Japan needs to take commercial development of the moon more seriously if the country is to remain competitive in the budding space economy. That’s the message to the government from a group of Japanese companies ranging from Sony and other trading houses to an instant noodle maker.
It is also part of the Artemis Accords, an international agreement among the US and its allies allowing countries and companies to establish exclusive zones on the moon. Even more than financial support from the government, Japan’s competitiveness in space depends on there being a self-sustaining lunar industry, the group said. The state can help by offering ride-sharing to the moon on public missions and making greater use of private transport providers, it said.
More than 50 years after the Apollo 11 mission, the moon is once again a subject of geopolitical ambitions. Nasa is targeting a return this decade with the Artemis programme. Russia and China, whose Chang’e-5 probe brought back a moon sample late last year, announced plans for a joint lunar base. India plans another uncrewed moon landing after an attempt failed in 2019.