- Japan To Strengthen Defense Cooperation With U.K. And Italy
Defense Minister Nakatani, who is visiting the United Kingdom this week, held talks on the 15th with Defense Secretary Healy, discussing the joint development of the next-generation fighter jet by Japan, the UK, and Italy.
It appears that the policy has been finalized for Japan to take charge of the aircraft design and other key areas.
The next-generation fighter jet will succeed Japan's Air Self-Defense Force's "F-2" fighter and the "Eurofighter Typhoon" operated by the UK and Italy, with deployment aimed for 2035.
The next-generation fighter is expected to feature:
l Stealth capabilities,
l Advanced network-centric warfare, including collaboration with unmanned aircraft,
l High-performance radar and sensor technologies.
Japan is anticipated to contribute with its composite material technologies and materials essential for stealth capabilities.
Additionally, during discussions between Minister Nakatani and Secretary Healy, they addressed the potential application of "asset protection" by the Self-Defense Forces, which involves defending the ships and aircraft of other nations.
This would be in conjunction with the planned deployment of the UK's Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific in 2025.
If realized, the U.K. would become the third country for Japan to adopt such measures, following the United States and Australia.
- Japan To Participate In The U.S. Private-Sector-Led Development Of Commercial Space Stations
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has decided to participate in the private-sector-led development of commercial space stations by U.S. companies as part of its response to the decommissioning of the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030 due to aging infrastructure.
Japan is also considering establishing privately-operated facilities similar to the unique experiment module "Kibo" currently on the ISS.
U.S. space company Axiom Space has already signed a contract with NASA to connect its facility to the ISS, with plans to develop and operate it as an independent commercial space station.
In the draft policy to be presented by MEXT at an upcoming expert panel meeting, it is clearly stated that Japan's involvement in the ISS successor will be primarily led by private sector management, with JAXA providing support for utilization.
Japanese private companies selected by the government will serve as the contact points for using the successor station.
Japan is also considering creating a facility similar to the "Kibo" module on the successor station, with its development and operation to be handled by the private sector.
Interest from companies is high, as evidenced by the partnership between Mitsui & Co., a major trading company, and U.S.-based Axiom Space.
The Japanese government has set a goal of doubling the market size of the space industry, which was 4 trillion yen in 2020, to 8 trillion yen by the 2030s.
3. The Number Of Foreign Visitors And Their Spending In 2024 Found Highest Ever
The number of visitors to Japan in 2024 reached a record high of 36,869,900.
The amount spent by these visitors in Japan also hit a record high, totaling 8.1395 trillion yen.
By country, the highest spending came from China, at 1.7335 trillion yen, followed by Taiwan at 1.0936 trillion yen, and South Korea in third place at 963.2 billion yen.
On the other hand, the accommodation and food service industries are reportedly facing a labor shortage of over 20%, leading to rising hourly wages in areas such as Niseko, Hokkaido, and Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, surpassing those in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
The Japanese government is reportedly considering increasing the number of inbound tourists to over 60 million in the future.
4. Japan And UAE To Collaborate Commercial Space Industries
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Muto, visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 14th and met with Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology.
They agreed to expand cooperation to advance the foundation of the space industry.
The two countries signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022 and have been supporting private-sector initiatives through government-private workshops and other activities.
As the UAE strengthens its space industry, the two nations will collaborate on creating a roadmap for the development of their space industry foundations, hosting seminars, and building a supply chain for the space industry.
５．Kaneka To Develop Recyclable Solar Panel
According to the Nikkei, Kaneka plans to develop waste-free solar panels by 2030.
The company will innovate methods for securing key components, making it easier to reuse rare metals and other materials.
Energy consumption from production to disposal will also be reduced to one-third of the current levels.
Domestic production of next-generation recyclable panels could contribute to strengthening economic security.
Currently, solar panels are crushed to extract and separate precious metals.