The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Diet on Wednesday passed a law allowing space to be used for military purposes, including allowing Japan to possess early-warning satellites that could be used as part of a missile-defense system and to jointly develop with the United States satellites for defense purposes.
The bill, backed by the Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner New Komeito and the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, cleared the House of Councillors at a plenary session Wednesday morning.
The passage of the law marks a dramatic shift in Japan's strategy for space development, shifting it from strictly research purposes. Until now, space-related issues have usually been dealt with by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry, an arrangement that some observers felt placed too much emphasis on research and development.
It marks the first time since July that the DPJ and the ruling bloc have passed a jointly submitted national security-related bill through the divided Diet. The ruling parties hold a majority in the House of Representatives, while the opposition bloc controls the upper house following last year's upper house election.
The new law emphasizes the development and utilization of space, based on the U.N. Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the deployment of nuclear and other arms in space, as well as on the defense-only principles of the Constitution.
The law proposes space development for security purposes based on the following aims:
-- Improving people's livelihoods.
-- Eliminating threats to human lives.
-- Contributing to international peace and Japan's national security.
In addition, the law also includes provisions for the establishment of a new strategy headquarters, headed by the prime minister, to deal with space development, in order to strengthen Japan's competitiveness in the global space industry.
Once the new office is created, a Cabinet member will be appointed to oversee development, while a space bureau will be established within the Cabinet Office within a year of the law going into force.
The law aims to set up a tax system and other monetary measures that will enhance the technical capacity of the nation's space industry and promote private sector investment in the field.
Since 1969, when the Diet adopted a resolution that restricted the use of space to peaceful purposes, successive governments have limited the nation's space development to "nonmilitary" purposes.
However, North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles, most recently in 2006, prompted some observers to call for the launch of early-warning satellites.
(May. 22, 2008)
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