to achieving interoperability of weapons and equipment with NATO countries. In fact, Japan has signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with the UK, France, Germany, and other countries, which provides institutional guarantee for material and logistics support for mutual participation in joint training and serves as a bridge for relevant countries to engage in regional affairs in the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Japan also attempted to promote its own space capacity-building through this exercise. France established a Space Command within the Air Force in September 2019 and renamed its Air Force as the Air and Space Force in 2020. It is one of the NATO countries that established a space force early and has accumulated experience in technology application, training mode, and other aspects. The AsterX series of exercises hosted by France have greatly advanced the exploration of integrated use of space defense resources among NATO countries. Currently, Japan has established a space defense unit within the Air Self-Defense Force and plans to upgrade it to the "Aerospace Self-Defense Force" in 2027, which is essentially in line with the development path of France's Space Force. As per Japan's space security blueprint formulated in June 2023, over the next 10 years, Japan will expand the utilization of space for defense purposes, enhance information collection capabilities, and improve the effectiveness of its capability to strike enemy bases. Japan's regular participation in AsterX 24 military space exercise across the ocean is worthy of attention and vigilance.
