Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO2936
2008-10-21 08:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
NEW GOJ SPACE OFFICE CHIEF PROMOTES U.S.-JAPAN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002936
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/SAT, ISN/MDSP, EAP/RSP AND EAP/J
NASA FOR JOHN HALL
NSC FOR PETER MARQUEZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2018
TAGS: TSPA TSPL KSCA PGOV PREL MARR JA
SUBJECT: NEW GOJ SPACE OFFICE CHIEF PROMOTES U.S.-JAPAN
COMMERCIAL TIES IN NEW SPACE STRATEGY
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002936
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/SAT, ISN/MDSP, EAP/RSP AND EAP/J
NASA FOR JOHN HALL
NSC FOR PETER MARQUEZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2018
TAGS: TSPA TSPL KSCA PGOV PREL MARR JA
SUBJECT: NEW GOJ SPACE OFFICE CHIEF PROMOTES U.S.-JAPAN
COMMERCIAL TIES IN NEW SPACE STRATEGY
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (SBU) Summary: The newly appointed Secretary General of
Japan's Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy, Masakazu
Toyoda, told EMIN he intends to formulate and implement a
national space strategy for Japan in less than two years.
Going forward Japan will focus more on application of
technology and enhancing the competitiveness of its space
industry than in the past. Japan's new policy will also
include the use of space for security. He said development
of Japan's mid-sized GX rocket will move forward and he
envisions close cooperation with U.S. industry on this and
other projects. His staff said Toyoda would like to visit
Washington in mid-November to begin discussion on joint use
of the GX. End summary.
2, (SBU) Newly appointed Secretary General of the Cabinet
Secretariat's Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy, and
formerly METI Vice Minister, Masakazu Toyoda said over the
next 6-7 months he aims to develop a comprehensive national
space strategy by coordinating among the 11 GOJ stakeholder
ministries and agencies. To date, Japan's space policy has
not been sufficiently coordinated, Toyoda said. His goal is
to implement the new coordinated policy within 20 months by
seeking Diet approval of: 1) a structure for space policy
including all GOJ stakeholders, 2) reorganization of the
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and 3) a plan to improve
the aerospace business environment in areas such as launchers
and satellites.
3. (SBU) Toyoda envisions the national space policy having
four elements: 1) more focus on the use of technology than
the development of technology; 2) the use of space for
national security, especially in the Asia Pacific region, 3)
enhancement of the space industry, and 4) the use of space
for environmental protection and disaster mitigation. He
said the potential use of space for security purposes was the
most important element in the Basic Space Law passed in May
2008. However, Japan will have to consider how to do this
while maintaining the spirit of Japan's pacifist
Constitution. One way he continued, could be in the area of
observation satellites.
4. (SBU) Toyoda spoke positively of the future of Japan's
proposed mid-sized rocket, the Galaxy Express (GX),and of
enhancing the competitiveness of Japan's space industry. He
said Japan's space industry, which relies heavily on
government funding, has been hurt by declining GOJ budgets
over the last five years and needs to be commercially
competitive. Toyoda said he would be seeking cooperation
with the U.S. on the GX in the next one to two months and
that combining Japanese and U.S. technology was the most cost
effective approach to developing the rocket. (Note: Toyoda's
staff told Embassy Political Officer and NASA Attach in an
October 20 meeting that Toyoda would like to visit Washington
in mid-November to have government-to-government discussions
on strengthening space cooperation including the possibility
of joint use of the GX rocket. End note.)
5. (C) Toyoda said his efforts are receiving bipartisan
support despite the current domestic political difficulties.
He said he is even confident that the opposition DPJ will
support remote sensing for security purposes.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
STATE FOR OES/SAT, ISN/MDSP, EAP/RSP AND EAP/J
NASA FOR JOHN HALL
NSC FOR PETER MARQUEZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2018
TAGS: TSPA TSPL KSCA PGOV PREL MARR JA
SUBJECT: NEW GOJ SPACE OFFICE CHIEF PROMOTES U.S.-JAPAN
COMMERCIAL TIES IN NEW SPACE STRATEGY
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (SBU) Summary: The newly appointed Secretary General of
Japan's Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy, Masakazu
Toyoda, told EMIN he intends to formulate and implement a
national space strategy for Japan in less than two years.
Going forward Japan will focus more on application of
technology and enhancing the competitiveness of its space
industry than in the past. Japan's new policy will also
include the use of space for security. He said development
of Japan's mid-sized GX rocket will move forward and he
envisions close cooperation with U.S. industry on this and
other projects. His staff said Toyoda would like to visit
Washington in mid-November to begin discussion on joint use
of the GX. End summary.
2, (SBU) Newly appointed Secretary General of the Cabinet
Secretariat's Strategic Headquarters for Space Policy, and
formerly METI Vice Minister, Masakazu Toyoda said over the
next 6-7 months he aims to develop a comprehensive national
space strategy by coordinating among the 11 GOJ stakeholder
ministries and agencies. To date, Japan's space policy has
not been sufficiently coordinated, Toyoda said. His goal is
to implement the new coordinated policy within 20 months by
seeking Diet approval of: 1) a structure for space policy
including all GOJ stakeholders, 2) reorganization of the
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and 3) a plan to improve
the aerospace business environment in areas such as launchers
and satellites.
3. (SBU) Toyoda envisions the national space policy having
four elements: 1) more focus on the use of technology than
the development of technology; 2) the use of space for
national security, especially in the Asia Pacific region, 3)
enhancement of the space industry, and 4) the use of space
for environmental protection and disaster mitigation. He
said the potential use of space for security purposes was the
most important element in the Basic Space Law passed in May
2008. However, Japan will have to consider how to do this
while maintaining the spirit of Japan's pacifist
Constitution. One way he continued, could be in the area of
observation satellites.
4. (SBU) Toyoda spoke positively of the future of Japan's
proposed mid-sized rocket, the Galaxy Express (GX),and of
enhancing the competitiveness of Japan's space industry. He
said Japan's space industry, which relies heavily on
government funding, has been hurt by declining GOJ budgets
over the last five years and needs to be commercially
competitive. Toyoda said he would be seeking cooperation
with the U.S. on the GX in the next one to two months and
that combining Japanese and U.S. technology was the most cost
effective approach to developing the rocket. (Note: Toyoda's
staff told Embassy Political Officer and NASA Attach in an
October 20 meeting that Toyoda would like to visit Washington
in mid-November to have government-to-government discussions
on strengthening space cooperation including the possibility
of joint use of the GX rocket. End note.)
5. (C) Toyoda said his efforts are receiving bipartisan
support despite the current domestic political difficulties.
He said he is even confident that the opposition DPJ will
support remote sensing for security purposes.
SCHIEFFER