Japan Defense Ministry To Launch New Space Unit On May 18 To Protect Satellites - Reports

Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono has said that a new space unit will be launched within the Air Self-Defense Forces on May 18 to protect the country's satellites, the Kyodo News agency reported on Friday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th May, 2020) Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono has said that a new space unit will be launched within the Air Self-Defense Forces on May 18 to protect the country's satellites, the Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

"Countermeasures against (space) debris are extremely important.

We will look into expanding the scale of the unit in the future," Kono said at a press conference, as quoted by the Japanese agency.

The Space Domain Mission Unit will have 20 personnel and will be based at the Fuchu Air Base near Tokyo, the agency reported. Plans for the creation of a specific space unit were first drawn up in December 2018.

The unit is expected to become fully operational in 2023 and will rely on collaboration with the JapanAerospace Exploration Agency and the US military.