Will Japan’s defense export push elevate space?

Countries that spend heavily on defense almost always, by extension, are space powers, given the high number of dual-use technologies (propulsion, telecom, reconnaissance sensors). Japan ranked ninth globally for defense spending in 2022, per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), but lags behind its peers in space influence. France, Germany and Ukraine have similar defense spending levels and are known for their space exports – France and Germany for satellite hardware, Ukraine for propulsion.

In a notable first, Japan’s Defense Ministry took to the conference floor at an international airshow last week in Singapore, bringing along a roster of 14 companies seeking to export defense products and services. At least four of those companies – Japan Radio Co., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, NEC Corporation and Sky Perfect JSAT – all have space as a partial or core focus.

Of the companies attending, only Sky Perfect JSAT has a meaningful international presence in space. NEC Corp. builds imaging satellites, but its exports are rare. Kawasaki builds payload fairings for the H3 rocket, and Japan Radio sells maritime satcom terminals. International sales of all these product sets are common for American and/or European suppliers.

Japan’s push into defense-related space sales is likely to be slow but could be transformative. Notable startups such as Astroscale, Synspective and Warpspace have improved the country’s visibility as a commercial space power. Large Japanese corporations and defense primes, however, have been heavily focused on the country’s companies to domestic programs. If the Japanese MoD continues to support companies in making overseas sales, Japan could shake free from decades of inertia in the global space market.

SOURCE: https://breakingdefense.com/2024/02/japanese-mod-makes-first-appearance-at-foreign-airshow-seeking-arms-exports/