COVERLEAD

The Future of Space
as Global Commons

By Naoyuki Haraoka

With unprecedentedly rapid technological progress,
space is becoming more and more a venue for a wide
range of purposes. A Global Positioning System (GPS)showing us exactly where we are on a road map, satellite
broadcasting, and weather forecasting through satellites
are good examples of how space profoundly affects ourdaily lives. Cyber-security is also starting to attract more
attention in the media and will be affected bydevelopments in space. There are, of course, also many
scientific exploration efforts in space to discover new
materials on other planets like the Moon or Mars. Such awide range of usages of space is now leading to the birthof many ventures and entrepreneurial activities, and thus
space development will be a key to promoting oureconomy as well.
But in spite of being such a crucial domain, space has
never been governed by any international rules. Given theincreasingly drastic competition among nations andbusinesses, will the future of this important global
commons be disastrous or rosy without any governing
rules? This is our starting point in thinking about theoutline of this cover story. The US-Japan Space Forum istrying to achieve a consolidated US-Japan alliance as thecore of future space development, and as the notion that
the US-Japan alliance is the most critical bilateralrelationship for global peace and prosperity was adopted
by this forum, it could be expected to invigorate
discussions on rules and governance of developments inspace.
In line with this thought, we invited Dr. Saadia M.
Pekkanen, co-chair of the US-Japan Space Forum, torespond to our questions in an interview by e-mail and talkabout the US-Japan space alliance, and the following
article by Ryan Shaffer, the director of this forum, then2 Japan SPOTLIGHT • July / August 2018

gives a more detailed picture of the forum. We then havearticles by two American space experts, one on thepossible impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on
space by Joshua Marciano, and the other by Robert
Shields on the current US national security space policy.
We believe it is worth having these expert assessments onUS technology and national security policy first, as theUnited States is obviously the frontrunner in this area.
These are followed by articles from two distinguishedJapanese authors. Dr. Setsuko Aoki is a Keio University
Law School professor who has been involved in a numberof space policy discussions and formulations, and she
introduces the perspective of international law on thisissue. Hidekazu Takakura, a Japanese government official
working on space policy in the Cabinet Office of Japan,
presents an outline of the “Space Industry Vision 2030”
released by the Committee on the National Space Policy inMay 2017, bringing us up to date with the latest
developments in Japanese space policy.
We then have three articles on the space industry, as
space business and ventures are becoming increasingly
significant for our economy. Geoff Nunn, a US spacehistorian, describes how space has invigorated overallbusiness developments, in particular New Space, meaning
entrepreneurial activities; Wallis Laughrey, vice presidentof Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, who is working
on actual space business, talks about his changing
business environment and what his company is involvedin; and finally Shoichiro Asada, who has worked in theJapanese space business for a long time as an engineer aswell as a sales official at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.,
talks about the history and current reality of Japanesespace development.

https://www.jef.or.jp/journal/

COVERLEAD

COVER STORY 1
Interview with Dr. Saadia M. Pekkanen, Job and Gertrud Tamaki Professor
at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies and Adjunct
Professor at the School of Law, University of Washington

The US-Japan Space Alliance — the Most Critical
Bilateral Relationship for Peace & Prosperity
By Japan SPOTLIGHT

The US-Japan space alliance is the most important bilateralrelationship among the two countries’ economic and security
linkages. Ensuring space security is vital for maintaining peace.

COVER STORY 2
Space in the US-Japan Bilateral Relationship & theRecommendations of the US-Japan Space Forumthe future of space as global commons. To achieve it, non-legallybinding UN resolutions or guidelines would be a possible target.

COVER STORY 6
Recent Trends in Japan’s Space Policy — Centeredon Promoting the Space Industry
By Hidekazu Takakura

In an increasingly competitive global market environment, there
are high expectations for redoubling efforts to promote a spaceindustry where Japan’s industrial companies can exert anever-stronger presence and rise to the top.

COVER STORY 7
New Space Innovation in Earth Orbit & Beyond

By Ryan Shaffer

By Geoff Nunn

Due to the technical nature of space activities, it is important tobring the subject into the context of real-life, practical concerns
in order to promote a sound and practical approach to space.

We are getting into the Entrepreneurial Space Age. This is
rapidly diversifying how we think about and use space.

COVER STORY 3
The Fourth Industrial Revolution Launches into SpaceInterview with Wallis Laughrey, Vice President of Raytheon Space andAirborne Systems

By Joshua Marciano

To realize the full potential of Fourth Industrial Revolution
technologies in space, policymakers need to achieve regulatory
reform and create new technical standards.

COVER STORY 4Making Space Safe Again: National Security Space
Policy in the Trump Era
By Robert Shields

The US national security space policy is in transition fromdefensive, resilient architectures to a more defendable enterprise.

COVER STORY 5
The Future of Space as Global Commons from thePerspective of International Law
By Setsuko Aoki

Space debris mitigation will be the most urgent matter to maintain

COVER STORY 8
Exploring the Future in Space in Dealing withChanges in the Business Environment
By Japan SPOTLIGHT

A decrease in launch costs will drive us into a situation wherespace becomes much more accessible.

COVER STORY 9Interview with Shoichiro Asada, Executive Director of Japan Space ForumSpace as a New Business Frontier — a JapaneseSpace Development Pioneer’s View
By Japan SPOTLIGHT

To invigorate the Japanese space business, it will be necessary tocreate a venue for matching up retired engineers and young
people interested in space business to work as a bank of humanresources for space.
Naoyuki Haraoka is editor-in-chief of Japan SPOTLIGHT & executive
managing director of the Japan Economic Foundation (JEF).
Japan SPOTLIGHT • July / August 20183