TOKYO: Japan is stepping up international cooperation in the space sector as it prioritises space as a key national security frontier, with government investment helping to fuel growth in the country’s commercial space industry.
That focus was on display at Spacetide 2026, one of Asia’s largest space industry conferences, which concluded in Tokyo on Thursday (Jul 9).
The four-day event drew participants from about 30 countries and regions, bringing together government agencies, businesses, investors and researchers to discuss the future of the space economy.
As geopolitical uncertainties grow, Japan has increasingly identified space as a strategic domain while expanding collaboration with international partners.
“The space industry in Japan has been gaining momentum, and it has generated a lot of attention from all over the world,” said Spacetide president and CEO Masayasu Ishida.
The conference saw Japanese and international organisations sign a range of partnership agreements involving government agencies, private companies and educational institutions.
Among them was the first bilateral cooperation agreement between Japan’s and Singapore’s space agencies, marking a milestone in the two countries’ space ties.
Under the agreement, the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will exchange information and cooperate in areas including space technology development and applications, space science and exploration, industry development, education, as well as policy and regulatory exchanges.