A recently disclosed draft of the government's new basic plan for space projects gives top priority to use of outer space for national security purposes. While it also stresses the importance of developing the space business, it only briefly touches on scientific exploration.
The policy for the coming decade carries the danger of weakening the foundation of scientific research of the universe, in which Japan has accomplished quite an achievement at relatively low costs.
Such a shift in the policy direction could accelerate the militarization of outer space. The Abe administration should rethink its space policy.