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On July 6, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 17th meeting of the Strategic Headquarters for National Space Policy at the Prime Minister's Office.
 
At the meeting, there was a discussion on priority items for the revision of the Implementation Plan of the Basic Plan on Space Policy, and other matters.
 
Based on the discussion, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Countries all around the world are strengthening their space initiatives from a security standpoint. As we are currently carrying out the revision of the National Defense Program Guidelines, I would like to ask all the relevant ministries and agencies, led by the Ministry of Defense (MOD), to work together to develop the necessary structure for the strengthening of our space security, incorporating such international trends we are seeing.
 
In November, we will launch a satellite positioning, navigation and timing service using the quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS) MICHIBIKI. Please continue to further accelerate the creation of new businesses, by promoting the use of data in the private sector, including the massive amount of satellite data that the Government has amassed up to this point.
 
There has been a surge of active discussions internationally around outer space on topics such as space exploration and space debris problems, including the plans being advanced by the United States to create a manned lunar outpost. I would like Japan to lead the world in the midst of such developments and solve the issues in this field by making use of its technologies and human resources.
 
Focusing on the aforementioned points, I would like all relevant ministers, led by Minister Matsuyama, to work closely together toward the revision of the Implementation Plan of the Basic Plan on Space Policy by the end of this year.”