According to Japanese media reports, on Dec. 2, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attempted to continue advancing the militarization of space during his inspection of an Air Self-Defense Force base. The reports indicate that Japan has shown a strong willingness to enhance its space capabilities. Within the 2025 fiscal year, the specialized space unit "Space Operations Group" will be upgraded to a "Space Operations Regiment," and in the 2026 fiscal year, it will be further upgraded to a "Space Operations Command." Additionally, the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force is expected to be reorganized into the "Aerospace Self-Defense Force" in the 2026 fiscal year.
Chinese military analysts have pointed out that Japan is not limited to targeting other countries' bases but aims to launch strategic threats from a global space perspective. The combined space combat capabilities of Japan and the United States, including long-range strike capabilities, will pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
China's Ministry of National Defense has previously stated that China consistently upholds the peaceful use of space, opposes the weaponization of space and the arms race in space, and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in the space domain. In response to the increasingly intense space competition, China also began anti-satellite (ASAT) tests in 2005 and has successively developed the DN-1, DN-2, and DN-3 (kinetic energy) ASAT missiles, marking China's entry into the world-class level in this field of technology.
The report mentioned that Koizumi inspected an Air Self-Defense Force base in Fuchu, Tokyo, stating that "space is an extremely important domain for both military and civilian livelihoods." He also noted that as the importance of space continues to grow, research and development of technologies to interfere with or disable other countries' satellites are becoming increasingly active.
According to the report, Japan proposed the development of "bodyguard satellites" a few months ago to enhance space defense capabilities, and also plans to invest heavily in creating a "low-Earth orbit satellite constellation" project, known as the Japanese version of the "Starlink" plan.
Japan's space operations threaten the world
Military commentator Wei Dongxu believes that Japan's development of space combat capabilities is driven by three considerations. First, to establish a more comprehensive space reconnaissance system, using optical-infrared imaging satellites and radar reconnaissance satellites to spy on military targets of other countries, guide the Self-Defense Forces' long-range firepower strike system, and support offensive operations. Second, to utilize military communication satellites and navigation satellites to support the Self-Defense Forces' deployments in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, providing intelligence and information support for Japan's overseas military operations. Third, to launch new early warning satellites to enhance the Self-Defense Forces' overall anti-missile combat capabilities and weaken other countries' ability to use ballistic missiles.
Military expert Du Wenlong analyzed that if Japan acquires information on key targets through global reconnaissance operations, it clearly exceeds the basic scope of defense. Japan is not limited to striking other countries' bases but aims to launch strategic threats from a global space perspective. The combined space combat capabilities of Japan and the United States, including long-range strike capabilities, will pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
China opposes the space arms race
China's Ministry of National Defense has previously stated that China consistently upholds the peaceful use of space, opposes the weaponization of space and the arms race in space, and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity in the space domain. The recently released white paper clearly proposes "four oppositions" regarding outer space security: opposing offensive military policies in outer space, opposing the formation of military alliances in outer space, opposing the weaponization and arms race in outer space, and opposing interference in other countries' internal affairs through commercial satellites.
Competition in the space domain is becoming increasingly intense. Countries are ramping up investments in space technology, striving to secure a place in this new "high ground," and China is no exception. As early as 2021, Zang Jihui, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chief engineer of a certain unit in the Northern Theater Command, noted in an article that China began anti-satellite tests in 2005. The early stages primarily involved testing weapon functions.
Although China started late in this field, it has not fallen behind and has achieved significant results in both ASAT missiles and satellites. On January 11, 2007, China launched an ASAT missile named SC-19, also known as DN-1, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The missile carried a kinetic energy warhead and destroyed the decommissioned "Fengyun-1" weather satellite, which weighed 750 kilograms and orbited at an altitude of 863 kilometers, at a speed of 8 kilometers per second. This marked China's first successful interception of an artificial satellite and officially ushered China into the field of ASAT technology.
Subsequently, China developed the second-generation DN-2 and third-generation DN-3 ASAT missiles and conducted two successful tests in May 2013 and July 23, 2017, respectively. The successful development of the DN-1, DN-2, and DN-3 ASAT missiles comprehensively covers low, medium, and high orbits, meaning that artificial satellites are essentially within the strike range of China's ASAT missiles. This marks China's entry into the world-class level in this field of technology.
In addition to ASAT missiles, China has also developed a satellite for ASAT experiments. Equipped with a robotic arm, this satellite can change orbits and conduct comprehensive inspections of other satellites. It is convenient, flexible, and represents the latest achievement in China's development of ASAT technology.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Ma Jing; English Editor: Darius)
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