In Part 1, we provided an overview of the current Act on Launching Artificial Satellite and Launch Vehicle and Control of Artificial Satellite (Act No. 76 of 2016) (Space Activities Act) and an interim report on the basic direction for review of the Space Activities Act (Interim Report) published by the Subcommittee on Review of the Space Activities Act.
Based on discussions conducted by the Subcommittee on Review of the Space Activities Act and the contents of the Interim Report, the Working Group on Amendment of the Space Activities Act (WG) has been discussing the amendment of the Space Activities Act since June 2025.
In Part 2, we will provide an overview of the draft amendment being discussed by the WG.
I. Working Group on Amendment of the Space Activities Act
The WG is scheduled to meet five times in total, with the dates and agendas of each meeting as follows. Discussions to finalize the amendments are scheduled for late October and late November 2025.
|
No. |
Date |
Agenda |
|
1 |
June 4, 2025 |
Overview of the licenses under the Space Activities Act |
|
2 |
Late July 2025 |
Specific topics (Part 1) |
|
3 |
Late September 2025 |
Specific topics (Part 2) |
|
4 |
Late October 2025 |
Discussion to finalize the amendments to the Space Activities Act (Part 1) |
|
5 |
Late November 2025 |
Discussion to finalize the amendments to the Space Activities Act (Part 2) |
At the first WG meeting (June 4, 2025), the National Space Policy Secretariat of the Cabinet Office presented three draft amendments to the Space Activities Act: 1) the draft amendment on application of the Civil Aeronautics Act and the Space Activities Act, 2) the draft amendment on space objects, and 3) the draft amendment on licenses under the Space Activities Act. Below is an overview of each draft amendment.
A. Draft Amendment on Application of the Civil Aeronautics Act and the Space Activities Act
|
Flight |
High Altitude Flight |
Space Activity |
|
|
Manned |
Not subject to the Space Activities Act *Test flight of manned suborbital vehicle is subject. |
Subject to the Space Activities Act |
Subject to the Space Activities Act |
|
Unmanned |
Not subject to the Space Activities Act *Test flight of unmanned suborbital vehicle is subject. |
Subject to the Space Activities Act *Lightweight vehicles and others with little adverse effect on public safety are not subject. |
Subject to the Space Activities Act *Debris is not subject. |
The draft amendment on application of the Civil Aeronautics Act and the Space Activities Act states that, taking into account the capabilities of aircraft, “high altitude” refers to altitudes in or above the stratosphere where aircraft are not expected to fly (specific values to be determined by cabinet order).
B. Draft Amendment on Space Objects
|
Object |
License |
|||
|
Space Object |
Spacecraft |
Artificial Satellite |
License on control of artificial satellite |
|
|
Probe |
Specific probe (on the surface of the Moon or in the Moon’s orbit) |
License on control of specific probe |
||
|
License on control of probe |
||||
|
Not spacecraft |
Launching in Japan |
License on launching of space object |
||
|
Launching outside Japan |
Dangerous object |
License on loading of dangerous object |
||
|
Not dangerous object |
Not subject to license under the Space Activities Act |
|||
1. Space Object
The draft amendment expands the definition of “space object” beyond solely being “used” as an artificial object.
2. Spacecraft
The draft amendment defines “spacecraft” as “a space object equipped with radio equipment (meaning electrical equipment for transmitting or receiving codes using electromagnetic waves, and a computer connected to the equipment via telecommunication lines) or other equipment for controlling its position, attitude, or other conditions.”
3. Artificial Satellite
The draft amendment states that consideration will be given to reviewing the definition of “artificial satellite” and limiting it to “controllable space objects in Earth’s orbit,” and establishing new definitions of “probe” and “specific probe.”
4. Probe
The draft amendment states that “probe” refers to a spacecraft that is put beyond Earth’s orbit or placed on a celestial body other than Earth.
5. Specific Probe
The draft amendment states that celestial bodies on which active human activity is being carried out will be designated as “specific celestial bodies” by the Cabinet Order, and that “specific probe” refers to a “probe” that explores these bodies.
C. Draft Amendment on Licenses under the Space Activities Act
|
Place |
Activity |
License |
|
|
Altitude that does not reach Earth’s orbit |
High altitude flight (ground→high altitude→ground) |
License on high altitude flight |
|
|
Launching high-altitude rocket (ground→high altitude) |
License on launching high-altitude rocket |
||
|
In the Earth’s orbit |
Space flight (ground→in Earth’s orbit→ground) |
License on space flight |
|
|
Launching space object (ground→in Earth’s orbit) |
License on launching space object |
||
|
Launching dangerous object |
License on loading dangerous object |
||
|
Re-entry (ground→in Earth’s orbit) |
License on re-entry *This license is for the re-entry of a “spacecraft.” |
||
|
Control of artificial satellite (in Earth’s orbit) |
License on control of artificial satellite |
||
|
Beyond the Earth’s orbit |
Moon |
Control of specific probe (beyond Earth’s orbit) |
License on control of specific probe |
|
Others |
Control of probe (beyond Earth’s orbit) |
License on control of probe |
|
The current Space Activities Act provides for only two types of licenses: licenses related to launching an artificial satellite (Article 4, Paragraph 1) and licenses related to the control of an artificial satellite (Article 20, Paragraph 1).
The draft amendment on licenses under the Space Activities Act states that, when dealing with all space activities that are thought at this point to be realistically feasible for commercialization, consideration will be given to creating new licenses for high-altitude activities (license on high-altitude flight and license on launching high-altitude rockets) and subdividing licenses related to the control of artificial satellites. The table above shows how the regulations will be reorganized.