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Japan is going ahead with its moves to use outer space for military purposes. On September 11, Japan placed into orbit its third surveillance satellite, equipped with optical cameras used for military surveillance purposes. Its fourth satellite for such surveillance is planned to be fired into space early next year.

The surveillance satellites will work with radar satellites. If the two sets of surveillance and radar satellites are in place, Japan would be able to scan the earth’s entire surface at least one full time per day. It is apparent that North Korea’s missile tests are behind Japan’s launches of the satellites.

The U.S. had previously opposed Japan’s having its own military satellites, but now Washington is supporting the move under the name of consolidating mutual military ties between the two countries. Since it put a set of satellites - one optical and one radar - into space in March 2003, Japan is now nearing its ultimate surveillance goal with the latest successful launch.

Conservatives in Japan have argued that the satellites are not intended for military purposes but for research on disaster prevention and earthquakes; in fact, they have shied away from using the term "military" in discussing the satellites’ use. However, the government has not revealed what information it has collected from the satellites currently in orbit.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) at first imposed a restriction on the use of the satellites in order to assuage concerns from opposition parties and other neighboring countries. It is worrisome that now some LDP officials are raising the possibility of easing that limit. These members are reportedly pursuing the revision of related laws in order to ease the restrictions and allow for "non-invasive" military use of satellites within the year, when a new prime minister takes office. In the long term, they plan to enhance the current 1-meter resolution satellites to be on par with those of the U.S.

Under a resolution adopted by parliament in 1969, Japan is obliged to use space for peaceful purposes only. The government at that time also made clear that satellites should be confined to commercial use. This recent departure from its pledge to not possess a military following its defeat in World War II cannot be tolerated. Once Japan goes in the direction of expanding its military capacity, it will be difficult to turn back. It is also not desirable to see an increase in military satellites in the name of regional security. In this sense, top priority should be placed on dealing with North Korea’s missile issue, which was used as an excuse by Japan to build up its military capacity.