Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Focal Point on Space Exploration and Development in Japan
The first country to take material from an asteroid and bring it back to Earth, Japan has more ambitious projects in its sights, including aspirations for establishing permanent bases on the Moon. It is also actively promoting the commercialization of space, opening up the area to more players and bringing tangible benefits to society. By drawing on its strengths in precision manufacturing, engineering and robotics, Japan is embarking on an exciting range of space projects. This collection introduces Japan's space agency JAXA's vision for the future of space exploration as well as highlights the latest projects being undertaken by companies in Japan.
A leading space robotics lab in Japan is driving the development of technologies and missions aimed at accelerating the utilization of space in the vicinity of Earth.
A unique space-medicine programme, offered by several Japanese universities, allows students the chance to solve issues related to our sense of balance in the inner-ear and muscle atrophy.