Japan: space resources
National laws, government authorizations and organizations based in Japan in this dataset.
Guides: Space resources laws by country; Authorizations explained.
National laws and instruments in effect
2Japan: Act on Launching of Spacecraft, etc. and Control of Spacecraft (Space Activities Act, Act No. 76 of 2016)
Japan's general space activities licensing law. Art. 20(1) requires a Prime Minister's permit for each satellite managed from ground equipment in Japan; the 2021 Space Resources Act attaches space…
Japan: Act on the Promotion of Business Activities Related to the Exploration and Development of Space Resources (Act No. 83 of 2021)
Japanese statute that adds a space resources business-activity plan to the satellite-management permit of the Space Activities Act, requires the Prime Minister to publish permits, and provides that a…
Authorizations
Independent research, not an official registry.
| Country | Holder and mission | Instrument | Granted | Linked mission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Japan Space Resources Act permit to ispace for HAKUTO-R Mission 1 (2022)Holder: ispace, inc. | Space resources authorization | 2022-11-04Granted | HAKUTO-R Mission 1 (ispace M1 lander)Flew. Outcome: failure |
| Japan | Japan Space Resources Act permit to ispace for Mission 2 (RESILIENCE) (2024)Holder: ispace, inc. | Space resources authorization | 2024-12-17Granted | SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon (ispace Mission 2, RESILIENCE lander)Flew. Outcome: failure |
Organizations based here
6| Organization | Country | Targets | Roles | Highest evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aureon Space SystemsTokyo-based start-up (legal name 株式会社オーレオンスペースシステムズ, Aureon Space Systems Inc.; founded October 2025, according to its website) that says… | Japan | Other | Extraction, Processing / ISRU | Claimed | Active |
| ispace, inc.Tokyo-based lunar lander company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (code 9348) whose two landing attempts (April 2023 and… | Japan | Moon | Lander / transport, Rover / mobility | Targeted | Active |
| Japan Aerospace Exploration AgencyJapan's national space agency. Its resource-related work centers on the Lunar Polar Exploration mission (LUPEX / Chandrayaan-5) with ISRO… | Japan | Moon, Near-Earth asteroid | Prospecting, Rover / mobility | No level assigned | Active |
| JGC Holdings CorporationYokohama-based Japanese engineering group. Its overseas EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) operating company, JGC Corporation… | Japan | Moon | Processing / ISRU | Targeted | Active |
| Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Ltd.Japanese engineering company developing lunar water electrolysis and thermal extraction of water from lunar regolith. Its electrolyzer flew… | Japan | Moon | Extraction, Processing / ISRU | Targeted | Active |
| The University of TokyoJapanese national university. In this dataset it is the representative institution for LUNAR-RABBIT, a JAXA Space Strategy Fund project to… | Japan | Moon | Prospecting | No level assigned | Active |