PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Shuhei Akimoto
Phone: +81 0344057540
Email: s-akimoto@ispace-inc.com
Website: www.ispace-inc.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 9, 2016

Lunar Exploration Company ispace Gains Powerful Support as The
National Diet of Japan Adopts Resolution Encouraging
the Creation of the Space Resource Industry
The new resolution by the National Diet of Japan will strongly support ispace’s lunar
exploration and resource development initiative
Tokyo, Japan – November 9, 2016 — On November 8th, the National Diet of Japan adopted
a resolution to discuss the necessary steps to support the space resource industry. Japanwill now join the United States and Luxembourg in developing the space resource industry.
“In The Hague, Netherlands, 17 countries and 29 organizations have already begun
formulating international rules for space resource development, and our company has been
the only representative from Japan,” said Takeshi Hakamada, Founder and CEO of ispace,inc. “This resolution is Japan’s first official announcement to the international communitythat it has a national interest in space resource development.”
Based in Tokyo, Japan, ispace inc. is working to develop a lunar mining business to cultivate
the space resource market. The space industry is estimated to reach a value of 90 billion US
dollars in 2030 (Cislunar Space Economy - United Launch Alliance), and the resource
market is predicted to be at its core.
The company currently manages the front running Google Lunar XPRIZE team, HAKUTO.
Next year the company will send a rover to the Moon to demonstrate its micro-robotic
technology for lunar exploration. In the next decade ispace plans to establish a highfrequency transportation service to the Moon and map potential resources. In the long term,
the company plans to deliver extracted and processed resources to customers on andaround the Moon.
ispace welcomes this timely announcement by the Japanese government, as this resolution
strongly supports the company’s lunar exploration and resource development initiative.
“We hope the Japanese government will not only take the lead in the formulation ofinternational rules, but also take any necessary political measures for the development of
the space resources industry.”

PRESS RELEASE
Excerpt from the Resolution:“The Supplementary Resolution attached to the Bills concerning launch and control ofsatellites, and ensuring adequate handling of satellite remote sensing data"
With regards to the law enforcement related to satellite launch and management as well as
appropriate handling of remote sensing data, the government should cautiously consider
the following:••

Following the examples in the United States, the government should securenecessary personnel and strengthen the enforcement system to promote newentries. At the same time, the government should pay attention to the situation
surrounding domestic and international enterprises.
The government should monitor the international movement surrounding the spaceresource industry, as well as discuss necessary steps to support related industries

About ispace, Inc.
ispace is a space robotics company focused on developing miniaturized technology todiscover, map, and utilize resources in space. ispace designs, manufactures, and manages
robotics for Team Hakuto, a front running Google Lunar XPRIZE team. ispace and Team
Hakuto are sending the first privately developed micro-rover to the Moon in 2017 in an
attempt to win the $20M XPRIZE and conduct preliminary prospecting activities.