STUDY GROUP OF LEGAL ISSUESON THE ADVANCED ORBITAL
ACTIVITIES「先端的な軌道上活動に関する法的課題」研究会
Yurika Ishii
Associate Professor, National Defense Academy of Japan
石井由梨佳

防衛大学校准教授

The 10th Symposium on Space Law
25 February 2019

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STUDY GROUP OF LEGALISSUES ON THE ADVANCEDORBITAL ACTIVITIESThe Research Area and Our Goal

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ACTIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL(ADR)
An Overview

3© ASTROSCALE Japan Inc.

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(c) European Space Agency

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IADC SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATIONGUIDELINES OF 2007

Limit Debris Released during Normal Operations

Minimize the Potential for On-Orbit BreakupsPost Mission Disposal
Prevention of On-Orbit Collisions
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Identification and formulation of legal
systems for supporting the ADR• JAXA is planning to experiment an active removal of alarge-size debris.
ADR mission

The Experiment of Core Technology for ADR

Recognitionof on-orbit
situation

Proximity
operation

Advanced onboard
image processing

Toward theWorld’s first
Active Large
sized Debris
RemovalTarget (TBD) :The upper stage of aJapanese rocket

Approach/
Capture/Orbit transfer/
Controlled reentry
Source: Presentation by Yasushi Watanabe at 1st meeting of the Study Group, modified and translated by Akihiro Iwaki

78Swiss SpaceCenter

European Space
Agency9

THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD ON ADR ACTIVITIESTo promote industrial
development byencouraging private
parties to developtechnologies

To securethe safety
and a clean
environment
at the outerspace

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OUR GOALS

To identify the possible legal systems toimplement the ADR
To examine pertinent legal issues concerning
ADR mainly from international law
perspective
To make proposals to the Japanese
Government concerning the domestic law
on ADR
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MAIN LEGAL ISSUES

Jurisdiction• A state’s competence to conduct
ADR without obtaining the consent
of the state of registry.

Liability• Liability in a case when ADR caused
damage on other state's space object.

Domestic Law• Insurance and the government
compensation

InternationalCooperation• Burden sharing of ADR.
• Notification and consultation.

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The Members

Joint Research ProjectSpace Law Research Center, Keio
Legal and Compliance Division, JAXA

Academia

Industry

Prof.Kazuhiro
NakataniProf. Setsuko Aoki
Prof. Tateo Horiguchi
Prof.Yurika Ishii
Prof. Makiko Shigeta

NEC Corporation
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Astroscale Japan Inc.

Government (Observer)
National Space Policy Secretariat, CAO,Space Policy Division, MOFA
Space Industry Office, METISpace Development and Utilization Division, MEXT

13Slide prepared by Akihiro Iwaki

OUR ACTIVITIES IN FY 2018

Case Studies on international certificate systems (windpower plants and ships for international navigation)
Regulations on destroyed buildings, cars and debris innatural disaster
ADR and Article 8 of Outer Space Treaty
Environmental Modification Convention and ADR
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ADR AND ARTICLE 8 OF OUTERSPACE TREATY

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THE ISSUE

State A’s ADR
Satellite X

An Object Y Not
Registered to State A

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OUTER SPACE TREATY (1967) ARTICLE 8
宇宙条約8条A State Party to the Treaty on whose registry an object
launched into outer space is carried shall retain jurisdiction
and control over such object, and over any personnel
thereof, while in outer space or on a celestial body.
宇宙空間に発射された物体が登録されている条約の当事国は、その物体及びその乗員に対し、それらが宇宙空間又は天体上にある間、管轄権及び管理権を保持する。
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WHAT ARE DEBRIS?

Space debris are all man-madeobjects including fragments andelements thereof, in Earth orbit
or re-entering the atmosphere,that are non-functional.
Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines,
182007.

IS DEBRIS AN OBJECT UNDERARTICLE 8?
Space Objects

Registered to a State andFunctioningDebris

1. Not Registered
Registered to a State but
2. Registereddefunct
StateUnidentifiable
3. Object
Untraceable
Man-made Objects in Outer Space
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JURISDICTIONAL RULE

There is no treaty directly applicable to thissituation.

There is no a priori jurisdictional rule in aninternational area under international law.
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COMPARISON: THE JURISDICTIONAL
RULE IN THE HIGH SEAS
• Permanent Court ofInternational Justiceallowed non-flag state
to exercise its criminaljurisdiction in acollision case at thehigh seas.

• Denied the judgmentof S.S. Lotus.
• Provided that only theflag state has its
enforcement
jurisdiction.

S.S. Lotus Case
(1927)High SeasConvention(1958)
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THE LIMITS OF OUTER SPACETREATY

Principle of equality; Freedomof scientific investigation inouter space (OST Art 1)

The need toconduct ADR
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ADR AND USE OF FORCE

United Nations Charter Article 2(4) All Members shall refrain in
their international relations from the threat or use of force against
the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in
any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United
Nations.
国連憲章2条4項 すべての加盟国は、その国際関係において、武力による威嚇又は武力の行使を、いかなる国の領土保全又は政治的独立に対するものも、また、国際連合の目的と両立しない他のいかなる方法によるものも慎まなければならない。
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RECENT STATE PRACTICESEEA, Draft International Code ofConduct (CoC) for Outer
Space Activities, 31 March 2014.

Russia’s Criticism against
CoC inCommittee on thePeaceful Uses of Outer
Space (COPUOS)
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COOPERATION TO ENHANCE
TRANSPARENCY AND CONFIDENCE
BUILDING MEASURESA Need for Transparency and Confidence Building
Measures (TCBMs)
COPUOS, Draft Guidelines for The Long-Term
Sustainability of Outer Space Activities,
A/AC.105/C.1/L.367. (LTS Guideline)
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ADR AND EXPORT CONTROL
United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations

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“EXPORT” UNDER INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN
ARMS REGULATIONS

Releasing or otherwise transferring technical data to a foreign personin the United States (a “deemed export”);
Transferring registration, control, or ownership of any aircraft, vessel,
or satellite subject to the ITAR by a U.S. person to a foreign person;

Performing a defense service on behalf of, or for the benefit of, aforeign person, whether in the United States or abroad; …

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THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION

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POSSIBILITY OF AN
INTERNATIONAL REGIME?

Information
Sharing (indesignating
debris for
ADR andmonitoring
thesituation)

Disputesettlement

International
funding for
ADRs(burdensharing)29

Identification and formulation of legal
systems for supporting the ADR
Global level
Bilateral level
Domestic level
New technicalstandards andcertification system
for Safety
are required

Common technicalstandards andcertification system
for Safety
are required

Global technicalstandards andcertification system
for Safety
are required

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CONCLUSION

The need forinternationalcooperation / common
standards

The challenges forestablishing internationalrules• To secure theenvironment of theorbit.
• To promote thedevelopment of spaceindustry.

• The difficulty inestablishing a newtreaty.
• The merits anddisadvantages of softlaw rules.
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