[Provisional Translation]

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 14th meeting of the Strategic Headquarters for Space Development at the Prime Minister's Office.

At the meeting, the Work Schedule of the Basic Plan for Space Policy (FY2016 Revised Version) was discussed.

Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

“Today we have revised the Work Schedule of the Basic Plan for Space Policy. Taking into account the new work schedule, I instruct you to work in particular on the following three points.

First, with the establishment of two space-related bills, we will advance the creation and expansion of new private-sector space businesses, providing opportunities for companies and universities to utilize outer space, such as by launching small-scale satellites from international space stations.

Second, we will fortify our space systems which are inherently connected with cybersecurity. We will rapidly embark on the establishment of guidelines to assess vulnerabilities in our space systems, and inspections based on them.

Third, we will advance the development of Japan’s space systems overseas. We will implement satellite measurement cooperation in Asia using quasi-zenith satellites, and support the fostering of human resources in space-related fields.      

Please collaborate thoroughly with Minister of State for Space Policy Tsuruho and the other relevant ministers, in order to achieve all of this.”