No.
5
2023
501

FEATURE

NICT Way of Space Research

DIALOG

Sci-fi author ,Winner of NIKKEI"HOSHI Shin-ichi Award"

NICT Research
Executive Director

SEKIMOTO Satoshi×KASAI Yasuko
Sci-Fi author and Researcher talk on SpaceFEATURE

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5

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NICT Way of Space Research
Cover Photo:
Launch of the European Space Agency(ESA) Ariane 5 rocket, carrying the JUpiter
ICy moons Explorer (JUICE)
April 14, 2023
(Photo: ©ESA-M. Pédoussaut)

NICT Way of Space Research

Sci-ﬁ author ,Winner of NIKKEI"HOSHI Shin-ichi Award"

SEKIMOTO Satoshi
DIALOGDIALOG

1

NICT Research
Executive Director

KASAI Yasuko

Searching for Signs of Life around Jupiter

What will the terahertz wave spectrometer installed on the JUICE probe
show us?

SEKIMOTO Satoshi / KASAI Yasuko

4
6

NICT Research Activities for JUICE/SWIYAMADA Takayoshi / Wang Suyun

Advancement of Space Weather Forecasting for Safe andSecure Use of SpaceTSUGAWA Takuya

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Optical Ground Station Technology Supporting
Optical Space Communications

Technology Supporting Optical Satellite Communications from Earth

TSUJI Hiroyuki / SAITO Yoshihiko / SUZUKI Kenji

10

Secure Wireless Communication for Spacecraft
Research and Development in the NewSpace Era

YOSHIDA Maki

12

Establishing an Environment for Realizing Beyond 5G:
Completion of a B5G electromagnetic wave anechoic
chamber facility
SAITO Shingo

13

14

NICT's Challenger File 26 ABE Yuma
Journey to the Next Space Communications Network

AWARD

Searching for Signs of Life around Jupiter
What will the terahertz wave spectrometer installed on
the JUICE probe show us?
On April 14, 2023, the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) was launched into space by the European Space Agency (ESA). One of JUICE’s objectives is to search for signs of life on the icy moons thatorbit Jupiter. A total of 11 measurement instruments are installed on JUICE, one of which is a terahertz wave spectrometer developed by NICT and other partners. This instrument will analyze theatmosphere and surface of Jupiter’s icy moons. If it is successful in discovering biomarkers thatsuggest signs of life, this would mark a major discovery.
This special issue features a dialogue between KASAI Yasuko, NICT Research Executive Director
and one of the foremost experts in terahertz wave remote sensing, and sci-fi writer SEKIMOTO
Satoshi, winner of two consecutive Hoshi Awards Grands Prix, which are presented by Nikkei, one
of NICT’s collaborators. Where will this interaction between a scientist and sci-fi writer lead?

KASAI Hello! I’ve been looking forward to
speaking with you today.
SEKIMOTO Nice to meet you. Last night I
couldn’t sleep for thinking about our talk today.
KASAI Shall we start with self-introductions? My specialty is terahertz wave remotesensing. Electromagnetic remote sensing is a
way of remotely estimating the physical properties and volumes of substances based on theinteractions between those substances andelectromagnetic waves. NICT is currently engaged in research on terahertz wave remotesensing. The terahertz spectrometer installedon the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) ispart of an international mission, and NICT is
one of the international team members involved in its development. This sensor will
also search for biomarker molecules on Jupiter’s icy moons.
SEKIMOTO I’m a sci-fi fiction writer and I
received the Grands Prix in the 9th and 10th
(2022 and 2023) Hoshi Awards, presented by
Nikkei, Inc. Linnaeus, my prize-winning workat the 9th awards, is about biodiversity, while
Elliptical Orbit Spirits, my prize-winningwork at the 10th awards, deals with global
warming and virtual reality. In particular, Linnaeus touches briefly on life in the Jovian system, which is your specialty, so I am reallylooking forward to our conversation today.

SEKIMOTO Satoshi
Sci-fi author (member of Science Fiction andFantasy Writers of Japan (SFWJ)) and environmental consultant
Sekimoto won the Outstanding Work Prize at
Nikkei’s 7th Hoshi Awards for his work Black
Plants. He has also won two consecutive Grands
Prix, once at the 9th awards for Linnaeus andagain at the 10th awards for Elliptical Orbit
Spirits, as well as the Special Judges’ Prize in the
SFWJ First Short Novel Contest. Sekimoto has
been captivated by space and the stars sincechildhood, and is actually the person who gave
the name Ryugu to the asteroid in the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) Hayabusa2 Project. He currently works as both anenvironmental consultant and a writer.

KASAI Yasuko
Research Executive Director, Terahertz Technology Research Center, Beyond 5G Researchand Development Promotion Unit
Professor, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Fellow, Bureau of Science, Technology and Innovation, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
After receiving her doctorate in 1995, Kasai
joined the Communications Research Laboratory (CRL; present-day NICT) in 1999 and has
been engaged in Earth and planetary observation using terahertz wave remote sensing. She
is the lead representative from Japan on the
Submillimetre Wave Instrument (SWI) Development Team in the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer(JUICE) program.
Dr. (Doctor of Science)

KASAI I believe another work of yours,
Black Plants, also won a prize (7th Hoshi
Awards Outstanding Work). That one’s myfavorite, and it’s full of inspirational ideas,such as artificial plants that start to evolve independently. You majored in botany at university, didn’t you?
NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

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FEATURE

DIALOG

NICT Way of Space Research

Searching for Signs of Life around Jupiter
What will the terahertz wave spectrometer installed on the JUICE
probe show us?

SEKIMOTO I’m honored that you’ve readmy books! I majored in tree ecology at university, researching the role that trees play in thenatural environment. Even now, I work as anenvironmental consultant at a company that
conducts nature surveys, and Black Plants andLinnaeus are works that were inspired by myknowledge and experience in ecology.
KASAI What first inspired you to write science fiction?
SEKIMOTO One day, on my commute into
work, I saw an ad on the train for applications
for the Hoshi Awards and I thought I would
apply. I’ve loved sci-fi since childhood andbefore I reached elementary school, it was allthat I would read. After getting a job, I was toobusy to do anything sci-fi-related but as I gradually found more time on my hands, I became
determined to try and write my own fiction.
KASAI The Hoshi Awards honor “scientific
literature,” which is really wonderful. I lovesci-fi myself and have read almost all of thebooks that have won Hoshi Awards.
JUICE is a comprehensive exploration mission that will study the appearance of Jupiter,
as an archetype for giant gas planets in space,
as well as the potential for life in the subsurface oceans of Jupiter’s icy moons. It was decided in 2012 that JUICE would include a terahertz spectrometer and, after more than 10
years of development, JUICE was finallylaunched into space in 2023. Terahertz waves
are electromagnetic waves that exist in theboundary region between light and radio
waves and, because of newly pioneered technology they open up many possibilities. Besides sensing, they could, for example, also bea target for next-generation mobile communication systems such as Beyond 5G and 6G
because they enable large-volume communications.
Terahertz waves, the best tool to seek out
new life
SEKIMOTO What can we learn from looking at celestial bodies using terahertz waves?

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NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

KASAI The terahertz wave spectrometer
makes it possible to observe the atmosphericcomposition and wind speeds in Jupiter’s
stratosphere and on its icy moons, which issomething that has not been technologicallypossible until now. It is also possible to observe the surfaces of the icy moons. Throughsuch observations, we hope to understand Jupiter’s stratosphere, which characterizes theplanet’s atmosphere, and also assess the potential for life on the icy moons of Jupiter. Using this new and unprecedented “terahertz
eye,” we hope to conduct observations thatwere previously not possible, which will hopefully lead to new discoveries.
SEKIMOTO So, is it fair to say that yourmotivation in engaging in terahertz wave research was to find signs of life in outer space?
KASAI Yes, very much so. During my doctoral studies, I would use the telescope at the
Nobeyama Radio Observatory to search outerspace for the existence of amino acids thatform the basis for life. I changed my doctoral
thesis after being unable to find any though(laughs).
Possibility of systems that differ from lifeon Earth
SEKIMOTO I hear that the JUICE exploration will focus particularly on the moon Ganymede, which has a subsurface ocean. I am really excited at the prospect that, within mylifetime, we might find signs of life somewhere other than on Earth.
KASAI
JUICE stands for JUpiter ICy
moons Explorer, and one of its missions is to
explore the possibility of the potential for life.
Jupiter’s diameter is 11 times larger than Earthand its mass is 318 times greater, but it is alsoa gas giant with a density only 0.24 times thatof Earth and has multiple moons in orbit. Although these moons appear to be blocks of ice,
it has been hypothesized that their interiors
may have been heated up from, for example,
deformation caused by Jupiter’s gravitational
pull, and that there could be liquid water in theform of subsurface oceans, which may harbor
extraterrestrial life.
SEKIMOTO Even here on Earth, in the vicinity of hydrothermal vents in the deep
oceans, there are organisms called tube worms
that have a life system completely different toour own and use hydrogen sulfide as an energy
source. It’s possible organisms like that may
also be present on the moons of Jupiter, right?
KASAI Yes, on moons such as Europa, it isthought that so-called “plumes” of heated water may erupt out from under the surface. Using the terahertz spectrometer, we will investigate the composition of the atmosphere andwhat components exist at what altitude. In thisprocess, we will explore whether there are any
substances, or biomarkers, that indicate thepossible existence of life and, if so, what kindsof biomarkers and in what concentrations. At
NICT, we are also developing our own uniquealgorithm capable of analyzing the data wecollect.
SEKIMOTO Will you find out whether there
are any organic substances there?
KASAI Besides water, the terahertz spectrometer is adept at measuring simple molecules, such as hydrogen sulfide, methane, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia. From thevolumes and proportions of these chemicals, it
may be possible to make the case for the possible existence of life. We’re having a lot of
fun speculating about the various lifeforms
that might exist (laughs).
SEKIMOTO Arthur C. Clarke, one of the
giants of the science fiction world, wrote a novella called A Meeting with Medusa (1971).
It’s about lifeforms in the jet streams of Jupiter. I was particularly influenced by this work,
and in Linnaeus, I had there be lifeforms on
Jupiter. I imagined them not as carbon-based
lifeforms, but rather highly heat-resistant silicon-based ones. What do you think about thepossible existence of silicon-based lifeforms?
KASAI

Generally speaking, that’s hard to

imagine, but the extent of human beings’ scientific knowledge is tremendously small in the
grand scheme of things, so we can’t dismiss
such a possibility completely. We simply can’t
say that there is zero chance of finding completely different lifeforms.
SEKIMOTO It would be fun if there weredifferent types of life in our own solar system,
wouldn’t it?
KASAI It would make things exciting, yes.
The terahertz wave spectrometer will enable
us to study many different kinds of moleculesin the atmosphere of Jupiter’s moons, whichshould expand the possibilities.
SEKIMOTO That’s something to look forward to. When do you expect to get results?
KASAI The mission will reach Jupiter in
2031 and we plan to start observing Ganymede in 2034.
SEKIMOTO That’s eight years before
JUICE reaches Jupiter, which will give metime to write a sci-fi work set on Jupiter before
then! Once it’s written, I’ll be sure to mention
you in the acknowledgements!
KASAI I look forward to reading it. But as
you’ve already written about in your previous
works, we must tackle the issue of “What islife?” How do we express the mind and consciousness scientifically? As a scientist, I findmyself thinking about such things from myinvolvement in the search for life in outerspace.
SEKIMOTO Generally speaking, living organisms are considered to have cell mem-branes, be capable of self-replication, and metabolize energy, but the mind andconsciousness are separate things altogether.
Plants, however, seem to exchange information using chemicals. So, if there is life on
Ganymede or Europa, I wonder what kind oflife it will be?
KASAIHere on Earth, life needs three
things: liquid water, organic matter, and energy. If, using a terahertz wave spectrometer, we
are able to confirm the presence of biomarkers
in water and air, and also whether the environment is oxidative or reductive through estimates of chemical reactions, it would certainly
generate much more discussion about the potential for the existence of life. It’s difficult toimagine that there would be some kind of intelligent lifeform, but I really hope to be able
to confirm some form of primitive life.
Exploring water resources on the moonusing terahertz waves
KASAI We are also using terahertz waves to
explore water resources on our own moon. If
humankind is to succeed in living on themoon, the nearest celestial body to Earth, itwill be important to secure water as an energy
source. Water is essential for sustaining life
and, when broken down into hydrogen and oxygen, can also be used as rocket fuel. It istherefore important to understand where water
is on the moon and to use it efficiently. That is
why we are currently planning to create a“Space Treasure Map” of the moon’s resources.
However, there is hardly any water on the
moon’s surface. Even in the places where
there is thought to be most water, it is still only
one-hundredth of the water that is present in

the soil in the Sahara Desert. That being said,
there are scientific indications that water mightlie under the surface. It’s very difficult to dig
down deep, so, ideally, we would want to extract water from a place where it is close to thesurface and available in large volumes. A Japanese consortium is working together on the
Lunar Terahertz SUrveyor for KIlometer-scale
MappIng (TSUKIMI), a small-scale terahertz
wave resource surveyor satellite, in order to
conduct just such an exploration. We are aiming for a launch date in 2025.
SEKIMOTO That’s amazing. I get a real
sense that the effective utilization of lunar resources is nearing reality, and even on the fictional side of things, the concept of sci-fi prototyping has recently started to gain attention.
It’s a conceptualization method that combines
sci-fi thinking with cutting-edge science andtechnology to stimulate creativity and generate new ideas. I think that sci-fi and entertainment will have a major role to play in helping
us to “adapt” to the future that we are heading
towards.
KASAI You’re absolutely right. We need
DORAEMON-like concepts and inspirations
to drive disruptive innovation.
Thank you so much for joining me for thischat today.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

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FEATURE

NICT Way of Space Research

NICT Research Activities for JUICE/SWI
10 m/s (CH4, H2O)

Figure 2 left)SWI Equipment(Credit: MPS(Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research))middle)SWI Specification*1, right)SWI Observing Physical Values and their accuracy*1n April 14, 2023, the JUpiter ICy

O moons Explorer (JUICE), a large-scale

YAMADA Takayoshi

Researcher ,Collaborative Research Laboratoryof Terahertz Technology, Terahertz
Technology Research Center, Beyond
5G R&D promotion Unit
He received the Ph.D. degree in sciencein 2018.
He is currently a Researcher with the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo. His scientific research interests include terahertz
radiative transfer modeling, remote sensing for Earth’s and planetary atmosphere,
and laboratory experiment for Terahertz
spectroscopy for gas molecules and regolith simulants.

European Space Agency (ESA) mission, waslaunched successfully. One of the 11 scientificinstruments on board JUICE is the Submillimeter Wave Instrument (SWI), a terahertz
wave spectrometer. SWI was developed by aninternational team including NICT, with NICT
working on the primary and secondary mirrors, and the actuator. Another unique global
challenge we are working on is the development of algorithms capable of extracting key
information from observational data about
the possibility of the existence of life.

■ Background
JUICE is a mission to comprehensively explore the appearance of Jupiter, as a typical gas
giant planet in space, and also search for any
signs of life or the possibility of life existing inthe subterranean seas of Jupiter’s icy moons.
This mission is to be implemented by observing the gas giant Jupiter and orbiting icy moons
such as Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto (Figure 1). JUICE was launched on April 14, 2023,
and is now on its way to Jupiter, with an expected arrival date in 2031. One of the instruments
on board JUICE is a terahertz wave spectrometer, named Submillimeter Wave Instrument

Wang Suyun

Researcher(Tenure-Track),
Collaborative Research Laboratoryof Terahertz Technology, Terahertz
Technology Research Center, Beyond
5G R&D promotion Unit
She received the Ph.D. degree in 2020.
From October 2020 to March 2021, she
was a Research Fellow with the Center
for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University, Since April 2021, she has beenwith the National Institute of Information
and Communications Technology (NICT),Tokyo, Japan. Her research interests include forward modeling, system design,
inversion algorithm development andmeasurement of microwave and terahertz
remote sensing for planetary exploration.

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NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

Figure 1 Image of JUICE and plumes erupting from thesurface of Europa(image: NASA and Airbus, source：https://www.
mynewsdesk.com/se/irf/images/juice-europa-plumesnasa-airbus-cropped-1506712）(SWI). This instrument will measure Jupiter’s
atmospheric material and wind speeds, which
until now have been difficult to measure, withthe aim of understanding the planet’s stratospheric structures, and also explore the possibility of the existence of life on Jupiter’s icy
moons, by observing their atmospheric materials and surfaces. These world-first observations
are anticipated to open up great possibilities.
SWI was developed by an international teamincluding NICT, with NICT working on a partof the primary and secondary mirrors, and theactuator. Another challenge we are working onis the development of algorithms capable of extracting key information about the possibility ofthe existence of life, based on data collected inunique conditions, such as those of the Jovian
system.
SWI’s instrument capabilities and molecules to be observed are shown in Figure 2. The
primary mirror is an offset Cassegrain antenna
with an aperture diameter of 30 cm, with two
observation frequency bands, 0.6 THz and 1.2
THz. The terahertz electromagnetic waves received are ultimately converted into an optical
spectrum of vertical intensity and horizontal
frequency using a high-resolution Chirp Transform Spectrometer (CTS) and Autocorrelation
Spectrometers (ACS). Using SWI for terahertz
wave remote sensing, it is possible to estimate
the wind speed, air temperature, and abundance
distribution of various trace molecules in the atmosphere, as well as surface conditions. Another feature is that observations are possible day
or night as SWI does not rely on sunlight.
It is thought that the surfaces of Ganymede
and Europa are mostly covered in ice, but that
below this icy crust lie vast subterranean seas.
Understanding the composition of these seas,such as whether they are oxidative or containreductive substances, is important for discussing the possibility of the existence of life. In
particular, on Europa there are already known
to be plumes, where water and other substances from the subterranean seas or icy crust erupt
from the surface into space, and it may be possible to estimate sea composition from observations of Europa’s atmospheric composition.

With terahertz wave observation using SWI it
is anticipated that in addition to atmosphericwater, oxygen, carbon monoxide and its isotopes, exploration for other key molecular species will be possible, including H2S, CH4, NH3,
C3H2, CH3OH, and H2CO.

■NICT’s Globally Unique Terahertz
Radiative Transfer Model
In order to accurately estimate atmospheric and ground surface information, a terahertz
radiative transfer model capable of properly expressing new physical processes needs to be developed. A terahertz radiative transfer model is
one that understands the physical mechanismsthat govern interactions between electromagnetic waves and media, and developing such analgorithm and obtaining basic physical parameters will play a significant role. NICT is concentrating its efforts mainly on the development of
two unique algorithms and is conducting labbased measurements to obtain basic physicalparameters (Figure 3). Here we will introduce
each of the algorithms.
Jupiter’s icy moons have extremely thin atmospheres (e.g. 10-11 times thinner than earthor less for Ganymede). Understanding the behavior of molecules in this atmosphere will leadto understanding of the magnetospheric interactions between Jupiter and its icy moons. Moreover, the search for new molecular species, aswell as the abundance ratio of water molecules(H2O) to isotopic molecules HDO and H218O,
will be key to discussions about planetary material cycles and physical evolution. Quantification of such molecular abundance requires
the development of a non-local thermodynamic
equilibrium (Non-LTE) model, in order to determine the molecules’ equilibrium state of level distribution, which is different from that onearth. To understand these physical processes,
NICT is independently developing a terahertz
radiative transfer model*2 incorporating a nonLTE model, which compared to other models
around the world has been confirmed as being the most accurate and standardized model
available. We anticipate that observation datacollected by JUICE/SWI will be used to char-

Figure 3 NICT development of uniquealgorithm andlab-based measurements for
obtaining fundamental physical parameters

acterize the Jovian system through dynamic
studies of the interactions between gas giant
Jupiter and its icy moons.
On the surface of the moon, planets, asteroids, and other terrestrial bodies, there is asedimentary layer of dust and other particles
called regolith, that covers the solid rock surface. Regolith is composed of particles and other materials with a rough surface. The regolithsurface is rough and uneven, and its roughness
corresponds to the wavelength of the electromagnetic waves observed. In electromagnetic
wave propagation, surface roughness and heterogenous distribution cause scattering (roughsurface scattering). In addition, non-uniform
distribution due to factors such as the structure, density, dielectric constant, temperature,
water-ice content, and composition of the medium through which electromagnetic waves
propagate may cause volume scattering, whichfurther complicates propagation of terahertz
electromagnetic waves. NICT has successfully
developed the world’s only terahertz radiativetransfer model that can take into account a planet’s surface roughness and volume scattering,
including boundary interactions. It is anticipated that future JUICE/SWI observation data will
make it possible to estimate surface properties
such as surface ice distribution on the surfaceof icy moons.

■Future Pprospects
As of June 2023, we were able to confirm

that JUICE/SWI is functioning normally inouter space, albeit with a few minor issues that
require attention. From now, using deep spaceobservations from JUICE/SWI, we will continue to explore the mysteries of the universe,
utilizing the above-mentioned terahertz wave
characteristics as well as the algorithms wehave developed. NICT is also developing terahertz wave remote sensing for use in wide-area
exploration of water energy resources on ourown moon. We are currently constructing a
database of terahertz wave properties and a lunar electromagnetic wave propagation model,
while also developing a terahertz wave radiometer that can be used for observations on actual
lunar missions.
Planetary exploration through terahertz
waves is a new and exciting field that has only
just begun. It holds great promise for the future,
and we will continue challenging ourselves tobring dreams and discoveries to many people.

[Reference]＊1 K
 ASAI et al., “ All to Jupiter and icy moons part 2～ Challenge of Submillimeter Wave Instrument
JUICE-SWI～ ,” J. of Japanese Society for
PlanetaryScience, vol.23, no.2, pp.140–148, 2014.
(in Japanese)＊2 T. Yamada et al., "Solving non-LTE problems
in rotational transitions using the Gauss–
Seidel method and its implementation in the
Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator",
Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 619, A181,
2018.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

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FEATURE

NICT Way of Space Research

Advancement of Space Weather Forecasting for Safe and Secure
Use of Space

isturbances in the near-earth space

D environment due to solar activity

TSUGAWA Takuya
Director of Space Environment Laboratory, Radio Propagation ResearchCenter, Radio Research Institute
After completing graduate school, hejoined NICT in 2007 after working as a JSPS
Research Fellow (Nagoya University, andMassachusetts Institute of Technology).
He is engaged in research, development,
and operations related to space weather
forecasting. Ph.D.(Science).

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NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

can impact a variety of social systems suchas communications, broadcasting, satellite
positioning, power grids, and satellite operations, and may even cause disruption tostable use of such systems. To prepare fordisasters caused by such disturbances inthe space environment, or “space weather,”
we are monitoring space weather eventsand delivering forecasts 24 hours a day andseven days a week. We are also conducting research and development to improvemonitoring and forecasting technologies
and making efforts to provide informationthat meets user needs.

■BackgroundSolar activity, which varies on a roughly
11-year cycle, entered a new cycle known
as Solar Cycle 25 in December 2019. It is
expected to reach its maximum in around2025-2026 (Figure 1). In fact, solar activity is
gradually increasing, with the largest X-classsolar flares occurring twice in 2021, seventimes in 2022, and eight times as of June
2023. On the other hand, the use of space inbusiness has recently seen rapid expansion,
including satellite communications withsmall commercial satellite constellations, aswell as the use of high-precision satellite positioning for automatic driving, drones, andother applications.
Under these circumstances, the U.S., theU.K. and other countries and internationalorganizations have considered the potential
impact of space weather phenomena on social infrastructure and their countermeasures.
For example, the United Nations Office forDisaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and theInternational Science Council (ISC) haveclassified space weather phenomena as ahazard requiring countermeasures*1. In Japan
too, in January 2022 the Study Group on the
Advancement of Space Weather Forecasting(the “Study Group”) was established at the

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), and has engaged in discussions on strengthening observation, analysis,
forecasting, and warning of space weather
phenomena, impact on social infrastructureand how to deal with them, and also policy
implications. In June 2022 the Study Group
compiled a report setting out recommendations, including a worst-case scenario foran extreme space weather event, the first of
its kind for Japan, and also the results of aworld-first study on new forecasting andwarning standards that take into account thesocial impact of such space weather phenomena*2.
In order to prepare for severe space
weather disasters, NICT is working to further
improve monitoring for current status andforecasting technologies that form the basis
for space weather forecasting, and provide
information that meets user needs.

■Advancement of Space Weather
Monitoring and Forecasting
Technologies
To improve our capability to observeand understand the current status of space
weather, we are working to expand our routine observations from space using satellites,
and from ground-based observations throughinternational cooperation. In order to be able
to predict the impact of space weather phenomena on satellite operations it is necessary
to accurately understand the space environment for satellite orbits, but we are facedwith an observational blind spot, as there areno satellites over Japan to monitor the spaceenvironment on a routine basis. In order tosolve this problem, NICT is working with
the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) andMIC on the development of space environment sensors that are planned to be installed
on Himawari-10, which is scheduled to start
operation in 2029 (Figure 2).
In this development project we aim toextend the observed energy range of thehigh-energy electron and proton sensors in-

Figure 1 hanges in solar activity from 1950 to 2023
C
(Red line indicates predicted values)

Figure 3

Figure 2 arning System for Aviation Exposure to Solar
W
energetic particle (WASAVIES) Web site（https://wasavies.nict.go.jp/index_e.html）

Space environment sensors development for installation on Himawari-10

stalled on the current Himawari and improvetheir accuracy to enhance our space environment monitoring capabilities over Japan.
The ionosphere affects communications,broadcasting, and positioning, and is strongly influenced not only by the sun and themagnetosphere, but also by the lower atmosphere, resulting in localized disturbances.
Due to this, a multi-point observation network covering a wide area is needed to accurately monitor and understand the current
status of the ionosphere. NICT has monitored
the ionosphere for more than 70 years in Japan. Also, in order to monitor and predict the“plasma bubble” ionospheric phenomenon
that can severely affect positioning, we haveestablished one of the world’s largest ionospheric observation networks in Southeast
Asia through international cooperation. In
addition, in collaboration with other countries including the U.S., we are receiving solar wind observation satellite data 24 hours aday, which is necessary to forecast magnetospheric and ionospheric storms.
To improve forecasting capabilities, we
are working to improve forecasting technologies using high-speed computer simula-tions, data assimilation, and AI. To improveionospheric forecasting precision, we aredeveloping a data assimilation model for the
coupled atmospheric and ionospheric model,
GAIA. For the magnetosphere above the ionosphere, we are working on building a modelthat can reproduce extreme storm events anda forecast model for electrons in the radiation belt, which are a causative factor in deep
charging in satellites. In addition, hoping to
improve the accuracy and extend the leadtime for forecasting disturbances in the magnetosphere and ionosphere, we are developing a solar wind forecast model, SUSANOO,
and a solar flare prediction model using deeplearning methods, DeepFlareNet.

■Providing Information that Meets
User Needs
In order to provide information about thecurrent status and forecasts for space weather in an easily accessible and understandable manner for users, we are working todevelop and release web-based services andapplications, including Warning System for
Aviation Exposure to Solar energetic particle(WASAVIES: Figure 3), Space Environment

Customized Risk Estimation for Satellite(SECURES), and High Frequency Simulator
Targeting for All-users’ Regional Telecommunications (HF-START). To develop andimprove such services and applications requires interaction with users and needs andseeds matching, and we will continue to holdthe Space Weather User’s Forum and Space
Weather User’s Council for such purposes.
Also, based on the recommendations in thereport of the Study Group, we will be working to promote efforts to provide the necessary information to users as and when theyneed it, including the actual operation of
forecasts and warnings based on new standards that take into account the social impacts of space weather phenomena.

references＊1＊2

 azard Definition & Classification Review:
H
Technical Report, International Science
Council
https://council.science/publications/hazards/
Study Group on the Advancement of Space
Weather Forecasting
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/
kenkyu/space_weather/ (in Japanese)

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

7

FEATURE!"#$%%&#$'()*!#$%%"#&)*NICT Way of Space Research@>A5>&:(:"?#!B:)*$

Optical Ground Station Technology Supporting
Optical Space Communications!"#$%&'())$'*"()+)/$+)."*$&

012(-672-'345!

Technology supporting optical satellite communications from earth

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3<&*"="

ooking Beyond the 5G and 6G era,
Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) are
attracting a great deal of attention as a meansof expanding communications networks
across the sea, air, and outer space, with various R&D initiatives being advanced in Japanand overseas towards commercialization. In
particular, to respond to hopes for greater
diversity and enhanced capacity for satellite
communications, such as satellite constellations, and also looking to solve spectrum
resource constraints, satellite-to-satellite andsatellite-to-earth optical communications
technology will be critical. Although NTN
generally focuses on the satellite side of a
mission, in this article we introduce groundbased R&D activities being implemented withthe view of realizing optical satellite communications.

L

TSUJI Hiroyuki

Director of Space Communication
Systems Laboratory,
Wireless Networks Research Center,
Network Research Institute
After completing a doctoral course, hejoined the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Communications ResearchLaboratory (currently NICT) in 1992. He
has engaged in research and development related to aircraft and satellite communication systems.
Doctor of Engineering.

■Optical Ground Station Antenna

SAITO Yoshihiko (left)

Senior Researcher, Space Communication Systems Laboratory, Wireless
Networks Research Center,
Network Research Institute
After working in National Astronomical
Observatory of Japan (Subaru Telescope)
and Tokyo Institute of Technology, hejoined NICT in 2017. He is working on the
research and development of free-space
optical communication systems andadaptive optics systems. Ph. D. (Science).

SUZUKI Kenji (right)

Research Engineer, Space Communications Systems Laboratory, Wireless
Networks Research Center,
Network Research Institute
He joined the Radio Research Laboratory(RRL; currently NICT) in 1983. Since then,he has engaged in research on satellite control technology, mobile satellite
communication, the Multimedia Virtual
Laboratory, development of JEM/ICS(inNASDA-JAXA), research using small satellites and research on optical and RF signal multi-feeder links. And site diversity
research for optical satellite communications. Currently engaged in the development of the ETS-9 ground systems.

8

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

When communicating using radio waves
between the ground and a satellite, a radio wave
antenna (such as a parabolic antenna), is commonly utilized at the ground station. However,
optical communications require technology capable of transmitting and receiving weak light(laser light) between a satellite and Earth using
optical ground station (OGS) optical antennas(telescopes), and automatically capturing andtracking this light according to satellite position. NICT has accumulated over 30 years of
R&D experience in satellite-to-earth opticalcommunications and operates world-class,cutting-edge OGS facilities. The difference between an optical antenna and an astronomical
telescope is that a telescope only needs to beable to track a targeted space body with respect
to the Earth’s rotation speed, whereas an opticalantenna needs to be able to track a satellite in its
orbital position. In addition, tracking precisionof within 1/10th the width of a human hair isnecessary to track light from a satellite 3,600
km away in geostationary orbit (GEO).
We currently have reflector telescopes witha diameter of over 1 m at three ground stations:

one each at the NICT Headquarters (Koganei City), Kashima Space Technology Center(KSTC, Kashima City), and Okinawa Electromagnetic Technology Center (Onna Village)(Figure 1). In addition, to support satellite
constellations comprised of LEO satellites anddeep space communications such as from theMoon, a new OGS with a 2-m diameter reflector telescope, one of the largest in Japan, will be
installed at KSTC, and OGS facilities equippedwith 40-cm telescopes will be established atboth the NICT Headquarters, Kashima, andAdvanced ICT Research Institute (Kobe City)(Figure 2). These OGS will be linked to a
10-Gbps-class network, enabling integrated
control and data transmission. Once this OGS
network system is completed, it will be possible to achieve uninterruptible satellite-to-earth
optical communications by switching to an alternative OGS even during cloud cover or rain,when optical communications are not possible.

■Environmental Data Collection
Device and Site Diversity Technology
One of the urgent challenges for
Earth-to-satellite optical communications is todevelop technologies that can avoid communications outages during rain or cloud cover.
One solution is to develop site diversity technology capable of switching the connectivity toa cloud-free site while maintaining communication with satellites. To build and verify thistechnology, NICT is acquiring and accumulating environmental data for optical communications using environmental data collection
devices (Figure 3) that collect information suchas visible light whole-sky camera images andcloud height gauge data at dispersed locations
throughout Japan. Parameters relating to optical communications are extracted from thisdata. For example, cloudage statistics for theevaluation of Earth-to-satellite optical communications (where clear blue skies are 0% andcomplete cloudage is 100%) can be calculatedusing a unique algorithm.
Figure 4 shows the results of the cloudage
profile calculated from data collected from a+"!,&-"

 m (left) and 1.5 m (right) diameter optical1
antennas at NICT Headquarters (Koganei
City)

Figure 4E xample of changes in total cloud cover during rainy season(Okinawa observation point, 2020)■Adaptive Optics (AO) Technology
Another challenge when implementing
Earth-to-satellite communications is the degradation in the optical signal caused by the atmosphere in the optical path. For this degradation,
wavefront turbulence caused by atmosphericrefractive index fluctuations can be correctedon the receiving side, using corrective technology known as adaptive optics (AO). AO is atechnology to adjust wavefronts by detecting
the changing wavefront turbulence informationfrom moment to moment in real time and controlling the deformable mirror or phase modu-

82-'345

Figure 2  O ptical ground station network
system currently under development

Figure 1

device installed in Okinawa Prefecture in 2020
during the average rainy season period from
June 8 to July 16. If we hypothesize that opticalsatellite communications are possible when total cloudage is less than 60%, then in Okinawa
alone optical satellite communications would
be possible 65% of the time. If it were then possible to combine Okinawa with other locations
that have the same communications probability but bear no correlation with Okinawa or its
weather conditions, then in the case of threelocations the possibility of successful opticalsatellite communications rises to 94%, and further still to 99% when combining five locations.

9:"*!;):#"/%$'
345

Figure 5

Figure 3E xterior of environmental datacollection device (Okinawa)

Wavefront correction using adaptive optics (AO)

lator, etc., based on this information (Figure 5).
AO technology was originally developed
for the astronomy field, to enhance the performance of large aperture telescopes, and its effectiveness has already been well documented.
At the same time, in optical communication
applications, light collected by an optical antenna (telescope) ultimately needs to be kept
coupled to a single-mode optical fiber (SMF)with an incident core diameter of approximately 10 μm (about 1/10th the width of a humanhair). In such cases, as fluctuations in light received attributable to the satellite also impact
the effect of AO, this heightens the role of thehigh-precision tracking optical system that conducts the tracking. In optical communications,as communication light is transmitted from theoptical antenna to the satellite, AO is also required for trans­mission purposes. Bearing in
mind that when transmitting, the satellite will
have moved by the time the light reaches it,
Point Ahead (PA) correction is also required.
For the 1-m optical antenna at NICT Headquarters, we have developed AO to receive
light-based communication from the Engineering Test Satellite 9 (ETS-9), which is scheduled
to be launched in the nearest future and havesuccessfully improved the coupling efficien-

cy of the SMF by more than 5 dB comparedwithout AO system. The optical antenna is also
fitted with the high-precision tracking opticalsystem mentioned above. R&D is currently underway for AO for transmissions, with a plan
to complete a system based on NICT’s unique
ideas.

■Future Outlook
Japan is a country with considerable rain
and cloud cover. Therefore, to realize a resilient
ground-to-satellite and Earth-to-outer space(including the moon), optical communications
speedily and accurately, ground-based site diversity technologies and AO technology willplay a vital role. Furthermore, as demonstrated by environmental data collection devices,in order to realize robust and dependable optical communications, it will be necessary tolook beyond Japan and consider international
collaboration. This is why NICT has alreadystarted collaborating with research institutions
in Europe and Canada and is engaged in R&D
toward the realization of an international OGS
network.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

9

FEATURE

NICT Way of Space Research

Secure Wireless Communication for Spacecraft
Research and development in the newspace era

drawing attention worldwide. Low-cost yet

10■ R&D of secure communication
technologies in the NewSpace era

Figure1 Security requirements for wirelesscommunications between spacecraft
and ground stations

highly secure wireless communications are

At the Security Fundamentals Laboratory,

desired for spacecraft such as small satel-

Cybersecurity Research Institute, to estab-lites and small launch vehicles, for protect-lish high security and low implementation

ing their critical commands and valuable

cost in wireless communication systems ofdata transmissions. We are engaged in R&D

small satellites and small launch vehicles in

We are currently aiming to put this pro-initiatives for secure wireless communica-

NewSpace era, we are working with Inter-

posed communication method into practi-tion technologies that realize the highest

stellar Technologies, Inc., and Hosei Univer-cal use on the microsatellite launch vehicle

YOSHIDA Makilevel of security called information-theo-sity (Figure 2).

ZERO*3. Although no problems were en-

Senior Researcher,
Security Fundamentals Laboratory,
Cybersecurity Research Institute
After receiving Ph.D. in Engineering, shebecame assistant professor at Osaka University. Then she joined NICT in 2013, andhas been engaging in research and development of information security.

retic security with low-cost consumer elec-

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

tronics device.

■BackgroundFigure 2

Progress in joint R&D“1” indicates valid packet

ewSpace, the emergence of the

N private space industry, has been

■Towards commercialization

At the initial stages of our research, wecountered during flight tests on the sounding

have identified and enumerated basic re-rocket MOMO, care needs to be taken toquirements in spacecraft uplink and down-

ensure key synchronization capable of with-link, proposed a new protocol that guar-

standing commercialization. A loss of key

antees information-theoretic security, andsynchronization can lead to the permanent

In the recent NewSpace era, many small

investigated its implementability on low-costloss of communications with the spacecraft,satellites including CubeSats have been

consumer electronics devices. We also haveor in other words mission failure. According-launched on various academic or commercial

presented some results of flight demonstra-ly, we are working towards the realization of

missions. As of July 10, 2023, of the 9,943

tion tests on sounding rocket

MOMO.*2

a much more reliable communication proto-satellites in orbit around the earth, 1,329

The main objective of the tests is to confirm

col, which is mainly designed for robustness

is cryptographically impossible when com-were launched in 2023*1, with an average ofthat all data is transmitted correctly over theagainst the above malfunctions.

bined with our proposed communication pro-more than seven launches per day, mostly for

proposed protocol and no significant hard-

To this end, we have proposed a novel

tocol. This means that it would be possible tosmall satellites for academic or commercial

ware-device problem happens in the spaceframework for secure wireless communica-

avoid spacecraft loss caused by critical envi-

purposes. In Japan, a space activity law en-flight environment. In the latest flight testtion, where risk of key synchronization lossronmental factors (temporal H/W failures) as

titled “Act on Launching of Spacecraft, etc.

conducted on July 31, 2021, the test objectiveis minimized in order to improve resilience

well as intentional attacks.

and Control of Spacecraft (Act No. 76 of

was fully met, achieving successful downlink

against temporal H/W failures. We have2016)” entered into force on November 15,transmission of 558,313 packets (34Mbytes)

confirmed that key synchronization and data

2018. The guidelines of this law stipulate theat a practical effective bandwidth of 512kbps

transmission are possible at a 10.2 Mbps rate,

We have established the feasibility offollowing requirement: “As for transmission(Figure 3). In addition, the proposed proto-on our prototype transmitter and receiver

highly reliable, highly secure, low-cost tech-of signals related to safety-critical systems,

col decreases the necessity for devices spe-

implementations using FPGA boards. Our

nologies capable of realizing high bit-rateetc., take measures including appropriate

cifically made for use in space, which leadbasic idea of key synchronization consists ofand high throughput wireless communication

encryption so as to prevent interference andto a reduction of installation costs since suchthe use of precise time information obtained

between spacecraft and ground stations. Our

takeover.” In fact, no impersonation attack

space-grade devices are extremely expen-from GNSS for control purposes, such as key

next challenge is to develop cryptographic

or tampering attack against critical uplinksive. Such cost reduction makes it possible toreading, and does not keep control informa-

protocols resilient to variations of the com-

commands to spacecrafts should be success-

implement the proposed protocol on a variety

tion permanently stored inside the device. Asmunication environment and verify the per-ful (Figure 1). Also, interception of downlinkof small spacecraft.

Figure 3

Flight test of proposed secure communication technology (July 31, 2021)■Future prospects

a result, the use of stored control informa-

formance of the proposed protocols towards

transmissions which involve highly variabletion is minimized and the resilience againstcommercialization. Through our R&D activi-

mission data is undesirable.

temporal H/W failures is improved. We haveties, we will contribute to space development

also proven that any spoofing or tamperingin the NewSpace era.

＊1・ UNOOSA,Online Index of Objects Launched
into Outer Space,h ttps://www.unoosa.org/oosa/osoindex/
search-ng.jspx（Last accessed on 2023-09-26）＊2・ Common key cryptography and public key
cryptography widely used on the internet,
etc., are based on computational security
logic that the computational power
required for an attack is finite but enormous.
However, information-theoretical secure
ciphers have an advantage in that they
are unbreakable even if the attacker has
unlimited computational resources at theirdisposal.
＊3 ・ Interstellar Technologies Inc.
https://www.istellartech.com/en（Last accessed on 2023-09-26）

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

11

File 26
Establishing an Environment for Realizing Beyond 5G
Completion of a B5G electromagnetic wave anechoic chamber facility
Director of Planning Office / Senior Researcher, Terahertz Laboratory, Terahertz
Technology Research Center, Beyond 5G Research and Development Promotion Unit

Journey to the Next Space Communications Network
SAITO Shingo● BiographyAt the end of March 2023, a B5G electromagnetic wave anechoic chamber building was completed at NICT as part ofinitiatives to establish an environment for the development of
B5G basic transmission technologies. This new facility is equippedwith an anechoic chamber for intensive and efficient measurement and evaluation of antenna and transceiver transmission
characteristics, which will be essential for engaging in timely R&D
for realizing B5G. It is also capable of handling ultra-high frequency bands that are anticipated to be used in B5G, including the terahertz band.
To secure the position of Japanese companies in global markets
in the Beyond 5G (B5G) era, it is imperative to quickly establish an
open development environment, and to develop systems for domestic and international collaboration centered on NICT, which has
the required technologies. In addition, at the World Radio Communication Conference (WRC 2019), a body that establishes common
global wireless communication standards, the decision was made toutilize a portion of the terahertz band (275-450 GHz) as the frequency band for future mobile phone systems.
This decision has also spurred momentum in Japan to researchtransmission technologies capable of achieving further advancements that are anticipated in the B5G era, including ultra-highspeed, ultra-low latency, and massive machine-type simultaneouscommunications. As R&D has progressed, high frequency and occupancy experiments have become essential, leading to increasing
numbers of users both inside and outside NICT wanting to use an
anechoic chamber and a greater need for facilities dedicated to B5G
and ultra-high frequency bands.
So, in order to accelerate R&D that can be directly translated intosocial outcomes and to promote collaboration with private sector
companies, we have utilized NICT’s research resources (people,
technology, and know-how) to develop the B5G electromagnetic
wave anechoic chamber facility.
By preventing the scattering of radio waves in the laboratory, theanechoic chamber makes it possible to evaluate aspects such as antenna characteristics, and also enables legally compliant experiments even in the stages prior to establishing a radio station. Whatis more, it strongly supports R&D in transmission technologies using
terahertz and other radio waves in the ultra-high frequency band,
which are expected to be utilized in B5G.
The B5G electromagnetic wave anechoic chamber facility provides a measurement environment into which private-sector companies are able to bring their own radio devices and is aimed at enabling efficient performance evaluations and confirmation offunctions that can be swiftly fed back in to the development process.
The anechoic chamber has a length of 20 m, width of 8.5 m, andheight of 7.5 m, and is equipped with a rotary table, antenna positioner and so on. Radio wave absorbers for radio waves above 10
GHz are fitted to the ceiling and walls, and the floor absorbers canbe laid out or stored away, allowing experiments to also be implemented using metal floor conditions.

12

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

1992	Born in Aomori Prefecture, raisedin Tokyo2015	Graduated from the Department
of Applied Physics and PhysicoInformatics, Faculty of Scienceand Technology, Keio University
2017	Completed master’s degree at
the Graduate School of Scienceand Technology, Keio University,and joined NICT
2020 	Received Ph.D. from the
Graduate School of Science andTechnology, Keio University

Exterior of B5G electromagnetic wave anechoic chamber facility

ABE Yuma
Researcher,Space Communication Systems
Laboratory,
Wireless Networks Research Center,
Network Research Institute
Ph.D. in Engineering

W
Inside anechoic chamber , photo top-right are radio wave absorbers (each12 cm hight quadrangular pyramid)

The B5G anechoic chamber facility went into operation in June
2023, and NICT researchers are currently checking and evaluating its
performance, with a view to opening it up for shared use in the near
future.
This facility is being developed and operated not just by the
many researchers in the Terahertz Laboratory, Terahertz Technology Research Center, Beyond 5G Research and Development Promotion Unit, but through cross-cutting collaboration among a range of
NICT departments, including the Financial Affairs Department, Strategic Planning Department, and Operation Planning Department.

● AWARDS
2018	Received the Outstanding Paper
Award and Takeda Award fromthe Society of Instrument andControl Engineers (SICE)
2021	Received the Telecom Systems
Technology Student Award,
36th Telecommunications
Advancement FoundationAward

hat does outer space mean to you?
For being something far removed
from daily life, there are more and more
services and products that utilize outerspace and make it more relatable, including Wi-Fi on airplanes, or SpaceX’s Starlink.
In terms of Beyond 5G, from the perspective of scalability, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) are gaining attention as ameans of interconnecting ocean, air, andouter space via various communication
platforms such as satellites, high-altitude
platform stations (HAPS), and drones.
My research theme is optimization of
networks, including NTN and terrestrial
communication systems. With NTN, various factors change from moment to moment, like the number of users requiring
communication, the content of their requests, the number of nodes available forcommunication, and the quality of communication links. In order to realize uninterrupted communications under thesecircumstances, it is essential to efficiently
control communication resources such as
frequency bands and power sources, andQ&As

Q What is good things to be a researcher?

A Being able to spend a great deal of time thinking about
only one thing. I have also had the opportunity to travel
to various countries and meet different people and get toknow various cultures.

Q What are you interested in other than research?

A Using maps and street view to go on virtual travels, andthinking about, studying, and imagining the origins of thecities I visit virtually. Why are people drawn to cities andhow do they come to be?

Q How do you spend your time on holidays?

A I like to take walks to take photos of scenery and buildings.
I have been using a FUJIFILM
X-S10 for the last two years. I
post my photos on social media
and look forward to hearing
from anyone who is interested
in them!

also routes of communication traffic. To
this end, I am considering various system
requirements and network structures, developing network control algorithms, andevaluating and analyzing these throughsimulations.
Utilizing the NICT international humanresources dispatch program, I have beenworking as a visiting researcher at the
University of Luxembourg since June
2023. Luxembourg is known as a multilingual nation, and the research group

FigureI am affiliated with is comprised of people from various countries, so in addition
to English, I hear many languages every
day at work, including Spanish, Frenchand Hindi. After hearing about the details of the project being proceeded by
the group, I was also reassured that thedirection of my own research is on theright track, and I have also noticed areas
where my own knowledge is lacking. I
hope to further expand my potential as a
researcher through this experience.

Overview of Space Communications Network

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5

13

The Radio Day and Info-communications Promotion Month Awards are given to individuals and entities who have contributed to the use of radio waves or the development ofcommunication, and to persons who are expected to create outstanding digital content.
*Affiliations and positions are as of the time of the awards.

The Info-communications Promotion Month for FY 2023, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communication Award●Receiver’s Comment: This award recognizes
our various research and development initiatives,tion to the development of automatic translation

including national projects relating to voice trans-

technologies in Japan through wide-ranging ac-

lation using AI (the Global Communication Plan

tivities that include not only developing high-pre-for serial interpretation, and the Global Communi-

cision automatic translation technology, but also

cation Plan 2025 for simultaneous interpretation)social implementation through releasing such appsand Hon’yaku Bank (Translation Bank), a data

been made possible by help by the staff and direc-

as VoiceTra and TexTra, building of a data collec-

collection platform aimed at realizing high-preci-

tors at NICT including the Universal Communica-tion ecosystem named Hon’yaku Bank (Translation

sion machine translation, as well as the concretetion Research Institute.

Bank), and establishing foundational technologies

outcomes of these various projects, such as Voice-for simultaneous interpretation using AI.

Tra and TexTra.

Photo: F rom left, SUMITA Eiichiro, MORIAI Shiho,
KASAMATSU Akifumi

I am deeply grateful for this award, which has

The Info-communications Promotion Month for FY 2023, SHIDA Rinzaburo AwardKASAMATSU Akifumi

Director General, Koganei Frontier Research Center,
Advanced ICT Research Institutenologies in Japan. Advances in terahertz wave re-●Date: June 1, 2023
●Awarded for: Making a significant contribution, as the long-serving representative of the Ter-

communication standard, and discussions on theand cooperation of many people, and this award

allocation of the 300 GHz frequency band at therecognizes the contributions of all of them, not2019 World Radiocommunication Conference.

just myself. We have only completed part of ourof device and measurement technologies, the es-●Receiver’s Comment: It is a tremendous honor to receive this award named after Dr. SHIDA

tablishment of the Institute of Electrical and Elec-

Rinzaburo, who made such a lasting impact ontronics Engineers’ first 300 GHz band wirelesselectrical engineering and communications tech-ahertz Wave research team, to the development

search have been made possible by the guidancejourney to commercialize terahertz wave technologies and I will continue to endeavor to engage inbeneficial R&D.

NICT NEWS 2023 No.5 Vol.501●Date: June 1, 2023
●Awarded for: Making an outstanding contribu-

NICT Fellow / Distinguished Researcher,
Universal Communication Research InstitutePublished by Public Relations Department, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Issue date: Sep. 2023 (bimonthly)

SUMITA Eiichiro

The Info-communications Promotion Month for FY 2023, Distinguished Achievement and Contributions Award
Senior Executive Director / Director General,
Cybersecurity Research Institutecryptographic technologies. The boundaries of security technologies continue to expand, and their● Date: June 1, 2023
●Awarded for: Making a significant contribu-

formation of an R&D hub in the field of cyber-social impact and importance are becoming eversecurity in Japan as the Director General of thegreater. With the aim of improving Japan’s abilitytion to the realization of a safe and secure digital

Cybersecurity Research Institute.

to counter cyberattacks and promoting safe anddevelop, standardize and socially implement●Receiver’s Comment: I am deeply moved
to receive this award in the year that marks thecryptographic technologies, as well as leading the30th anniversary of my involvement in R&D on

society, through long-running efforts to research,

secure data utilization, I will continue to engage
in R&D, social implementation and human resources development in the field of cybersecurity.

4-2-1 Nukui-Kitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo
184-8795, Japan
TEL: +81-42-327-5392    FAX: +81-42-327-7587

MORIAI Shiho

URL: https://www.nict.go.jp/en/

ISSN 2187-4050 (Online)

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NICT NEWS 2023 No.5