Japan Today
national

Japan launches navigation satellite on new flagship rocket

12 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

Japan's space agency said on Sunday it successfully launched a navigation satellite on its new flagship H3 rocket as the country seeks to have a more precise location positioning system of its own.

The H3 rocket carrying the Michibiki 6 satellite lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southwestern Japanese island.

Everything went smoothly and the satellite successfully separated from the rocket as planned about 29 minutes after the liftoff, said Makoto Arita, H3 project manager for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.

Officials said it is expected to reach its targeted geospatial orbit in about two weeks.

Japan currently has the quasi-zenith satellite system, or QZSS, with four satellites for a regional navigation system that first went into operation in 2018. The Michibiki 6 will be the fifth of its network.

Michibiki’s signals are used to supplement American GPS and will further improve positioning data for smartphones, car and maritime navigation and drones.

Japan plans to launch two more navigation satellites to have a seven-satellite system by March 2026 in order to have a more precise global positioning capability without relying on foreign services, including the U.S., according to the Japan Science and Technology Agency. By the late 2030s, Japan plans to have an 11-satellite network.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, noting the successful launch in a statement later Sunday, promised that his government will make further effort to “maximize” the use of the navigation satellite system so that more people can smoothly access positioning data.

Sunday's launch, delayed by a day due to the weather, was the fourth consecutive successful flight for the H3 system after a shocking failed debut attempt last year when the rocket had to be destroyed with its payload.

Japan sees a stable, commercially competitive space transport capability as key to its space program and national security and has been developing two new flagship rockets as successors to the mainstay H2A series — the larger H3 with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and a much smaller Epsilon system with the aerospace unit of the heavy machinery maker IHI. It hopes to cater to diverse customer needs and improve its position in the growing satellite launch market.

© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.

12 Comments
Login to comment

 the country seeks to have a more precise location positioning system of its own.

but not secure energy- and food-supply systems of its own...

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Japanese do not have a GPS system,only a repeat of the US signal

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Is there a calendar with all the rocket launches?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

so japanese rocket have "navigation" satellite while dprk ones are having ones for "spying".

question.

does Japan really needs that "own" GPS?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

There is an app for that, likely several. I use Space Launch Now.

Is there a calendar with all the rocket launches?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

does Japan really needs that "own" GPS?

With what's happen in the US right now, of course. No one in the world can count on the United States.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Did you consider that different satellites might have different equipment on them? Like some might take images, and others might transmit location information.

so japanese rocket have "navigation" satellite while dprk ones are having ones for "spying".

question.

does Japan really needs that "own" GPS?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

so japanese rocket have "navigation" satellite while dprk ones are having ones for "spying".

question.

does Japan really needs that "own" GPS?

The Michibiki navigation satellite constellation is on a Geosynchronous orbit (31,000Km) too high to do any spying.

And yes Japan needs their own GPS system since the US can "Turn off" the system without warning. Europe has their own as well as Russia and China.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Omendetou gozaru Nippon!!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Wasabi

how abt Glonass?

Japan can use it as well?

or...?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Nice to see other informed readers are realizing this is just smoked and mirrored semantics for spy satellites. More transparency is needed in the spending of your tax Yen. Do the analysis yourselves and determine if the Yen spent on this is actually worth it to you, the taxed resident.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

With our greatest ally falling to pieces it’s wonderful to see Japan standing in its own two feet. Great job Japan. More self sufficiency is the way forwards.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites