Japan eyes new defense unit to monitor space in fiscal 2020

Space Force!

https://youtu.be/_AUXpnB065o

@ garypen...it's perfect!

Great link, made my day.

outer space

I know Abe's master Trump talks a lot about illegal aliens but I do think LDP misunderstood him there...

Joking aside France has decided to do the exact same thing just awhile ago, I suppose this is a case of monkey see monkey.

cyberspace

This however I can totally understand the threats coming from cyberspace are real and significant.

@garypen

Trump must be so jealous. Everyone is starting the space force that he wants except the US.

This is moronic waste of money. What you would expect from Abe.

Anything regarding military you can say it's a waste of money until your country gets attacked and people start dying then it's no longer a waste of money but vital to national security and protecting lives.

Same trll people never point to S. Korea military build up, expenses, budget military rise every year. Only focus is Japan. I'm sure your opinion is not bias at all.

I can smell a tax increase.

The JSDF (Japanese Self Defense Force) now includes a JSSDF (Japanese Space Self Defense Force).

Trump will be proud and claim it is Japan following his lead with the USSF (United States Space Force).

He may be right.

Japan should stick to what it's good at. How about getting some vending machines in orbit?

Obligatory "they wastin' our tax money!" comment.

...Oh, they beat me to it.

Japan should stick to what it's good at. How about getting some vending machines in orbit?

Seeing as Japan is one of 6 nations that have launch capability out of the 72 nations that have a space program, one of 4 that have deep space probes and extraterrestrial landing capability, and regularly launches satellites for various other nations, South Korea included (although SK photoshops the Japanese flag out of news photos), I would say Japan is quite “good” at Space exploration. And yes, the H-II rocket with its 19ton payload is perfectly capable of launching a (or 95) 200kg vending machine.

I would say Japan is quite “good” at Space exploration

I don't disagree. I was thinking of the defense-related element referred to in the article. However, if it's just concerned with space debris, then I have no complaints. But vending machines could be useful too when more of us get into space. :-)